It's Christmas time again. A year ago right now we were debating whether to put up a tree because Britain was facing major surgery on the 22nd...which was cancelled on the 21st and rescheduled for the 28th, so on Christmas Eve Day we bought the scrawniest 'Charlie Brown Christmas' tree remaining at Home Depot and threw some decorations on it. This year we've done better by way of decorating but only because we were having a party (and not even a CHRISTMAS party) this month and felt that some holiday decor was in order. Thankfully, the house is now Christmasy and clean, sort of, and at least looking more like Santa might actually come.
It's a strange holiday season for us, though. Our Scott's been in Iraq since September and won't be home till April for Joey's wedding. Cameron called one afternoon in the fall to announce that he was moving to Costa Rica for the winter, and while he managed to make a quick trip home at Thanksgiving for turkey festivities and a big wedding, he will be surfing in Dominical for Christmas. Britain asked for his gift early--a plane ticket to Olympia, Washington for the holidays to visit family friends, and is leaving on the 22nd for an extended visit. My brother and his girlfriend are leaving on the 22nd as well--for Viet Nam, where both sets of her grandparents live. We will be a much-diminished crowd at our annual Christmas breakfast , as only Alexa, my folks and my nephew Logan will be here to open gifts. We'll see Joey and Natalie at my in-laws' house that afternoon but still...it doesn't feel much like Christmas.
I'm not complaining, though. This time last year, I had just gotten laid off from my job, and Britain was facing two major surgeries. We knew Scott would be returning to Iraq for a second tour of duty, and were concerned about that. Because of Britain's second surgery, he had to completely withdraw from his semester of college to recuperate. I would never have guessed that 2010 would turn out to be a year of blessings. Because I was laid off, I was able to be home with Britain and take care of him during his complicated recovery. I got to travel a LOT--much more than I anticipated, and definitely more than I could have done if I'd been working. Britain has made a complete recovery, has gone back to school and after reflection and consideration, has changed his major to one that suits him well and at which he is excelling. Scott is in a secure location in Iraq at a REAL base, with phones and internet access and fast food. Compared to his first tour, where he lived in a tent in the desert, he is living very high indeed! And after the scary uncertainty of being unemployed for two-thirds of the year, in September I got a phone call out of the blue (for a position I half-heartedly applied for online and promptly forgot about) and was ultimately hired for a position at a place I love, with people I thoroughly enjoy. God has been very good to us all.
And though this year's tree doesn't have as many gifts under it--because we're going to be short quite a few kids and other loved ones--I can honestly say that we've already received the greatest gifts of all, all year long--good health, good friends, loving family, true friendships, and opportunities laid out before us for our benefit. What more could we possibly need anyway?
Merry Christmas!
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