Holidays come to a close

Holidays are really nice but I have to say, when they are over, you usually have to let out a sigh of relief. One needs to recouperate from all of the events. Imagine if Christmas holidays were every month... I feel slightly ill just thinking about it.

I love the giving and the love and the warmth of Christmas but I really dont like the feeling of being out of control. I have to get this done and I have to go here this day and tomorrow I have to do this and I hope they like this... It makes one wonder if they fully understand the purpose of the holiday.

I had a wonderful month of December as well as the bringing in of the new year. A lovely Christmas with my family, a wonderful New Years Eve with my close friends and January first with the van der Meers for a second Christmas. It's beautiful spending time with loved ones. Let me try to summarize the season as short as possible.

Before Christmas I had a party for my ESL classes which was nice and then went to one for the Youth at my church and a womens gift exchange. I had Christmas Eve with the van der Meers during the day and the night at my parents place. Dave stayed over with the WHOLE family (that is, all the neices and nephews as well, meaning little sleep on the part of most) and we had a nice Chistmas morning. Other then one incident with an oversized turkey spilling its boiling juices all over my dads foot, it was successful. Unfortunately he is still suffering from the accident but shortly afterwards it was something we giggled about slightly. By the beginning of the evening, however, most of us were exhausted. Dave and I as well as Jo, Aidan and the kids left my parents even before dessert. We were all so tired.

December 26th, I was back to work. Most people dont work on boxing day but I was not suppose to be so fortunate. However, I got to work, sat in my class and for the first hour I had no students. The second hour I had one student because she had just tested and fit into level 4. At lunch time, my boss offered to send people home so I was more then willing to go home and get on top of my house. Then it was off to Dave's aunt and uncles place for a second Christmas dinner.

It was a nice dinner and an ok evening. I learned how to play a new game but it never got finished. I guess, normally, it is meant to go quickly but the game I was a part of didnt work that way. I was tired quickly and i convinced Cory (Vanessa's husband) that we had to go because Ness and i had to work the next day.

New years eve was spent at my house. I had a group of young folk (in total we were just 8) over and we had a fondue. Karin and Jo prepared all of it realy. They did the pre cutting and the shopping and all I did was show them where things were in my kitchen... most of which i didnt have and they had to fetch it from my sisters house. But, once everything was organized, it was a lovely evening. All of us get along and enojy one another. It was a pleasant night and after the fondue which ended around 11:30 we sat back and waited for 12:00. After that, some headed to bed while others watched a movie. EVery one stayed over since it was freezing rain. I have to admit I was happy for the freezing rain because no one was going to stay over and that was the part I was excited for... I cant tell you why. Maybe it was because childhoofd was filled with full houses for me. Anyways, I was in the living room away from all the married couples and Dave was up in Jo and Aidan's house. It was just nice knowing we were all together. It was a cozy and nice feeling.

Aidan made the breakfast the next morning. Crapes with fruit and wihpped creme and maple syrop... mmmm. Then, it was off to the van der Meers for their Christmas.

Depending on where you are or whose family it is, Christmas is different. With the van der Meers it was different but beautiful. I dont think i have ever seen the family the way they were. Most of the gifts were thoughtfully made and some of them were bought. Emke made signs for people to hang, Emma made books with covers on the that she embroidered and Katrina made bautiful things with her sewing and her knitting. She made me rose sented pillows to put in my drawers. To see them make sucj beautiful gifts and to be so excited when people were going to open them filled me with a feeling i cant even describe. Everything was so special. Christmas used to be super exciting for me when i was little. Mom and Dad made it so nice and special. As i grow i love how we have done it but i love the way the van der Meers do it to. I think i will have a mix of the two Christmas's.

That takes you up to today. I was back to work, though it was very hard to get o ut of bed and tomorrow is a new day with a new Schedule and i am excited to face it.

I hope everyone else had a beautiful Christmas and New Years. God bless you all.