Not at All What I had Planned...It was better!

Christmas and the whole holiday season this year wasn’t exactly what I had planned. I had wanted to attend the Christmas Eve service at my church and then spend Christmas day on my own. I was looking forward to some quiet solitude, but that just didn’t happen. I ended up spending Christmas Eve with my sister and her family. They live an hour from me, and so I drove up there and spent a couple of days with them. We opened gifts, took a drive through the lighted parks, and had a lively time. And on Christmas Day, I went to church with some of my family and then spent the day at my brother’s home. It was good.

My parents came to Indiana after New Year’s for a few days. My sister brought them along with her kids and 2 of my other nieces and nephews with her to visit me at work. We all went to lunch, and then I took them around the office introducing them and thrilling Jacob with my “building.” It was fun.

And then later that week, more of my extended family got together for my Grandma’s surprise 90th birthday party. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect or who all would come, but it turned out to be a wonderful day! My Grandma was surprised, and our whole family got a shock as well by the arrival of my Grandma’s only living sister, Carol Jean. She walked in and gave us all a start! There were happy tears all around the room. The whole day was incredible, and I know it meant a great deal to my Grandma. It was spectacular.

The next day, the newest member of our family, baby Grace, was having her baby dedication, and most of those gathered for my Grandma’s party made the drive to Peru for the occasion. The dedication was a special moment for all of us as we watched Barbara and Jonathan present their new baby to GOD and ask for his help and strength in raising up this tiny creature for HIS service. After the service, everyone came to my brother’s house for a large family meal. I got to visit with my Aunt and Uncle and 2 of my younger cousins that I haven’t seen in more than 10 years. And there was never a dull moment around the table and in the family room as we all chatted and took pictures. Several times, it was like the paparazzi around the red carpet as several of us took snapshots all at once. The whole experience was reminiscent of old family get-togethers from years gone by. It was all a delight.

Later that day, I left and made the drive back to Indianapolis and entered my small empty 1-bedroom apartment with a big sigh. I had planned on more solitude, on getting more cards made, more scrapbooking done; but it just hadn’t happened that way. In fact, my vacation and extended holiday season was not at all what I had planned…it was better.