Hurry Christmas! Don't be Late!

The tree is decorated and all the presents are wrapped:

The food has been cooked by the most manly man I've ever known. It takes a real man to choose to do what he loves doing without worrying about what anybody else thinks. And this one does it with some serious style. See that black shirt? So far tonight he's cooked 2 pies, pumpkin and pecan, made cocktail meatballs, chocolate chip cookies, and is now making a cake. All in a black shirt. And he hasn't gotten ONE SPECK of flower on that black shirt! THAT, my friends, is true macho!

And the stockings are all hung by the chimney with care:

All that's left to do is try to go to sleep. Try not to toss and turn knowing that Bug and Twig won't be home. Again. And then there are all of the other kids that I miss so much all year long, but especially this time of year. This thing of having grownups for kids sucks. I guess I'd be OK if I didn't still put their stockings out every year. But, as you can see from the picture, I put out all of the stockings for all of my kids every year whether they will be home or not.

I've had the song "Where are you Christmas" banging around in my head for the last several days. All I could hear of it was the first part over and over again... "Where are you Christmas? Why can't I find you?..." Then today, after a good cry and after finally watching this video, it dawned on me that I was missing the whole point of the song.

The point is SNAP OUT OF IT, WOMAN!

I am so awesomely blessed. I have a husband, who loves me unconditionally. A daughter who, though often the epitome of teenage pain-in-the-buttishness, does love me in her own way. I have two wonderful sons and a ton of other 'kids' and friends, all of whom chose to love me -- often inspite of myself! If that's not the definition of having Christmas all year, I don't know what ever could be.

So, to all of you who also struggle during this time each year, getting stuck in the what ifs and should have beens of your life; waiting for Christmas to find you, it is time to stop waiting for it to come to you and start looking around at your blessings. I bet that you find it with you all year, too.

Peace, Blessings, and a Very Merry Christmas to all.