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Gearing up for Christmas v2.0

Posted in Crazy Wisdom on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at 1:17 pm by flerly.

The weekend with the family was great. Much shopping, eating, and chilling was done. I really thought I was going to lose it there at the end though as frewtnut niece embraced me in a last hug and whispered, “we need to live closer”. Only the immediately following hitch with their car not wanting to start kept me from it. But, a quick jump start to get it moving on that cool Sunday morn and they were on the road to Alabama. It probably sounds dumb to say how it always feels like a piece of my heart rips out when I have to say goodbye to them, but it does every time.

So then, there were two again, with a Sunday to kill. We completely spaced on Sunday Music Club, and instead headed out do a last bit of Christmas shopping for James’ mother, were plied with fresh baked cookies and bottles of water while we waited in line at the Brighton store, and then gave in to the urge to have a nice meal out. We ducked into Wildfire at Perimeter mall and it was very nice, and left us plenty of time to converse about how we both feel the distance to our families, and how it seems to be an ever-increasing strain to divide the time between seeing everyone that never gives us as much time as we want. Mostly we argued about how to get over to Alabama after Christmas before the frewtnuts fly home, since they’re not staying for new years, but we just don’t know how.

Other than a brief visit for a funeral, I haven’t seen any of James’ mom’s side since they came down for our 4th of July party, and it’s not like I spent much time with them on either occasion. It’s been quite a stretch, and now we hear that the grandparents are even more plagued with health problems and likely won’t be traveling much anymore, so it’s go there for us or not see them. And with Jennie now moved even farther away to Asheville, how can we not spend time with her over Christmas in Chattanooga while she’s there. Spending as much time as we’d like where we’d like is just impossible, and we will definately miss seeing the frewtnuts one more time before they fly away home.

On the other hand, I hardly know what to do with myself yesterday and today at home, with it so close to the holiday, and yet work still calls. Plenty of last minute requests are coming in, which are easily handled, but there’s just something about having had a houseful of people around the tree only a couple days ago, and now it’s back to just us again, almost makes it seem like Christmas has already passed. We’ve already exchanged our gifts to each other, so tomorrow’s trip feels more like just some package delivery. It won’t be that way once we’re there, I know, it’s just the mental state now.

Honestly, we still have one more trip out this evening to pick the one last thing, and then I can finish wrapping these last gifts for JT’s fam before we go. Wrapping more presents should help with the mood. I know this is just a post-family-visit funk, and I’ll get over it. Yes, I want more than anything right now to just be in Alabama with sis helping them get everything ready for Christmas, and for the big party Saturday night, but they don’t need me. I’ve already stolen enough time with frewtnut this year and I ought to be content to let Pete and Joyce enjoy some time with them. I mean, it’s not like I’m anywhere near the only one who misses them.

Enough babble. There are things to be done besides sitting around moping.

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