Family Time

Being from a divorced home, growing up we traditionally spent Christmas Eve with my dad and his side of the family. Christmas was always at home with mom. It wasn't really anything we thought about, it was just how it was. My parents always lived relatively close so it wasn't an issue.

Christmas Eve was always something we all looked forward to. I don't know it was just because it was so much fun seeing what a wonderful Godly example my Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Norman were or because the food was so good or because I just love my Cousin Laura as if she were my best friend or because it was more about family and fellowship and fun than about stuff.

The Wesson Christmas Eve get togethers are definitely something that I treasure to this day... and from all the Christmases past.

However, with having young ones... (my cousin Laura has a baby girl named Jillian that is 3 months younger than Ben)... I'm a realist. I realize that it is really, really hard to get together on a night like Christmas Eve when you have little ones. Laura and her family live an hour and a half from me so to have it at her house means a long drive for us. To have it at my house is a long drive for her. So, what shall we do? We meet half way!

We met at Aunt Bobbie's and Uncle Norman's AND we did it early! You have to realize that it's not about the day -- it's about the people!

And for the firs time, I wasn't the only one late! THANK YOU, LAURA! Ha! With as much of a "don't be late" kind of person I am... why we are always late to everything really, REALLY bugs the ever-lovin' crap out of me! I think it boils down to I need to ask for help more.

Ben got a fairly healthy nap that morning and we were off. He did, however, fall asleep in the car on the way there -- about ten minutes before we arrived. Ugh! We ate some honey ham and snacky foods and then settled in for a mean game of Pictionary! It was fun getting our kids together to play. Aunt Bobbie made us all look bad when she threw on a jacket and gloves and went out front to play ball with the boys! Laura and I were like -- It's freezing out there! And she's right out there in the thick of it! What a great Oma! We get to share great memories of our kids playing together just like we did when we were kids. Drew and Gabe had a great time drawing crazy pictures for each other to guess... Gabe with his fat frosty with big boobs and Drew with his cowboy scarecrow that only Aunt Bobbie could have guessed.

There were a few faces missing - Bert, Mindi and Paxton and obviously, my sister and her family (who lives in Hawaii) so it would have been much more fun having them around but... maybe one day the whole gang will be complete again. Until then, it was still so fun and it makes you wonder why you wait so long between visits in the first place. Then your little one starts screaming and won't stop because he's in a foreign place without his high chair or swing or the capability to relax in this weird place to take a much needed nap and THEN you remember. It's just the season of life at this time... so even though it was a short time... we're still making memories that will last a lifetime! Family time--it's the best!