As a kid, I always loved Christmas--getting lots of cool toys from Santa, playing with my cousins and showing off the newest/coolest gift. Helping to decorate the Christmas tree, going to church to hear the choir sing their cantata, listening to Christmas carols. Is it me or is Christmas just a stressful time to rush through? I decided this year to cut back on the stress of the holiday season by saying one word "NO"! I want my kids to have great memories of Christmas, not remembering me being upset, yelling & stressed out because we're never home. So I said NO to our Christmas program that needed 5 nights from my family, NO to buying gifts because I have to, not because I want to, NO to spending money that I don't have during this time of the year. Now, before you leave me an anonymous comment for not allowing my child to participate in the Christmas program, let me explain myself. I love Christmas music-singing the carols & listening to them. But it was just too much for us and I was becoming stressed just thinking about the long nights of practices and the homework to be done afterwards. So, here's what I said YES to: taking our family to the Casting Crowns Christmas concert--it was wonderful, Brent taking Caylin to a Wake basketball game (we won!), taking the kids to a Christmas party at J Westmoreland photography (they made cool Christmas gifts for us & we enjoyed a quiet afternoon of drinking coffee & hot cider!), watching Christmas movies with my family, listening to Christmas music and instead of buying gifts--we're making them! We're going to bake cookies & lots of goodies this weekend just because we can and we have the time!
Yep, it's going to be a lot less stressful around our house this year. I'm getting good at saying no--wonder how long I can say NO to the dishes & housework???
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
The joy-bringers
9 years ago
1 comment:
I just wanted to thank you for all your heartfelt comments you have left on my blog.
It is amazing to me how little we really know about other people and their REAL lives.
Thank you for allowing me into your world, while I try coping with my own.
This has been SOOOO hard. It seems that only those who have lost a baby, the way we have, can truly understand the pain of it.
I am grateful God has allowed several really great ladies to open up their hearts, to help me deal with mine.
I am trying really hard to move past the ANGER, but nothing seems to make it go away-completely.
I am so sorry you lost 2 of your babies. No child ever takes the place of another one-PERIOD, but I would feel a lot better if I could have the chance to have more.
Thank you for walking down this path with me. It helps to know I am not alone and that I am understood by some!
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