Holiday Season 2017
CHRISTMAS!
It is so fun. Such a lovely season of joyous things and stomach butterflies and pure magic. This year, we had Xander with us as well as Cortnie and Lucas (our friend from Brazil). Our family Christmas evening consisted of gingerbread village making, Indian food dinner, puppy chow, a stray dog we named Lewis, talking about our God, presents (and two of the EXACT same mugs given..oops), looking at lights, and Elf! We had our first annual Christmas Adam with special friends. Then we did Christmas Eve and Day in Panhandle at Blu's parents house -- a fun slumber party! Christmas Eve dinner was delicious, followed by our creative gift exchange then some Charades (Blu's family is super good at 1-art and music and 2-Charades. It's amazing, really.) I'm incredibly blessed by my family via Blu and I proudly acknowledge that I so lucky in the in-law department! Santa visited overnight, we brunched, gamed some more, Xander got into the Christmas spirit and loved playing his new mini pool table and his orbit wheels, and his dad took him shooting! Plus, with the opening of Xander's very own savings account last year, a tradition originated to take Xan's money he saved throughout the past year up to the bank and add it to his account!
The following holiday weekend, festivities continued... we had a medieval Murder Mystery party, our annual New Years game time, and Christmas with Dad & Gina, Zach & Jamie!
The holidays were tiring....but I'd absolutely do it all over again next week.
Love my people.
Going backwards in time, Thanksgiving of this year was spent at Gramps & Gram's house. It was special and I'm so appreciative of the time I'm still able to spend with them. Cortnie came with us as well and she looooved G&G. :) Thankful for the God-given earthly family that has such a huge part of my heart.
Back in time a little bit more, we lost Nee towards the beginning of November. She went into the hospital for some seemingly minor and regular health issues, and I remember going to see her and Gayle in the hospital on Halloween -- dressed up in costume! Nee really liked it and kept commenting on various parts of my outfit. haha! After that, she was sent home on hospice and things progressed much quicker than anyone expected. Hospice was wonderful, Gayle might really be an actual angel on earth, and all the grandkids and great-grandkids got to be with her and spend time at her side before she passed. There was singing, praying, laughter, tears, and heartache. So many of those moments were spent in her room while she was in bed -- surely, she was hearing our stories and joy and love being shared right around her! I got to witness Blu, almost a graduate nurse at this point, take care of my grandmother...so gently and purposefully. Watching him attend to her and help the rest of the family out with her physical needs when hospice wasn't around was humbling and beautiful. I am so thankful. After Nee's passing, the family was all gathered at Gayle's for several days. One night, we tried to record the only song that Nee had ever requested for her funeral. It was so "old school" that even Gayle didn't know it. haha! We all had to learn it from scratch, and although we're a singin' family, it wasn't exactly beautiful -- but recording it was definitely HILARIOUS! We buried Nee with Papa, be Mama, and her graveside was an intimate affair with the most beautiful (truly, this time) singing I had heard it a while. Her funeral that followed was precious and honored her well. Jamie and I wore some of her rings, and all the girl grandkids wore our necklaces made out of her wedding china, and everyone wore pink! I remember Megan being there, Dolly, some of our Covenant group, several ministers from Central, and other church family that were being so supportive. Thankful. The weekend and time together as a family also made me remember when Mom had passed and we sat in the room right after telling stories and laughing for a couple of hours. During that time, Nee told the infamous story we now dub "The Little Fig" and those were heard that story I doubt will ever forget it! haha
I grew up with Nee and Papa. They raised me almost as much as Mom and Dad. They adored me and they loved others well. So well. I remember Nee always saying that she wanted to see me graduate high school. Then college. Then she had the goal of seeing Zach graduate high school. Then college! She thought she for sure wouldn't make it to witness either of our weddings -- but she was present for both!!
What amazing lives that Papa and Nee led. Gayle, the memory of the family, is working on documenting much of their lives for all of us to have. A death is always sad. A special person that you love will never be with you again. Yet what a HOPE we have in the Lord and I'm so grateful! Though sad, there's also great rejoicing and a forever anticipation.
Nee's with Mom.
I'm jealous of the wonders they are experiencing and the reunion that Papa, Nee, and Judy are having right now!
It is so fun. Such a lovely season of joyous things and stomach butterflies and pure magic. This year, we had Xander with us as well as Cortnie and Lucas (our friend from Brazil). Our family Christmas evening consisted of gingerbread village making, Indian food dinner, puppy chow, a stray dog we named Lewis, talking about our God, presents (and two of the EXACT same mugs given..oops), looking at lights, and Elf! We had our first annual Christmas Adam with special friends. Then we did Christmas Eve and Day in Panhandle at Blu's parents house -- a fun slumber party! Christmas Eve dinner was delicious, followed by our creative gift exchange then some Charades (Blu's family is super good at 1-art and music and 2-Charades. It's amazing, really.) I'm incredibly blessed by my family via Blu and I proudly acknowledge that I so lucky in the in-law department! Santa visited overnight, we brunched, gamed some more, Xander got into the Christmas spirit and loved playing his new mini pool table and his orbit wheels, and his dad took him shooting! Plus, with the opening of Xander's very own savings account last year, a tradition originated to take Xan's money he saved throughout the past year up to the bank and add it to his account!
Oh, another of the exact same picture? I didn't even know.
THIS is how excited he was.
The following holiday weekend, festivities continued... we had a medieval Murder Mystery party, our annual New Years game time, and Christmas with Dad & Gina, Zach & Jamie!
Don't hate me for this picture, Zach.
Happy NYE! Sealed with a kiss...an awkward one.
My Irishman!
The holidays were tiring....but I'd absolutely do it all over again next week.
Love my people.
Going backwards in time, Thanksgiving of this year was spent at Gramps & Gram's house. It was special and I'm so appreciative of the time I'm still able to spend with them. Cortnie came with us as well and she looooved G&G. :) Thankful for the God-given earthly family that has such a huge part of my heart.
Back in time a little bit more, we lost Nee towards the beginning of November. She went into the hospital for some seemingly minor and regular health issues, and I remember going to see her and Gayle in the hospital on Halloween -- dressed up in costume! Nee really liked it and kept commenting on various parts of my outfit. haha! After that, she was sent home on hospice and things progressed much quicker than anyone expected. Hospice was wonderful, Gayle might really be an actual angel on earth, and all the grandkids and great-grandkids got to be with her and spend time at her side before she passed. There was singing, praying, laughter, tears, and heartache. So many of those moments were spent in her room while she was in bed -- surely, she was hearing our stories and joy and love being shared right around her! I got to witness Blu, almost a graduate nurse at this point, take care of my grandmother...so gently and purposefully. Watching him attend to her and help the rest of the family out with her physical needs when hospice wasn't around was humbling and beautiful. I am so thankful. After Nee's passing, the family was all gathered at Gayle's for several days. One night, we tried to record the only song that Nee had ever requested for her funeral. It was so "old school" that even Gayle didn't know it. haha! We all had to learn it from scratch, and although we're a singin' family, it wasn't exactly beautiful -- but recording it was definitely HILARIOUS! We buried Nee with Papa, be Mama, and her graveside was an intimate affair with the most beautiful (truly, this time) singing I had heard it a while. Her funeral that followed was precious and honored her well. Jamie and I wore some of her rings, and all the girl grandkids wore our necklaces made out of her wedding china, and everyone wore pink! I remember Megan being there, Dolly, some of our Covenant group, several ministers from Central, and other church family that were being so supportive. Thankful. The weekend and time together as a family also made me remember when Mom had passed and we sat in the room right after telling stories and laughing for a couple of hours. During that time, Nee told the infamous story we now dub "The Little Fig" and those were heard that story I doubt will ever forget it! haha
I grew up with Nee and Papa. They raised me almost as much as Mom and Dad. They adored me and they loved others well. So well. I remember Nee always saying that she wanted to see me graduate high school. Then college. Then she had the goal of seeing Zach graduate high school. Then college! She thought she for sure wouldn't make it to witness either of our weddings -- but she was present for both!!
What amazing lives that Papa and Nee led. Gayle, the memory of the family, is working on documenting much of their lives for all of us to have. A death is always sad. A special person that you love will never be with you again. Yet what a HOPE we have in the Lord and I'm so grateful! Though sad, there's also great rejoicing and a forever anticipation.
Nee's with Mom.
I'm jealous of the wonders they are experiencing and the reunion that Papa, Nee, and Judy are having right now!
November 2017 around Nee: cousins Sometime in 2012 with Mom: the 4 Newtons
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