Christmas day was everything I wanted it to be. Both of my girls were happy, excited, and both said it was their best Christmas ever!
How blessed I am.
How blessed I am to have two teenage daughters when asked what they wanted for Christmas, neither could think of an item they would like to have. Brooke said she didn't want anything, that she already has everything she wants.
Lucky for them, I am creative and I know each daughter so well, that I was able to pull off gifts they were thrilled with. You see, they get three gifts each (just like Jesus) from me, and stocking stuffers.
The whole month of December was Christmas in our home. Decorations were hung by the chimney with care as well as holiday music filled the air.
It wasn't all Currier & Ives though.
Our furnace was out for two weeks.
Mariah was in her 2nd accident in my car.
December 19th was the second anniversary of Brooke's dads suicide. Last year we were just happy to have made it through the year, but this year was different. It was extra hard for Brooke.
Depression set in. Chest pain and physical heart ache called for a doctors appointment. Counseling sessions helped.
Mariah's dad has gotten significantly worse with his ALS (Lou Gehrigs).
After weeks of Brooke's depression our night reached its emotional crescendo on December 18th the night before the dreaded anniversary. Brooke's emotions where running high and I was running on mental exhaustion worrying about her. I had to drive out of town to pick up a Christmas gift Mariah's dad wanted for her for Christmas.
I'm swiping my credit card paying for her last Christmas gift from her daddy, Brooke is at home a mess, when the poor guy across the counter at Verizon nervously started talking fast to be done with my purchase, tears were rolling down my face, and he didn't know what to say. It was the reality of it all.
Brooke cries and yells I don't know how she feels and at my wits end I yell back, "No, I don't know how you feel, but I loved your dad very much, we were good friends, and I miss him. My heart hurts for you because your heart hurts so much and I cannot take that pain away from you."
It wasn't one of our finer moments.
In the midst of a magical holiday season we have had our share of intense moments to overcome and we did.
Christmas eve the snow began to fall and it looked like a winter wonderland. Thank you, God.
Brooke woke up happy and enjoyed Christmas completely. Thank you, God.
Mariah enjoyed a wonderful and emotional last Christmas with her daddy and said it was the best Christmas ever! Thank you, God.
I'm back to work and working at the very company I wanted to work at the most. It is going far better than I ever imagined. Thank you, God.
The whole month of December was Christmas in our home. I clung to the the very reason for Christmas, Christ's birth. I reinforced it in our family Christmas traditions as well as our our new tradition, the sparkle box.
Life happens and we all have seasons where it is harder than others, but it turned out to be a magical Christmas filled with love, happiness, family, friends, and laughter.
Success.
