Simple Home and Happiness

Nothing about this holiday season went as planned. We started the stomach flu in our family of six a couple days before Christmas and it finally took down the last person a week later. It was exhausting but also forced a major slow down, in a good way. Traditions got pushed aside to make room for illness, plans were cancelled, all expectations of holiday celebrations went out the window. There was a time when this would have destroyed me. Several years ago, my plans for New Years Eve were cancelled due to a snow storm. I pouted and cried, I believe I may have even wailed "Why Me?" and I know for certain that I made the evening miserable for my husband. All because my expectations had been set too high and I couldn't see what was still possible. I don't know if it's age, experience, maturity, or a glorious combination, but this holiday had all the makings of an epic temper tantrum, yet it never happened. I wasn't Mother Teresa, let's be real, b

One week till Christmas. Seven days. How are you doing? Hanging in there? Excelling? Crying? It's ok. I've done all three in the past week. This morning I woke up with nothing to do. Of course there are things to do , but the calendar is clear today. Today I get to bake and clean and listen to Christmas music and rest. We have been running winter colds through the six people in our house and I woke up with a sore throat, but today I can rest, so I will be thankful for that. I know this next week can be really hard. I know that losses, finances, and hardships are heightened this time of year. It's ok to be sad. It's ok to feel the weight of unmet expectations. I am walking into this week with hands open. I will not let the dreams of what could be ruin the truth of what is right in front of me. I still have gifts to wrap, goodies to bake, I didn't get a Christmas card sent out this year, snow is threatening to ruin my travel plans, kids are sic