On Christmas Time...this time around...

Cleo looking intently at birds.

An improvement from our last place, this.

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A friend said it takes a good year to be settled into one's new place,

to really know the rhythm of it.

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This Christmas has been very poignant in many ways.

It was so nice to have such a long time in Michigan with our families.

One of those very rare events where holidays and weekends aligned for

a longer time away...

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But we are already reflecting that next time we have to come back sooner;

it's always a both/and or a double edge sword, even the little choices or 

seemingly little choices in terms of vacation.

We are still fairly new at this,

it being our third married Christmas. 

Lots of people got blindsided this year around Christmas;

medical issues, hospitalizations and other stresses.

My beloved better half has a lot on his plate at 

any given day, between his 'day job', his work for our

church and our personal 'at home' work...

I of course keep the home front running, or I try to;

while directing, teaching, planning Sunday School

and our church book store / kiosk, 

and the many other things I do....

like cookie baking and other such lovely things.

I had been dreaming of having at least one 

Christmas dinner with others during this time.

I was so excited.

And we thought we could do it,

until various things fell through, from getting in 4 hours late to home,

not sleeping well, and Mr. Husband suddenly having tons of new work at work

and having to travel unexpectedly.

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Everything is still progressing.

I had well over a month ago decided I was not going to Ottawa

for Theophany this year; 

with trying to do the 12 days of Christmas and 

what I hoped would be at least 1 dinner party,

it was just too too TOO much, going to Ottawa + 12 days of Christmas.

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Well now no Ottawa, no dinner parties and we are still recovering and

I am only now starting to sleep a bit better...

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This is the last week my friend and my goddaughter are going to be in 

New Jersey. 

Lent is super early this year and I have to prepare for Sunday school.

I thought of going to Ottawa during Great Lent but even that now

I don't know if I can do. :(

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These are all just details and I am in many ways having to accept 

that even though I have many wishes for Christmas time

they can't always all come true.

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And I am aware of how my not-sleeping-well for weeks now,

along with some other stressors, means that I 

have to rest and accept that I can't do everything I wish.

I did too much that first year of marriage and know that

instead of slowing down and resting like I should of,

instead I got mono and was really ill for half a year.

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So I am learning in new ways how to triage, how to accept

that we can't meet every wish, goal or idea.

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It's a challenge; I really want to celebrate all the Feasts and 

with everything going on, I don't always get to.

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I can see that I need to be patient; 

we are still figuring things out.

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Meanwhile, am seeking to rest and am also thinking

of how I wish to improve on my habits,

not have everything be last minute....

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And to acknowledge that even though it does not,

at least to me, sound like a lot to

do Sunday School, 

it really is, in terms of trying to do this 

with fitting in everything else I need or want to do.

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But I love Sunday School, 

which means that I am going to focus on resting and accepting

that this year dinner parties for Christmas are off 

and it's OK... better to rest and be well

than otherwise. 

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There is another week in the 12 days of Christmas and while

I have had to accept not doing all I had hoped to,

it is still a beautiful time and one that I cherish.

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Christ is born! Glorify Him!