The holidays are about family. Wait, let me rephrase that. The holidays should be about family. Whether that means your children, your parents, your siblings, nieces or nephews, aunts or uncles, or those friends who are like family ~ spending the holidays with your loved ones should be about love, laughter, good times, good wine, and good food.
KJ and I spent a quiet Thanksgiving here in California with the kids. It was the first year ever that it’s been just the four of us and you know, it was a bit on the weird side. It was odd having to cook for just four instead of the usual 10 or more. One turkey? We’re only having one turkey?? Two pumpkin pies instead of the usual four, half the amount of dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, etc.
Over the course of the 5 1/2 days that the kids were here, I came to realize this ~ we never know what gifts our children are until they leave the nest (or in this case, the nest leaves them) and they then come back to the roost for the holidays. I’ve always known how blessed KJ and I are as parents, to have Ryan and Lynsay. They enrich our lives on a daily basis with their love, their laughter, their strong sense of family, Ryan’s wicked and dry sense of humor and Lynsays girly-girl ways.
Other than Friday, when the boys golfed and Lynsay & I hit the outlet mall - which is a story in itself - and then had pedis, the entire weekend was spent as a family. I cooked (lots), we went to the movies, went to the street fair, went to the farmer’s market and out for breakfast, and played Wii. Have you ever watched a 23 year old guy do Yoga with the Wii? It’s beyond entertaining. It was a long weekend of family dinners and family activities. I had the headache from hell the last three days of their visit and was a bit on the grumpy side at times (sorry, my babies) but God, having them home....there aren’t words to express how it felt. I will say this ~ every time the kids are here and they leave, I understand more and more how my mom feels when I go home to Oklahoma and then have to leave.
While I would have loved being able to spend the holiday with my entire family, being with the kids was pretty damn cool. When we took them to the airport on Monday afternoon, (which I hate doing ‘cause saying goodbye to them damn near breaks my heart) KJ and I were barely out of the airport parking lot when he looked over at me and said, “I miss them already.” *sighs* Dammit!! There I was with my big girl panties on, being brave and trying not to cry. Until he said that.
With KJ in Phoenix til next Monday and the kids safely back in Omaha, the house is quiet. Too quiet. Even Murphy (or Smurphy, as Lynsay calls him) noticed that everyone was gone. He went running from room to room trying to find everyone while looking at me with that, “Okay, what have you done with them?” look.
I’ve spent this week decorating the tree and adding little Christmas touches throughout the house. KJ put the deer out front and I have to say, they look pretty cool standing amongst the palm trees.
We don’t have snow but it’s beginning to look a little little like Christmas ~
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