It's been a pretty good Christmas season, all things considered. Some memories made.
- One of favorites, always, was playing hide and seek with the boys at Santa's Trees when we went to pick out our Christmas tree just after Thanksgiving. The main lot had moved from Green Hills to closer to our house and though it seemed a bit smaller with slightly fewer trees, we had fun hiding and looking for each other, as always. A signature moment for our family every Christmas.
- The Christmas brunch at the Courtyard at NHC Place, with my mom, was a highlight, for sure. Though she was quiet, as she has been lately, it was nice to see so many families there visiting with residents. Everyone sang Christmas carols and Donna did a few activities with the residents. There was a lot of staff there, too. The mood was happy and relaxed and there was a feeling of thankfulness, it seemed, even if it was only for a morning. I think the family members present felt a sense of kinship and understanding with each other, too.
- Cooper, the Elf on the Shelf, was a big hit, as always, especially for Joe. I think there only was one night, early on after he arrived, when I had to get out of bed at 2 or 3 a.m. to move him because I'd forgotten to do so before I went to bed. There's something about the arrival of the Elf and moving him every night that reminds me that Christmas season is really upon us. It's a special time and one that is fleeting, for sure, as before long Joe will stop believing in him and a part of Christmas will be lost to us forever.
- J.P. believes or doesn't he? It's hard to say, really. J.P. is a pretty innocent, naive boy and he seems to still believe. A couple of days before Christmas, he left the Elf the most adorable note asking him to tell Santa that, if possible, he would like hockey gear for Christmas. This was somewhat alarming news to me, since all of Christmas shopping was basically done and it was Dec. 23. I got up early and made my way to Play It Again Sam's in Cool Springs where I was able to find hockey pads, pants, shirt, gloves and a stick. It was quite the undertaking but all worth it, as J.P.'s face lit up on Christmas morning when he saw it all. He let something slip at Tracy's house yesterday, though, that made me think the jig is up with Santa Claus. I'm on the fence as to what he believes, but I think I'm going to assume he believes and that this might be his last year as a true believer.
- We visited Santa Claus at the Green Hills Mall the week before Christmas, after work one night. Watching the other young children with their parents brings back a lot of memories for me of the days when it was just Jude, J.P. and me, then later Joe, too, and seeing Santa Claus was a big deal. We missed the Christmas tree lighting at the state capitol this year, which is where we have seen Mr. and Mrs. Claus the last several years. It was kind of nice to go back to the mall for old time's sake.
- Last Saturday, I ran 10 miles on the trails at Shelby Bottoms in the mud, listening to Christmas music on a Spotify Christmas playlist the entire run. That was nice and may have been my run of the year. Certainly, it was in the top 10. I saw a deer just of the Cornelia Fort Trail. He jumped and startled me from my reverie as I ran around a corner near a small wooden bridge over a creek. I stopped and we just stared at each other for a moment.
- The Governor's Christmas party at the residence - Governor Hallam's finale Christmas party - was a singular, special event for reasons I talked about in an earlier post. It's been fun to attend those type of events with Jude over the past six or seven years, to feel like we're a party of something larger than ourselves.
- Our Christmas tree is particularly beautiful this year, maybe our best one yet. Tall - we had to have the delivery guys snip of the top - but really, really full, too. It looks great in our living room with all of the ornaments on it.
- The Christmas season has gone by so fast and I've missed some things or been rushed on others, because I've been so busy. Work has been crazy and didn't slow down in December like it usually does. Getting to see my mom and worrying about her has occupied my mind and time, too. I didn't get my Christmas cards out until a couple of days before Christmas, in spite of my intentions to get them out earlier. I was still buying last minute gifts on Dec. 23. Lastly and what disappointed me the most is that J.P. and I didn't put my Christmas Village out this year, even though the box containing it has sat in our dining room since early December. I'll do better next year (famous last words).
- Father Hammond sitting in the to play the organ at St. Patrick for the Christmas Eve service was memorable. Actually, it was fantastic. We're adjusting to having him as our priest. As part of that process, I'm trying to recommit to attending church more regularly on Sundays. I need that, I think.
- My mom. So much of the time this Christmas season, I've been lost in my thoughts, thinking of her. I've been more down, at times, than ever before this year in what, again, is always my favorite time of year. I've rallied the last few days, but it's been incredibly hard for me. She's dropped to another plateau lately and we're having to adjust to her not talking and not being as animated. It's just where we are. When I look at how much she's changed and, well, declined over the last three Christmases (2016, 2017 and 2018), it breaks my heart. I have to face the fact that this might have been our last Christmas with her, or our last Christmas with her where she could interact with us at all.
So, that's it, I guess. Jude's brother, James, and his wife, Megan, and their young children, Caroline and James, are coming in tomorrow to stay with us. The boys are excited and so are we. It's going to be fun to have young children in our house for a few days. Jude's parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year, too, and we'll be attending a big party over the weekend, too, which will be fun.
Christmas 2018. It arrived quickly and then it was gone.
No comments:
Post a Comment