The countdown to Christmas is nearing the end. Our tree is decorated with homemade clay stars and some clear baubles with photographs of fond memories with Mackenzie. The Christmas presents under the tree has her, in pure childlike excitement, carefully shaking, smelling and weighing in on what each one might be. My Christmas menu is planned and most of the shopping done. I’m trying to avoid the shops like the plague, but that stays unavoidable. I rush out early morning while the holiday makers are still busy waking up admiring their sea view sunrise with a homemade rusk in one hand and mug of coffee in the other.
Soon as I am home ready to hide from the craziness that living in a holiday town brings, the rosy cheek visitors would have carefully and with slow movements gotten granny and grandpa and all the kids loaded in the car, ready for another day on the beach with their sensitive sun kissed, or should I say sun burnt, skin.
Mackenzie was down with the flu for two days and as soon as she was better, I woke up Saturday with a scratchy throat. My immediate reaction was I’m so not in the mood for this and lathered my nose, or chest and face for that matter, with essential oils and tried to douse the fire in my throat with ginger, honey and lemon tea. All the time chanting this is not the flu, this is not the flu. I wonder if my faith failed me as I sat in the Doctor’s waiting room yesterday morning?
But alas, I was able to happily walk out with some medication to sooth the symptoms away with a positive verdict I dare say, that it is just a head cold. So onwards and upwards with Jingle Bells chiming through my head I made my way home. I even sounded blocked nose in my head while singing the tune. (And I bet you can hear it playing in your mind the same way).
Now it’s back at home with Mackenzie constantly whispering in my ear: “May I open one gift today?
Or to have her ask a million questions to decipher what each present is before Christmas. True to tradition, we still have to go for a drive one evening to see all the Christmas lights around town and stop for Ice cream on our way home. All the little things like that makes my cotton stuffed head and blocked nose all worth it.
I cannot help but feel grateful. Even though I am under the weather and wish it will all disappear soon.
I am grateful that I can still spend it with my darlings. I am able to hold close fond memories of previous Christmas celebrations with family now way to far for comfort or those that has left us with only a memory of them.
I know for some this will be the first without a loved one. Or perhaps the verdict that this might be the last. It’s never easy. I can only offer prayers of comfort and peace. Prayers that your moments this year, will be filled with laughter and joy at the memories made or that you are busy making.
I love to hear how your Christmas plans are going or if they not happening at all. If you just want to chat or just pop in to say Hi, I love to hear from you or even pray with you.
