I didn't even think I would have time to blog tonight, but I just finished what I could of the Christmas cards before the ink ran out on my printer.  I guess those people in our address book who's name begins with T and beyond will get their cards next week after I can get to the store.  The gifts are wrapped.  I think I didn't forget anyone, I hope I didn't.  I cooked all day today (still not done with that)  and we cleaned the house, but I'm sure I'll have to reclean by Monday afternoon.  Anyway, I cracked the whip on the kids today, and made them do their chores THOROUGHLY.  This past Thursday night, we when to an indoor water park in Ohio with 40 families from our church.  The kids had a blast.  I was doing Christmas cards and practicing my guitar songs in the room.  I have literally run out of time, and it's stressing me out this year.  Tomorrow, Christmas Eve begins with my 3 mile run at 8am, then 10:30 mass.  Mitch, Em, Dan and Dennis are altar serving.  Even though the Catholic church does not recognize this mass as fulfilling our holy obligation, I have decided that this year, it'll be our Christmas mass.  No time to go back a few hours later.  This will be the first year of my life that Grandma Adams will not be there on  Christmas Eve.  She is 94 and doesn't like the commotion.  She doesn't want to come for just the dinner or not even for an hour.  It's too much for her.  There are around 40 of us Adamses on Christmas Eve.  I can understand.  So, on the way to Lisa's house, we'll be going to visit Grandma first.  She'll tell me that she doesn't want the gift we gave her and  try to give it back.  God bless her.  She's 94 and she can do and say what she wants at this point.  

On Christmas Eve, we always eat tons of food, including peirogees, and this special bean soup with vinegar and tiny square noodles, called beans and litchke.  There's all kinds of gift exchanges, between cousins, and adults.  Then, after dinner, Santa comes and rings his special bell.  It's been the same traditions since I was a baby.  Time flies by, and soon we will need to pack the car and get home. 

On Christmas morning, no one goes downstairs until the everyone is awake. The wall into the living room is covered with wrapping paper.  The kids run thru it to get to their presents.  We open each other's gifts.  Then, we have a special egg casserole and a carmel apple coffee cake for breakfast.  For the next several hours, I spend my time cleaning up the wrapping paper and putting batteries in toys, etc.  The Couturiers will come around dinner time, and we will do more exchanges, and the celebrating continues.   By the late evening, after everyone has gone home, usually me and Neil (Jeff's brother) sit down with a nightcap and catch up on each other's lives.   I hope we can do that this year.  I miss talking with Neil.  He's so fun, and he always makes me laugh. 

I hope I can get everything done so I can enjoy the holiday this year.  I usually get a little melancholy as it all progresses.  I miss certain people and I think about what could have been.  It's probably just the exhaustion.  I find it very interesting that most of the women I am close  to are much like me, consumed in the details of the holiday, and the men are just ready to show up and eat.  Anyone else share this sentiment? 

As it all unfolds, I will watch my kids and  take it all in.  There's a special magic in the air and I appreciate that this is the birth of Jesus that we are celebrating.  I can feel it in certain moments and in certain music.  It's a special time of year.  I'll sleep later.

 

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