A Little Christmas

My mom and dad came up to visit us this past weekend.  Even though they live a 5- to 6-hour drive away, and even though we have spent the past three Christmases with my in-laws, we will not be spending Christmas with my parents and the rest of my family this year—mainly due to my husband’s aversion to going to Mass on Christmas Eve rather than to a Lutheran worship service.  We could have gotten into a big fight about it, of course, but in one of those rare moments of clarity, I felt the Lord telling me to let it go.  After all, it’s been such a short time since my entry into the Catholic church, and he is still trying to adjust to the whole situation.  The merciful thing to do was to set him free from any guilt associated with “where we spend Christmas,” so I did.

And so, with Mom and Dad here, we had a little Christmas.  We exchanged just a few, inexpensive gifts; then we made and decorated Christmas cookies (it was getting late, so we wimped out and made them all round, rather than cutting out shapes, but the kids didn’t care).  In the spirit of things, even Grandpa Joe (my dad) broke down and agreed to a game of Clue Jr. with Urban,  Brian, and Grandma (my mom).  (This is very rare as my dad does not consider such things to be even remotely fun.)

Mom and I did a little shopping; and, as we always do when we visit, spent hours drinking coffee and poring over magazines and talking while the guys watched football.

Then, yesterday, after they had gone, we went to the Lutheran church for Sunday school and the kids’ Christmas program (which was, as expected, disorganized but cute).  Had lunch at Wendy’s, then went to Maclay Gardens to see the archaeological dig site of the Maclay House servants’ homes and to view the blooming camellias.  We did lots and lots of walking.  But it was a clear, chilly day, and it felt nice to be out.

When we got home, I checked out our own camellia bush.  I remember that last year, it bloomed late—about a month or two after everyone else’s.  It is, at the moment, loaded with buds.  In a few weeks, we will have gorgeous hot-pink blooms to admire.   I like to gather the flowers that have fallen to the ground and float them in water in a pretty blue bowl on the dining room table.

This is Urban’s last week of school before the holidays.  Oh, how nice it will be when I don’t have to get up at 6 a.m. to get him ready to catch the bus!

Well, I’m off to juice up some grapefruits.  Have a beautiful day!