Festivities


The Festival of Trees at the Embassy on Thanksgiving Day

I woke this morning and it was Christmas.  My son left after going through his stocking to see what the big guy left (although he's 19 and knows I'm the big guy I still always do a stocking) to spend the next couple of days with his dad.  I've been preparing myself and really truly thought I wouldn't feel much of anything on this day but this is truly the first Christmas that I have spent it alone.  The previous years I was a Christmas crasher but after this year of growing and not feeling alone I didn't feel the need to crash a friend's Christmas to keep myself from feeling a little insane and just crying my way through the day.  No, I am not crying my way through the day but seeing all of my friends with their families does make me yearn for mine.  And please do not mistake this post for a pity party because it's not.  Up until this day I have had the most wonderful holiday season.  And not like this day isn't wonderful because it is but I didn't realize how much I would miss having my family around until they weren't.  This isn't about being without a "partner" because I'm not lonely in that aspect, it's about spending the day with people you love and who love you back.  It's about tradition and I am such a tradition person.  Having a daughter who lives in Indiana and is married now just reminds me that sometimes change is inevitable and those most responsive to change win.  With this means different traditions have to be made or just being able to go with the flow.  Things are constantly evolving around me and I didn't realize how things were really truly the same for the 17 years I was married at Christmas.  Some things stay the same, like gingerbread house making on Thanksgiving, eating the traditional Thanksgiving meal, going to Christmas eve mass to name a few.  Then somethings will change like going to Indiana for Thanksgiving instead of my mom's, buying a turkey from Bojangles instead of my brother deep frying 4, going to my mom's for Christmas eve, not having my daughter home for Christmas and the biggest being at home alone on Christmas day.  It's just an adjustment and I'm sure I'll make more along the way but for today I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and if you get the chance to spend it with the ones you love it's a present in itself not to be taken advantage of.  

To show you all my holiday season was nothing short of wonderful I'm including some of my favorite photos.  
Thanksgiving night in Indiana








Spending time with my granddog, watching Maui admire Cam's Christmas tree was too cute, making gingerbread houses, picking out the perfect tiny Christmas tree, going to a 90 year old theater and getting to see White Christmas in it, two crossfit Christmas parties that reminded me how I'm surrounded by some really good people, getting to go skiing the week before Christmas and then spending the weekend with my family in SC.  It's been a great holiday season. 

Ugly Christmas Sweater party with my CFC family
Come dressed as your favorite Christmas movie character party with my CFB family.  I'm fortunate enough to have two. 
One of my bestest girls from crossfit, oh I was the lamp from the Christmas story in case you were wondering.  


Peace, love and joy
dawn


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