Different

Things have been extreemly different for Christmas, just as it was for Thanksgiving.  It really doesn't feel like it has actually happened.  Even though I finally found some Christmas lights for the tree after searching who knows how many stores(Also on December 28th).  They were made in such a way that you can't really hook them together and you have to plug them in seperately, but we now have lights for our tree.  Now that Christmas is "over". 

It's hard to imagine it's Christmas here.  There's no snow on the ground.  Very few Christmas lights up except at the Catholic Church.  A few decorations here and there.  Even some really big nativity scenes, but it's missing something big, family!  It's ironic a few years ago the holidays made me so stressed out.  It was so crazy packing up the kids and we always seemed to have a baby that always got off his/her sleeping schedual.  It wasn't easy driving several hours with the little guys.  They didn't last very long in the car.  There was one Christmas when I had a baby, 2 year old and 3 year old, I didn't want to go anywhere I wanted to stay home and have Christmas with only my immediate family. 

How different it is this year.  I want so desperately to be home with all my extended family.  It's not like all of it has been bad, just really hard to change and get use too the differences.  We even skyped my family to open up a few presents on Christmas Eve.  We managed to keep busy.  Went to a couple friends houses and had people over.  We've had fun.  We've enjoyed the break from school, but it's not the same. 

There is some excitement brewing today though.  The calvary is coming tomorrow!  We really are looking forward to an exciting week with Brian's parents and sister.  Then maybe it will feel a little more like Christmas.