Bubbling Over

That's how I feel. I had a wonderful evening with most of my family. There was a lot of anxiety over our first family holiday without my Aunt Jana. It was a shaky start at 3:30 this afternoon but we pulled though...just like a family does. We cried, laughed, fell silent, and kept going. We went around and said what we were thankful for as tears slid south. Brainstorming, we thought about what it might be like having an overwhelming, unstopable spirit of thanksgiving every day in heaven. I was thankful for my new husband. My second cousin Jan also got married this year. It has been a year of extreme emotions. I am so thankful for my family and how we have stuck together, like glue I might add, through each scene life presented. As we sat there, passing the food, making jokes and remembering, it felt like a deep breath in. We were going to make it. This isn't our last difficult scene in our movie but we are surviving the first one and we'll survive the future ones.
     After the meal (some of us wanted to cut our pants off because we couldn't breathe), we lounged in the den and dreamed of Christmas. We wrote lists...they pretty much all suck this year. Some want a potato peeler, others a hand vacuum, socks made a few lists, I want Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons, oh and don't forget Dad's classic red or blue tie. But don't even think about getting a different color, though. Told you. Lame with a capital L. We embraced it and swaped pathetic wants.
     The next order of business was embracing the newspaper. With scattered ads all over the floor, we determined if it was worth the crowd and made fun of the people who wake up at 3:00 am. Sorry if that's your story. I am considering purchasing a cheap washer/dryer tomorrow- we shall see. I will also be doing some Christmas shopping for all my siblings and parents. All of this will take place at a reasonable hour though-8? I don't know when Mom's going to wake me up...hopefully not too early considering it's almost 2 am. Whoops. Peter went to work tonight so I'm crashin at mom and dad's (laundry facility + morning shopping excursion).
     I am up so late because I was catching up on some DVR shows mom saved for me. I finally got to watch the CMAs- Country Music Awards. I love Lady Antebellum's line "like two kids baby, always tryin to live it up ooo that's our kinda love". I feel like that. Peter and I are livin up, dreaming big, and embracing our changing life. This line makes me bubble over with joy because that's how I always want us to be...the spirit of a kid always trying to live it up. With all that has happened, yay and nay, and the unknown that lies ahead- in each moment, I'm strivin to "always try and live it up, oooooooo". Hope your day was filled with family & love.

xo, p&l