My heart is EXPLODING!

Things have changed a lot in the last few years... And you know you're getting old when your Christmas memories are over 25 years old!

It has always worked out that when Christmas rolled around, we went to "Mom's side" on Christmas Eve and "Dad's side" on Christmas Day. We would go to church after we went to my Aunt Dee's house. I love both sides of my family, they are VERY different, however love blends us all.

I think of going down the steps on Osage to Aunt Dee and Uncle Ed's house. I can remember how it looked, how it smelled. I remember the year I was pregnant and all I ate was Saurkraut and Keilbasa (I mean BIG PLATES of it!) and kept going up and down the stairs, Aunt Dee (she was like a mom to my mom) kept saying I was going to have that baby that night! For the record Phyllis came 12 days later!!

To gram's house for awhile for Roast Beef (aka the Christmas goose) and then my dad took over the tradition. My gram had a house very similar to mine (which is EXACTLY why I chose the style of house I did) we would pile in, smash around the dining room table, and I do mean SMASH!). I remember always I sat across from my gram, to her right was Janie and to her left my aunt sissy. My uncle Rich always sat next to me. Things are a little different, my dad adopted the tradition of French Onion Soup now.

For years my dad came over to open presents on Christmas morning, now I am blessed with a stepmom who seems more like a mom to me, even though she's been with us for a short time, it sure seems like we couldn't do it without her now. And truth be told, I don't know how we made it without her all these years! And so now, she comes too!!

We visit my stepbrothers house on Christmas Eve before going to my "mom's side" and we don't go to church anymore. It's too much, and I don't think for one second that Jesus doesn't understand, because I know He does. It seems wierd, but I think that if I am stressed out, not enjoying His love that He has brought me through these wonderful families I have, that would be just not right either.

I am excited about the Christmas memories of the past that make me smile, and I am excited about the memories we make each year.

Merry Christmas to you!!

May you see God in every moment, and feel Him and His love in every hug and smile!!

***The artwork is from Ava and Lana for Christmas this year!!