"On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...."
CHRISTMAS MEMORIES 2019
Happy Thursday, and Merry Christmas Eve eve, friends!!
Jumping right into 2019 memories: Sarah invited us over to their new house (they had moved in that November) for a fun game night with lots of great snacks! I remember eating lots of puppy chow, laughing a lot, and winning one of the deep-strategy games by making completely wild guesses! lol And Sarah Elizabeth and I had a memorable, lengthy talk later that night after everyone else left.
Hot chocolate + game night with the Woodlake group (top two photos)... A Mockey Little Christmas Party, part 2 (bottom left).. Christmas work lunch with Dana and Laura at the Collins Building (middle right)... and the second Convivial Cozy Christmas Party at the Mosses (bottom right)!
Celebrating Laura's birthday at Lori's Tea Room, followed by a coffeehouse chat with Kristin, who offered some timely words of wisdom... Christmas cookies from my neighbors, Larry and Becky... Miss K practicing her gymnastics moves... and Rach with all the kids ready for the CHA Christmas program!
That December included a number of difficult events, beginning with the deaths of Ty Womble and Blair Shields (both 38). Triston and Carter were in a bad car wreck with Brooke on the 18th where Carter broke his collarbone. It was our first Christmas Eve without Grandad (he passed away that August after months of slow decline due to a terrible stroke), and missing him was emotional for everyone, especially Babah. Then Dad was hospitalized on the 22nd with a severe staph infection (he was released on Christmas Eve morning, which we were very grateful for)!
On the 14th, the Wilsons and I came to Sand Springs to help the Fultons paint their new living room. What I remember most about that day is that my heart was brimming over with joy and relief and hopeful expectation… Malori was back! I had received a response that morning to a message I sent the night before... I was elated but didn't tell another soul until several days later. It felt too sacred and delicate in that moment, priceless and extremely fragile, like a glass art masterpiece. I was unwilling to do anything that might risk breaking that illusion. (And although that particular "glass" has been shattered now, I am grateful for the way it played out... it all mattered, and it opened my heart and my eyes in important ways. And in spite of the painful ending, I will remember 12-14-19 as one of my happiest days!)
Our family Christmas Eve was at the Parrish home. Blake was out of state, working in his first year of residency as a doctor. So our usual grandparents and grandkids photo became the girls and Babah. We had dinner that year at The Feast, a fusion buffet-style restaurant that I don't think any of us really care to repeat. lol
Our group pic at the family dinner! You can see everyone but JoBug.
Meaningful gifts that year included these glittery photo ornaments Rach made in memory of Grandad, one last gift he'd bought for us earlier that year (a Robin Hood DVD, because it was one of the movies we had watched over and over as kids when he babysat us ❤), and a MacBook Pro for T-man (the world's biggest Apple fan) from me and Mamaw and Grandpa!!
My favorite pic of me and my oldest nephew, Triston Michael... he's holding his new computer and showing me how it all works! =)
Babah preferred not to drive at night so she stayed with us at Mom and Dad's house, then we all came back over to the Parrishes for our family Christmas breakfast!
And the Parrish fam came over for lasagna dinner that night! The Miss K requested to sit by me both times, and I was more than happy to oblige. Top right is us posing together before I opened the present she got for me - what!? So thoughtful! ❤ And the bottom pic, which clearly doesn't go with the rest of these, is me and Dad watching Die Hard at the end of Christmas day! lolol Ahh, nothing like the Christmas spirit - Yippie ki yay, mother*!
Me taking a quick selfie in Target with a random Christmas cup I thought was cute, but didn't care enough to buy. lol It's become symbolic for me now, though... not for faking happiness, but for choosing joy and deliberately drinking in the beauty and goodness and grace of God during this season. ❤
Our family Christmas dinner at Mom and Dad's! (The older boys were with Brooke that day).
Precious gifts from my preshface niece... we went shopping together at Quail Springs and she wanted us to have matching initial necklaces from Claire's -- yes, please! (We're wearing them in the bottom left pic, but you can't really tell.) And she got us these ornaments at the CHA Christmas store. How much do I ADORE her little card/tag on the giftbag!? Mixing up the To and From, then drawing an arrow, then starting to write "I Love You" but running out of room and just leaving off the "you." lol She's the very best!!
...I've left New Year's Eve off of most of these posts, as it's a completely separate holiday. But I'm throwing it in for good reason on this one. Just look at us, full of joy and celebration and hope, not knowing we were about to enter a year unlike the world had ever seen...
Coronavirus, global pandemic, COVID-19, quarantine, social distancing, flatten the curve, N95 masks, drive-thru testing, super-spreader, incubation period, delta variant, omicron, PPE, CDC, WHO, anti-maskers, hydroxychloroquine, shutdown order, contact tracing, Bluejeans hearing, virtual hangout, antibodies infusion, fully vaccinated, shelter in place, long haul COVID, vaccine mandates, etc.
...It's strange to think those terms were not in my vocabulary only two years ago.
In the short time since all of the above photos were taken, there has been a staggering amount of loss worldwide. The loss of life (real and beloved human beings who have suffered and died), the loss of health (devastating, long-lasting health problems for many post-COVID), the loss of financial stability (so many businesses that were harmed or shut down in the midst of all this, with many people affected in each specific place), the loss of many big and small future plans, and the loss of certain freedoms. The relational toll from this ongoing chaos has been truly catastrophic. The increased levels of stress, anger, fear, insensitivity, division, and isolation have understandably affected our hearts and souls and our capacity for love and kindness. Family, friendships, and community matter so very deeply, and I believe Jesus’ command to love God with all our hearts and love others as we love ourselves has never been more critical! I'm praying for more of God’s love, grace, and peace to prevail and shine in and through our lives!! ❤
Okay, that was a tangent, and I'm aware these posts are getting longer and longer. I'll try to rein in my thoughts on the next one. lol But since this is already so long, I'm throwing in a song to conclude it all! Just when I thought I couldn't love Ed Sheeran more, I discovered this acapella awesomeness today. I love that he can't help but tap the beat as they all sing...
Song for the day = Afterglow by Ed Sheeran. Enjoy!
"Oh, I won't be silent, and I won't let go.
I will hold on tight until the afterglow.
And we'll burn so bright until the darkness softly clears.
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