Merry Christmas with pic!

  Teresa is really the reason I got through the Christmas holiday.  Really.  My dad's bday would have been Christmas and since he's with the Lord now, the day was different.  Also, a week before Christmas I found out a dear childhood friend of mine had passed away after a two year battle with cancer.  I have so many memories to cherish of her.  She left behind a husband and two children.

So, Christmas with a 20 month old was fun.  She wanted nothing to do with the plethora of gifts waiting for her.  She was all about the ornaments on the tree and after the third time of trying to entice her into opening a gift, she did what any other 20 month old would do, she had a tantrum. Haha.  She did understand that Santa had come.  We told her when she got up that Santa had been to our house and she ran to the living room and looked at the gifts.  We never told her where Santa was going to put the gifts.  We keep the living room gated off so she could never play with the tree so I guess it wasn't a big surprise that she was in awe with the tree.  Santa did bring her a new play kitchen which was waiting for her in her playroom, she liked that gift....ALOT.  It was a cute morning and magical because of her.  That kitchen will be my saving grace on the long winter days when we can't leave the house, right?  Love that playroom.

We were to have family over for dinner but my brother came down with the flu so he and my mom thought it would be best if they stayed away from Teresa (never mind us).  My brother was visiting my mom when he got sick...now she's been exposed.  Teresa has been dealing with a cold and getting her 2 year old molars so we agreed with their decision. We also did Christmas mass separate as to not expose Teresa to anymore germs.  That was another good decision.  I made dinner and brought it to my mom's house. 

So, it was a quiet Christmas day.  I was going to go visit my dad's grave but it was so cold out and the day got away from me.  I had been there earlier in the week and put a potted evergreen there.  I saw that other grave sites had a decoration and thought my father deserved one as well.  I missed celebrating his bday.  I do miss him so much.  Life is different.

The day after Christmas I picked up another friend and we went to our friend's visitation.  She was a very well loved person.  The place was full of people.  I saw her dad and he told me how much she loved Teresa.  My friend's mom died of cancer less than 2 years ago, her grandma died in August and her Aunt died this year as well.  It's been a rough year for my friend's father.  Lord, help him.

Well, I got through Christmas and I am looking forward to 2018.  Not sure what that year will bring.  But through the grace of God, I have been managing well and will manage with whatever else might come my way.    I am focusing on filling my bucket.  Since I became a mommy to Teresa, I have not been taking care of myself.  Now I feel I may have a few free moments to think about my bucket and how I would like to fill that.

So, to 2018 and filling my bucket!

Merry Christmas and Happy 2018!