I absolutely LOVE this time of year. So many people get upset because Christmas decorations are out already and the carols are playing on the radio before Thanksgiving. But, I tell you though, I am one of those people that adores the holiday season. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and Christmas is absolutely the best. Having the Christmas decorations out only makes me more thankful daily and come Thanksgiving my heart is absolutely overflowing with gratitude. It should be that way everyday, but if I am being honest, I get caught up in life and sometimes forget just how blessed I am in this life.
In the summer 2001 Dan left for Bosnia and was gone during the holiday season. It was the worst Christmas and Thanksgiving was just not the same. I’ve never been a big football fan, but I couldn’t wait for the season to begin. I knew that once football season started and before the Super Bowl was played that he would be home. When you are counting days until he comes back you start doing things like measuring the time by football season and then you start looking at expiration dates on the milk and thinking that he will be home before the milk expires. haha… It’s funny how you do that when your husband is gone.
It was not a fun holiday season for us. Christmas Eve finally rolled around and I found myself sitting in this big empty house missing Dan like crazy and had a few decorations out, but not a tree. I was so sad having him gone. The thing about us is that we don’t do well apart from each other . We have had our ups and downs and even separated for a time, but somehow I knew, even through that time, that we would be back together. It’s just the way it works. We sometimes kid and say that no one else could put up with either of us and there is probably some truth in that. Having him with us at home NEVER gets old. As long as our family is together we can get through anything. That is why I love this time of year. Now add Jacob in and, my goodness, the joy he has brought us is absolutely immeasurable.
We went downtown tonight (technically is was last night since it is 4:00 a.m now) and it was so much fun walking around in the cold and seeing the store windows with the Christmas trees up. The lights were not lit up as of yet. That happens next weekend, but it was still nice to walk around. Bentonville has this neat little ice rink that is a splash pad during the summer and then walls are put up and the surface prepped and you can ice skate in the winter. The guy was out spraying down water and getting it ready for next weekend’s opening. All the lights were up and the tree decorated, but it wasn’t lit and instead of playing Christmas carols he had Johnny Cash blaring out of some speakers. Proud mama though because Jacob was singing along to “Walk the Line.” It wasn’t exactly what we had in mind, but what fun it was to just walk around together and see all the lights hung, but not turned on and the trees decorated, but not lit. You could still see how beautiful everything looks.
That is what love does...it sees everything lit up even when the lights are not on yet. From just looking at it you would think how nice it will look when everything is lit and there is Christmas music and kids on the ice rink. Love sees how much fun it was to walk around, talk to the guy spraying the water and seeing all the decorations without life in them yet. It was a fun night and we had ice cream and pie at The Spark Cafe Soda Fountain. They even had Andy Griffith playing on the TV and all the Christmas decorations were out in the 5 & 10 store. Jacob looked around in that little store at all the toys from times past and we had a great time just doing nothing more than being together. There was a sleigh out front and we took some pictures. I imagine we will go back next weekend and there will be more life in the downtown square than there was tonight, but I doubt it will be more fun, at least to me, anyway.
Three years ago we spent a couple weeks in New York City during the Christmas season and it was the most wonderful time and we had lots of fun. After all, nothing screams Christmas like Manhattan in December. But, I gotta tell you, it’s the company that makes these memories so wonderful. The time we spent on the square tonight would rank right up there with us ice skating in Rockefeller Center.
Don’t lose sight of what is important anytime and not just during the holidays. Family, love, hope, faith, time together...those are the things to add to your Christmas list.
Let LOVE help open your eyes!!
So, with that...BRING ON THE SEASON...
No comments:
Post a Comment