Well, there was some of this:
A LOT of this:
Not much of this:
But a ton of this:
So, heavy on the important stuff, really. All in all, a wonderful time. I felt hugged from the inside out, being around people who knew and loved me and didn't care that I couldn't be bothered to go outside much or even change out of PJs most of the time. The Santa Claus experiment was a smashing success, HR had the best time ever, and even though he was a downright booger about bedtime, that doesn't matter in retrospect because honestly, who could sleep with all the excitement? Plus he gave us the unexpected gift of being a dream on both long rides there and back, and if you've ever had a motion-sick, car-hating toddler, you know that is of a value above rubies.
We did some present exchanging, lots of talking, a bit of drinking, and we ate and ate, and ate some more. And though my body is crying for brown rice and veggies and a hot date with the treadmill, I have no regrets. Saturday we had the raucous get-together with my maternal relatives at Gram's, and it was awesome because it's the first year in a while that we were all there (save for one cousin) and now that there are three great-grandchildren, it really brings the holiday spirit back. Later that night Mike, my siblings and I got to go out for some grown-up bar time, and I had a chance to catch up with a dear old friend, someone who also knew Niki and who lost her own best friend far too young, and even though we kept the conversation mostly light, it felt healing to be together. On Christmas Eve my adorable great aunt had us over for lunch, and that is one invitation you'd never want to refuse. In conclusion, there was snow, there was love, and there was lasagna. What more could you ask for? The only problem is that it went by SO FAST. I looked forward to it for so long, and it feels like I just this second burst through the door with a contented sigh, my dad handing me a Gritty's Christmas Ale and my mom putting supper on the table. But actually it's almost a week later and I've got a full day of work behind me. There was a moment on Sunday afternoon when HR was enjoying some one-on-one Mammy time while the rest of us hit the pub for grub and football, and my sister leaned over, backlit by twinkle lights, and said, "I wish it would never be after Christmas." And it was hitting me so hard too, even then, that time was already slipping away. We are so obviously related.
Anyway, I have a million pictures to upload, a million loads of laundry to do, a million toys and books for which to find a home within my home (and a very happy boy to ping-pong among them) and I'm feeling just as grateful to have passed the last bunch of days, even as I'm sorry they are the past. My blues are already waning, so bring on the next thing.
More soon, maybe one more time before the year ends. It was a doozy and a half, to be sure.
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