The next several weeks are busy around these parts, not including the major website I’ve been working on for a non-profit here. Today, we did our annual baking at my mom’s where we spend lots of time with sugar, eggs, flour and various types of chocolate. We didn’t finish so we’ll continue on tomorrow and again on Thursday, when we go up to Sacramento to my sister’s house and then celebrate my birthday that evening. Sunday is my dad’s family Christmas celebration so much eating and socializing will ensue.
On the 19th, we’ll help do Christmas baskets for the Salvation Army and on the 20th, my mom’s family will have their family shin dig. On Christmas Eve, we’ll be at my sister’s again and W00t! CHRIS ARRIVES!! The Brother will be here for 4 days to celebrate Christmas with us and we are so excited for him to be here. He hasn’t been to Modesto since the wedding and we’re looking forward to showing him Christmas done the Jepson/Taylor way. My mom’s already made him a stocking to hang up at their house so he’ll be spoiled with goodies to open on Christmas morning.
This is our third Christmas together and it’s been entertaining to look back over all of them. In 2007, Rob was fresh off the plane and so completely overwhelmed with this whole family-who-does-Christmas-BIG thing. He hardly knew anyone and it was such a huge adjustment as he was leaving behind his life to be with me. And last year was sort of the beginning of a big mess for me at work and December was far from stress-free. We’ve always managed to turn toward each other when times are tough and this last year has been no exception. As pleasant as the holidays usually are, I did not enjoy Christmas last year because the spectre of “You might lose your job” was looming over me.
But so far, this December has turned out to be pretty darn good. We are healthy. Happy. Working.   Tucker is still alive. Samson still drives Rob nuts and Ruca still pukes up her dinner near my side of the bed. We’re a happy little family. We’re excited to watch Natalie enjoy her first Christmas, buying her toys she will love that will annoy my sister.  We’re involved at church, making new friends, reconnecting with old friends. It snowed yesterday but not enough to stick on the ground. I still have some shopping to do and wrapping of gifts but there’s time for that.
And with that..in the wise words of Dr. Seuss.
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?”
May we all remember the true reason of Christmas this year.