Today’s blog
Lynn Murphy Mark
The countdown begins
This coming week may be the most joy-filled and anticipation laden week of the year for me. In a mere seven days Christmas Eve will be upon us. Jan and I will be hosting our daughter and grandsons for an overnight adventure.
We will all wear matching pajamas and four of us will go downtown to Union Station. We’ll look around for a little while, then board the Polar Express train for a ride that includes hot chocolate and Santa Claus. The boys have watched the movie to get them ready for the event. Then they will spend the night, waking up to their stockings. A quick breakfast and I will transport them to their other grandparents’ home.
Although I understand the main reason for the season, I can’t help but be caught up in the planning for a magical experience for the boys. I don’t know if they’ve ever even been on a train. If so, this ride promises a festive experience for all of us. In fact, I need to watch the Polar Express movie again myself.
Friday I went to work as usual. While I was there my boss snuck in to leave gifts for the four of us fortunate people who work for her. Another co-worker came in bearing gifts as well. She is counting down the days until she and her large family will all be together in an air B&B that she rented to accommodate everyone coming from afar. It’s enough people that everyone will not fit at her house, so she got creative and manifested a place for them all. On the schedule besides just enjoying one another are games and meals and Christmas movies.
Friday night held a sweet little dinner party for the four of us who formed a “12 Step” book club last year. We get together once a month and discuss the latest chapters that we’ve read. The discussions go deep into our spiritual experiences as people who are doing their best to follow 12 Step wisdom. Nancy hosted three of us, having fixed a wonderful turkey with dressing. I brought a green bean casserole – my first attempt at this classic side dish. Rose and Mary brought a mincemeat pie. That pie transported me back to childhood when my mom would always make the very same thing. I remembered that she used to make really good fruitcakes to give away. Their secret was the rum that soaked into the cake, giving it a richness. When I was finally allowed to partake I felt very grown up. Anyway, the dinner brought us all fully into the Christmas experiences that revolve around the fellowship of a good meal.
On Christmas Day, after Jackie and the boys are ushered to Papa and Nana’s house for even more festivities, we will start putting together the dinner for our friend, Donna, and us. Donna and I will watch the Kansas City Chief’s game starting at noon, with high hopes that they will play better than they have the last few weeks. She and Jan will probably share stories from the many years they’ve been friends. I will call my chosen out of town family – Ted and Sarah, Ibrahim, Katie, Terri, Sheila, to name a few.
Even after Christmas is in the books, the celebration continues for me and Jan. On January 3, we fly to Los Angeles for a few days with Ted and Sarah. We talked to Ted yesterday and he asked if we would want to get on a boat and go whale watching? Of course we would! We look forward to spending as much time together as can be arranged.
This Holiday Season I will spend time with both of my children. I can’t tell you how happy that makes my heart. They live on either coast, so get togethers have to be planned well in advance. This year I feel especially blessed. I hope it feels like a blessed time to you as well!