Christmas in the blender

Everyone knew this Christmas would be different.  But how different? Would everything change? Well, let's see...

Karissa is still devoted to Santa, but I'm pretty sure this will be her last year.  She did ask the "Is he real?" question a couple of times earlier in the month.  We gave her the same answer we gave Karina, "He is as real as you believe he is."  It might have helped that Hebrew School was cancelled so much due to the snow. Being excited about Santa doesn't play so well there sometimes.  Two holidays doesn't work for everyone, but it works for us.  Sometimes I feel like I'm just doing two half- )(*^(^&* instead of just one, but that may be perception.  Let's go with that...

Karina spent Christmas Eve with her boyfriend's family.  Not a problem, but different.  Kelly, Karissa and I eating our traditional meal of Mexican food was quieter than normal.  Except for the sounds of the blender.

After Karissa went to bed, we lit all the candles and turned off the lights.  We usually have an Amaretto, but I figured it would probably make me insta-drunk, so Kelly had a different drink and we got to talk a little. Then Karina got home.  This was good and we got to hear about her evening, but this was also different. Usually she would be in bed at least feigning sleep.  She is no longer a child.  You know it, but sometimes you want to unknow it.  But time moves relentlessly forward.

We did get to sleep in until almost 8 am -- possibly a record.  Karissa was thrilled by everything.  She always wanted it even if she wasn't really sure what it was.  Santa made an excellent choice with the marble racer.  Over 250 pieces to build with, or, in my case, step on.  Karina seemed satisfied with her gifts although there was very little surprise in the bunch.  Possibly the biggest surprise of the day was Kelly.  He bought the add-ons for our Wii remotes to make the Wii Resort we bought him for his birthday work.  He and the girls had a great time playing it while I soaked in the tub and read.  Win all around.

I made pancakes for the first time in months.  Clearly I'm out of practice as I had to pull the first several apart.  They got cooked on the outside and not on the inside, so you pull them apart and put the raw parts on the griddle.  No complaints from anyone.  They blend pretty well, too.

My neck decided to be cranky for Christmas, with some awakening nerves making their displeasure known, hence the long soak in the tub.  I even broke down and had some Motrin, too.  We are almost at the two and a half month mark and I am still swollen.  Unfortunately when the pain goes up, the swelling goes up, the heart rate goes up, the reflux goes up, and everything becomes less good.  I know that is an awkward turn of phrase, but it is the truth.  While it isn't "bad," everything is dimmed by the discomfort.

Everyone played and relaxed all day.  Angie, Ed, Hannah and Nathan joined us for Christmas dinner. Nothing exotic.  Building on my semi-successful pancake making, I did make raised dinner rolls for dinner. They smelled really good.  Since I blended my root veggies, ham, and roll all together, I couldn't say how they tasted.  Sigh.  Cleaning up after dinner, I realized how many times you put food in your mouth mindlessly.  That little piece of meat left on the cutting board, the hunk of scalloped potatoes stuck to the serving spoon, the half a roll Karissa didn't finish-- normally those would have all gone in my mouth.  Not anymore.  The chickens are eating better, I think!  I was nice to have a nice low-key evening with good friends.  No one loves a raucous party like I do, but I can't even compete with a second conversation at the table, let alone large noisy groups.  It was good and no spraying.  For that, Hannah is probably the most thankful of all as she was in the line of fire.

After a delicious dessert of two kinds of pie, we cleaned up and our friends headed home.  Karissa and I curled up on the couch and watched A Muppet Christmas Carol. Much to Karissa's annoyance, I did read a book for part of the movie, but I was really just browsing smoothie recipes.  I was mostly looking at the calorie counts as the ingredients don't matter quite as much.

Now Karissa is off to bed, Karina and Nathan are watching a movie, Kelly is playing Wii Resort and I am catching up.  I am trying very hard to live in this Christmas and not spend too much time thinking about next Christmas. Will I be drinking and/or eating by then?  Will my speaking be better?  Will the swelling be gone by then?  Will I feel better or the same?  Or, will the fates throw something else at me?  It is hard not to worry about that.  Mostly will my friends and family continue to be patient with me as I continue on this journey, and love me as I am now and not as I (or they) may wish I was?  I know they will, even if sometimes I don't even love myself.

So this year was different.  I'm guessing yours was, too.  As much as we talk about traditions and what we "always do," the reality is that it is a little different each time.  Life would be boring if is was always the same. Of course I could do with a little boring every now and then.  Maybe that is what I'll hope for- a boring 2014.  Until tomorrow, happy merry....