Saturday, November 25
As much as I love the holidays, I wish I could skip this one. I'm so homesick thinking about all of the things we'd be doing in December if we were still in Louisiana. I miss so many things.I miss the snowman in Mandy and Josh's yard. I miss making butter mints for Linda and having her yum them up in flash. I miss having lunch with Linda and Aleece and trading Christmas presents. I miss Julie's butter cookies. I miss the Advent services at our church (Mike even said today that he's missing the Hanging of the Green service which will happen tomorrow night at church.). I'm missing shopping with Mandy and having Griff and Mike be close enough to walk to the parade route for the Christmas parade in town.
For the last few years, we had festive dinners each Saturday night in December and invited people over to share a meal with us. I miss knowing people to ask over. I miss the cooler weather (while 77 is pleasant, it's not very holiday-ish). I miss watching people open presents. That look of enchantment of people's faces is precious. It's not quite the same to get that telephone thank-you call.
In general, I'm feeling sad and pitiful and homesick today. If it weren't for the kids, I'd skip Christmas this year. But since feeling at home with the holidays in this new house is important for them (most likely, for all of us), I'm working on it. My plan at this point is going to be to keep us all as busy as possible with all manner of holiday delights.
If there's a free holiday activity in town when Griff doesn't have homework, we're going. And we'll visit church each Sunday hoping for an Advent service. And we'll light our own Advent candles.
I am blessed that my friend, Tara, is coming to Orlando mid-month with her family, and I'm going to get to see her. I can hardly wait!
On the weekends, we're going to go to Cypress Gardens to see their holiday lights and maybe catch a holiday concert. And we're going to go to the zoo in Tampa for their holiday lights, too. And maybe one Saturday, I'll let Mike convince me to do the craziest holiday thing... take the kids to the mall for fun.
I believe completely that my attitude and my willingness to be in this moment in this place will be what get us all through this season with our focus directed to Christ, with our hearts attune to the blessings we have. I know it's okay to miss people at home, but I also know that I don't want to miss these precious moments here and now by keeping my focus too much on what I miss instead of what I have.
[ posted by Chel on Saturday, November 25, 2006 ]
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