This is the Christmas I grew up with in Dallas, with all my relatives and a gazillion cousins living nearby.
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| My Favorite Christmas Dress |
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| Christmas Eve was for Dad's family, followed by an even larger get-together with Mom's family on Christmas Day |
But times change, and so do we. We are definitely veering off the beaten path this holiday season, creating a season of firsts for us all. For instance, it will be the first time, since moving back from Indonesia 21 years ago, to be out of Texas at Christmas (way,
way out) and not get together with my siblings to exchange Christmas gifts.
We did, however, have a marvelous time with them at Thanksgiving!
It will also be the first time since Miss Alexis was
born that both kids will not be here to wake us on Christmas morning, ready to attack their giant stockings, which always overflow onto the sofa.
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| Celebrating Our Miracle Babies' First Christmas with our BFFs, the Sanfords, in Houston |
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| Little Austin's first Christmas, in Midland, TX. That's when my sweet family started coming to us for Christmas. |
Now baby girl is all grown up, with a new hubby and a new house of her own, and has decided that
she wants to host our early celebration this year -
another first!
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| Lex & Nate's First Christmas in New House |
But, you know what? Sometimes it is
good to shake things up a bit. It's good to be reminded that
our way of doing things isn't the
only way. In fact, it was the times we strayed furthest from the beaten path, that we ended up on the greatest adventures!
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| Newlyweds in Java |
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| On our way to the big company gala in Bahrain, where everyone ended up with food poisoning! |
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| Co-hosting the best Christmas party ever at our house in Sumatra |
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| Lexi's dreams came true our last year in Indonesia. Finally she was old enough to be one of Santa's Elves! |
Oh yeah, another first this year -- my very first year to be expecting a grandbaby! Already making plans for
this in 2018!
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2 comments:
You are so right about changing things up at the holidays, with a blended family I have had to learn to go with the flow but it was difficult at first. I hope your holidays are fabulous!
No kidding Donna! All three of my siblings have dealt with blended or split families, which can make holidays extremely stressful if you are one who is resistant to change!
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