2017 has been a year of ups and downs, emotional turmoil, political mayhem, social injustance, social everything, new beginnings, old friends, a village of hope, friends in need, a BIG birthday, a womans revolt, a true miracle and then Christmas. There is always Christmas.
I never loved Christmas. I hated shopping, waiting in lines, traffic and smelly "scented" stores with endless terrible holiday music bringing not an ounce of good cheer. See I am a half glass empty type of gal, if you didn't know, so the whole holiday hoopla has always been a little much for me. I just never liked to get my hopes up, you know? Real life was hard enough with out the tinsel and bows. And then I had Wyatt. (and got amazon) But really...who has a baby on Christmas eve? Now what parent does that to a kid? umm...well...yeah...me. I have never been a planner. Not my strong point.
But Wyatt has brought me a different meaning of Christmas from the very first days of us hanging tough in the deserted hospital with no other babies or visitors or nurses; to the day he realized he shared a birthday with Jesus; to the beautiful sound of his cackle the first time he fell in love with the Grinch (Jim Carrey version of course); to the love of singing Christmas carols way before Thanksgiving (UGH!!). This kid loves Christmas because it "snows" (not usually in NC but I think he said it so much it had to happen this year, right?) and it's his birthday. I get it. That's fun.
But his excitement is contagious, even for my pessimistic soul. And for the last couple years, Christmas can't be wrapped in a box or a bow, it truly has "meant so much more". It's a funny thing as you get older the things that make you to happiest, well they can't be bought in a store. Wyatt asked me this year what I wanted for Christmas, and I said, "Buddy, all I want for Christmas is for you to be healthy." See Wyatt has been sick every year since his first birthday and every year we land in the hospital. And I might be kicking myself in the bum later for speaking this aloud and jinxing us, but this is my Christmas wish. His comment was "man mom, that's no fun!" Not to a 4 year old. But to my 40 year old heart, it would just about fill me up.
Overflow this half glass, please. I could use a topper on my champagne to end this year.
I wish you all the merriest of holidays and may you truly remember to enjoy the simple things in life.
photo credits to Phoebe Hyatt Photography