Merry Christmas 09

I want to take this quiet moment to say that I wish everyone who may read this post a very Happy Christmas as people in Europe put it or Merry Christmas from Happy Valley! I do wish everyone a very merry holiday season; we need to live in the future and not get bogged down in the past, unfortunately, I tend to regress over the holidays. I recently remembered one of my last Christmas Eve meals spent in my parent's home it was just before our big Christmas Eve feast. The dining table was set with our best Chrystal and China, the dinner’s ingredients were finishing while I was upstairs lying on my bed. I was dressed for dinner and I could hear the fireplace crackling while songs of Christmas were playing on the stereo. Hors d'Oeuvres were set out in silver bowls around the living room just waiting to be devoured. Snow was falling outside as a crisp wind whipped past the windows making you very glad you were inside. I was still concentrating this night, trying to hold Christmas from coming because all the evening’s magic would be over for another year. As my mind wondered- Mom called from downstairs, "Karen dinner is ready come down everyone is here...” I don't hear the rest because I know the evening festivities would not wait. This would be the last Christmas Eve I would spend in my parent’s home as a child. I would return many more times but only as a guest not as a young girl lying on her bed trying to hold adulthood and Christmas from coming.
That instance was one of my most cherished moments. Our house was boisterous with seven children, two parents, for ever changing grouping of aunts and uncles along with grandparents. I never really appreciated the chaos and love that was around that table. My Mother was a genius to carry the load of all our happiness on her shoulders with such grace and ease.
Merry Christmas!
For posterity Liz is in Japan with James, Lee, Annica & Metta ...enjoy enjoy!