Adjusting to a New Phase

My sisters with little ones were texting today 

about how the holidays are so busy and stressful.

It's so strange to be on the flip side 

where December feels quiet and, if I'm being honest, lonely.

Not one holiday performance by our children. 

No shopping outings with the kids for class parties or friend gifts.

No shopping excursions at all. Amazon and online solved that.

No family service projects or preparing special family dinners.

I used to have the entire December meal calendar planned 

when Thanksgiving break ended, beginning with

December 1 -- potato sausage soup with holiday salad by candlelight.

I realized I mailing holiday cards, delivering neighbor gifts and decorating done

by the first week of December -- a strategy that used to help simplify the rest of the month -- 

now just leaves the rest of the month a little empty. 

Traditions I'm missing:

Marty's holiday violin performance

Olympus' holiday orchestra performance including the Hallelujah chorus

Holiday piano recitals

Everyone practicing Christmas songs on their instruments all month long

Cottonwood Elementary sing-a-long

Waterford's holiday chorale

Delivering friends' and neighbor gifts all together

Making and delivering sack lunches to homeless.

Here Comes Santa Claus at the symphony

Hale Center Theaters The Christmas Carol

Lights at Temple Square

Driving around to see Christmas Lights.

When the Cottonwood Residential Christmas party was small and in our homes and we had the funniest gift exchange and everyone actually dressed up and it felt like a Christmas party.

White elephant exchange with girl friends.

What I'm looking forward to:

Symphony and holiday movie with Chris and Nick.

Marty coming to Utah and Marty and Lizzie and Emi staying here.

Brian Stucki and Ford & Kristin concert at Christensens.

Christmas Eve dinner out with Chris, Nick and Marge.

(Tuscany instead of Asian Star, this year.)

Christmas Eve program (trying to get ideas for something simple but meaningful).

Courtney and Michael coming a couple days after Christmas.

Pagosa with our family for a night next week.

Adair Family party next week when Nugents and Grandma come to town.

And I have LOVED all the snow!

(Chris went ice climbing with a friend and her dad, 

who taught them how.)

So excited for him to try something new with a trained professional!