Christmas is Coming!



Okay so I have to explain why Im kind of BAH HUMBUG about Christmas... I never remember Christmas being a HUGE deal growing up. My mom would ALWAYS remind me what Christmas was REALLY about. It wasnt about the decorations, the gifts, food, and shopping, it was to celebrate the birth of Christ. Also 75% of the time my parents had to work on Christmas so we either opened gifts Christmas Eve or Christmas night. I do remember a couple of Christmases before my mother and father divorced. Once was in the apartment we lived in California my brother and I woke up and went downstairs and seen all the presents! Ahh Back when I really thought there was a Santa Clause! Another Christmas I remember back then was when we gave my dad his puppy Sugar Baby! She was sooo tiny she could fit inside his shoe!! Our dog we had before her had been hit by a car and my dad found her on his way to work (NOT A GOOD DAY) so my mom got him another cute lil puppy! It was a sweet moment back then. And it was also hard to have a HUGE family gatherins as we were always living so far from extended family so it was ususally just the 4 of us. And as far as decorations we had a tree.. thats about it lol. =D BigPapas family were ALWAYS big on Christmas. They go ALL out. Decorating the outside of the house and the inside and do family things alot! Most of his family lives here in Augusta with a couple of exceptions. They even had a kind of schedule. Christmas morning open presents at his parents, go next door to grammas and open gifts then go home and get ready for dinner then to end the day have dinner and help clean. VOILA Every year THAT was how they did things.

Anyways thats then and this is now. When BigPapa and I got together I was ALWAYS included in Christmas events with his family. It was a nice breath of fresh air but I always went back to what my mom taught me. Well over the years BigPapa has gotten me to let go a little and do a little above and beyond the "norm" and I began to decorate a little more than just having a tree. BigPapa has been my Christmas "spirit" since we got together. His parents bought us a tree to put up when the first Christmas we lived together. Well since we got together and have children their "schedule" had to change. Trust me it wasnt easy. Empty Nest set in with his mom, waking up Christmas mornin and your babies arent there as they used to be. So James told her he has a family and we are gonna do things his way! LoL! OOOKAY! Basically the same schedule now except presents are at his parents house AFTER dinner and Christmas morning with our kids is at OUR house, naturally. Its been a couple years of this schedule and everyones pretty used to it now! =D It was so cute one Christmas BigPapa got up REALLY early in the morning and (with his dad in on it) went to his parents house and woke his mama up! She was tickled to death (yeah she cried, hes so sweet)!!

Well this year is going to be WAAAY different for ALL of us. If youve been reading my blog you know that BigPapa is in Afghanistan this year. Ive been having the hardest time getting into the Christmas spirit. And I am not shy to admit it. Ive been really BLAH about Christmas this year. Others in his family are definitly having a hard time getting into the spirit and thats understandable. There were certain things BigPapa did for others and now they are having to figure out how to get it done without BigPapa being here. BigPapa ususally put the lights on his parents and grandparents house, his dad has bad hips and his Pop has earned the right to make BigPapa do them, not to mention neither of them have any business on a roof anyways! I REALLY didnt wanna even put up a tree as I have mentioned in the blogs before but I did and I said that was it.. well today I decided to put up the rest of my Christmas stuff in my house! Nothing big and everything is nice and neat! Hopefully it will HELP get me into the spirit. We shall see. This Christmas is definitly going to be difficult but ya know its almost here and has gotten here so fast! It will be over before we know it and he will be home soon!

I complain about him not being here and its so selfish... Hes in Afghanistan with no family. I mean besides the guys in the unit but its not the same really. Hes not going to be here when his babies wake up on Christmas morning and thats hard for him... I know it is. Just a little piece of advice please try not to ask me what I want for Christmas when you already know, and if you happen to ask please understand if I tear up and give me a moment to bring my thoughts back from Afghanistan. Theres only one thing in the whole world I would love under my tree right now and thats my husband, but he has a job to do. Protecting our freedom so that families can continue their traditions. YES of course we are going to miss each other alot this Christmas but Its put our lives together in a whole different light. Nothing is better than the love and life that we share. And THAT my friends has been the greatest gift I have EVER recieved from anyone. God has blessed me with the most amazing husband and father for my children.