Crazy Christmas 2017

Maybe we are crazy. Maybe we honestly did lose our minds.

But we did it.

We piled into a 15-passenger van and headed to Texas.

But first, let me back up.

Christmas started, as it seemingly always does, as soon as Thanksgiving is complete...maybe even before. For my Little family of four, we stayed home on Thanksgiving Day, just the four of us, and put out all of our Christmas decorations with Christmas movies on in the background, and enjoyed a Mexican feast. The next day we went to my aunt Karen and aunt Cheryl's house. And I am incredibly grateful that we did. I kept thinking that all of us would be there to visit and spend time with my aunt who was ill, and that I would go back alone in January to have another visit, similar to the one my sister and I were able to have at the beginning of November. But it didn't happen like that. November 24th was the last day I would see my aunt. She passed away just a little more than 2 weeks later.

After the turmoil and grief and sadness of several days, and really weeks leading up to and following her death, I was feeling overwhelmed and sad and struggling to make it through each day without crying or wanting to just stay in bed. My extended family had been planning to go to Texas for a family reunion, but I just couldn't deal. The idea of planning a trip for that long, that far away, with so many schedules and moving parts was pushing me over the edge. I spoke to my mom about it and she was gracious enough to tell me that we didn't have to go if it was going to be too much for me. That gave me the strength I needed to jump in and make it happen. I had become incredibly aware of the limited time I might possibly have with my mom. And this is something she wanted above all things, so I knew I couldn't miss it.

After discussing airline ticket prices versus driving, I knew we had to drive. For 8 of us to fly to TX was going to cost easily around $3,500. So instead, we opted for the van.

December flew by. We celebrated Christmas at my mom's two weekends before Christmas and then we celebrated with David's family the weekend before Christmas.

We spent Christmas Eve going to church, at home packing, finishing up last minute wrapping and cooking, and reading the Christmas story while leaving cookies for Santa. Christmas day was spent at home with gifts and food and fun and laughter.

Then we woke up bright and early on the 26th and picked up the 15 passenger van that quickly became known as Hershey. It was actually really fun!! Nathan drove the entire way, though I tried to offer my help. We had an interesting stay in a motel, saw over 50 family members, all 10 of us (including my mom and JD) stayed with my aunt Sylvia and uncle Bob for several nights (they only have one shower!!), we got in each other's space, we learned to live with it, we got annoyed, we made up, we laughed, we cried and I wouldn't trade this trip for anything.
My mom took all of us (though my sister and I had been many times, our husbands and kids hadn't been before) to the farm where she grew up. We saw the house I remember my Granny and Papa living in and the land behind it where they tore down the original house my grandparents had lived in and where my mom lived for the first several years of her life - the house that had an outhouse and storm cellar and belonged to my mom's Granny. My aunts - Sylvia and Rae - were there to add to the stories my mom told. It was great fun to hear all of their memories and stories and thoughts about those days. We went by both of my uncles' houses and enjoyed driving downtown where my mom showed us her high school and where my grandfather worked and so many other landmarks, some that had stayed the same and some that had changed completely.
The family reunion was wonderful. I hadn't seen the majority of my family since my grandfather's death seven years previously. Xander had only been to TX twice, once when he was 6 months old and then again when Papa died in 2010. Amelia Jayne had never been, so none of my cousins had ever met her! It was so sweet to watch her play with my second cousin's little girl, Juliet. They had both brought their dolls, so they had things in common from the moment they walked in the door.

Everyone said I was crazy when I told them about this trip. I pretty much agreed and still agree, but I will always say it was worth it. Making memories is fun. Working through grief is necessary. I'll treasure these memories and our love for one another always. :)