The holiday season, so swelled with family and love. It's as if the love that surrounds us is that of a sponge and they were all here to water us. That's the swelling. That's the fullness. A knowing that the absorption is time spent.
Thanksgiving began the season with fresh festiveness of Oregon family and local love. Abounding. The love knew no limits--thankfulness that engulfed, carried us through to the Christmas celebration with our boys and girls.
Our Arizona duo arrived late on a Saturday night. Tired, road warn and hungry, they found our new home with just a few directions. Trevor said "when I saw the wagon, I knew this was it". Rachel, an excellent co-pilot, welcomed with these open arms. Their warm weather dog, Cowboy, immediately made friends with the two home puppies and his new found independence, evident.
The first item on the agenda: to harvest a Christmas tree. The hope was for snow. The reality: 10 inches of snow on the ground and falling rain drops at the top of Etna Summit. Without hesitation, we waded through the snow to find a beautiful evergreen for our first Christmas together in so many years.
Decorating the tree was always a family affair. Lingering thoughts of the many Christmas' gone by. As they wrapped the tree with colorful lights, it was as if our celebration was being wrapped within the arms of the reason for the season. The Christmas boxes, with more dust on top than ever before, were opened and explored. Remember this one? A most notable memory came from Trevor "I used to put these all in my mouth". Not really a memory a mom wants to remember but certainly made me chuckle. The string of beads, more than a handful. Yes. That is what he used to terrorize me with. Still makes me chuckle. Goes to show ya. Not all memories are tender and warm. Some are just darn hilarious.
So it went. Trevor and I dug through the box. Discarding purposefully. Choosing carefully. Handing to Rachel. As I watched our newest family member carefully select a spot for each ornament, I couldn't help but smile when she found a spot at the front of the tree for a special ornament that Sawyer had made so many years ago. A gift, made at school, for his mom and dad. A gift intended to hang on our Christmas tree for always.
With the tree duly decorated, the following days were full of continual preparation and the arrival of our Bend group. As usual, Reuger lead the way into the house, happily yipping and running around. The arrival of Tanner and Michelle made the holiday feel much more complete.
Let the festivities begin. The days were full, as were our tummies. Wish lists, check check. The need for an absorption of family, done. Traditions we hold dear, celebrated. Within new surroundings, familiar feelings, rekindled.
It was truly a time of love and laughter. Moments of a knowing as eyes touched and moistened. A time when winning the touch football game didn't matter as it was about time spent and no broken bones. It was a time of visiting, while piecing together the puzzle, learning new games and hanging out by the warmth of the living room fire. As always, family and friends welcomed and appreciated.
The house is quiet. The puzzle, unfinished, still sitting on the "puzzle board" on the dining room table. The stockings and other Christmas decorations still seen. However, the lack of bodies in our home cannot take away the fullness of this holiday season. The "new normal" goes on.
Thanks for coming! You're the best!
As we say goodbye to another year, we know there is much more life needing to be celebrated!
