Weird Christmas

Yesterday marked without a doubt the weirdest Christmas I’ve ever had. But thank goodness, it was still pretty merry.

It started out like any normal Christmas. The kids bounded out of bed at 7:30 (our enforced time) and we opened gifts…lots of smiles all around. But then around 10 or so I got a FB message from my mom saying that Emily’s dad had gone over to get my Grandma to help her get ready for our family Christmas celebration (which would take place at my mom’s for the first time as our Grandma finally couldn’t handle having it at her house for the first time) and found her not quite well. He called an ambulance to come get her, and our Christmas took a turn.

My mom and Emily’s dad ended up spending the entire day at the hospital with Grandma (who is ok, but apparently fell and hit her head – no concussion, though) who ended up being admitted but spent the day in the ER in an overcrowded hospital before finally getting an actual room in the late afternoon.

First year in my ENTIRE life I haven’t seen my Grandma on Christmas. Admittedly, I was pretty low. We weren’t able to visit her because of the whole ER situation plus a high risk of flu at the hospital. However, after it appeared that she was not in major danger, I perked up a bit. But I still felt for my mom and Em’s dad as they spent all day with her and most of the evening, and now have some tough decisions to make about what’s best for her.

So, the Rapsons spent a good part of our day being lazy and playing with toys –  not so bad, really. Then we packed up about 3:00 to go visit my other Grandma, my dad’s mom, who is 95 and has been ailing since August. The past few times I have visited Grandma have been really hard, because she is not well at all and it’s just hard. I miss her vibrancy. But it was a blessing to see her on Christmas day and tell her I love her.

After a visit with Grandma and my aunts (thanks for all the gluten-free food, Aunt Z!!!), we headed over to Emily’s house, because she lives 5 minutes from my Grandma and the kids were dying for some cousin time.  (As was I, I will confess.)

There a lot of selfies ensued.

Then Kate and Sophie got in on the act because Kate is my selfie protege. You’re welcome, Em!

And THEN Emily and I played an EPIC Trivial Pursuit game against our husbands which I am SURE we would’ve won…if we’d gotten totally different questions. And Emily had a couple drinks which made her love me and find me more funny than usual so it was pretty much the best time ever!!

Also, our kids stayed up way too late but they totally loved being together so it’s a win!

My whole weird Christmas, which started and ended with smiles but had a fair share of worry in the middle  – just served to prove to me that these words I wrote at For Every Mom last week are true:

“Christmas is so much more than we usually make of it.

We make it about presents and lights and amazing Pinterest creations.

But it is about Jesus, God’s indescribable gift to each of us.

…It is the trying and devastating times in our lives that make Christmas all the more joyful, beautiful and wondrous.

Because of Christmas, all those trials will work together for good. Because of Christmas, we will one day be in a place where none of earth’s ill can befall us. Because of Christmas, what’s broken can be made whole.

Because of Christmas, we are blessed when we mourn! This is the good news we can cling to in the midst of trials … even when we are covered in tears at the foot of our Christmas tree.”

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Even if it was weird, or full of grief, or just plain carefree. I hope you can still feel the wonder of God’s gift to us today, and every day as we head in to a new year.