Today is Christmas. Traditionally, we go to our daughter's house about 8 AM and open gifts together while sipping coffee or hot chocolate and munching on sweet rolls. But this year is anything but traditional. The above picture, taken when we were decorating my tree this year, has healthy kids hamming it up for the camera. Today is a different day!
A "bug" has invaded Todd and Tracee's house, and they are in various stages of illness: just getting over it, completely sick, or just coming down with it. YIKES! It's a major germ house. We tried to decide how to spend Christmas together without spreading The Yukkies to everyone in the family, and there isn't a good solution.
So, we watched via webcam as the kids opened the gifts that were under their tree. Later, we will take our gifts for them outside and have an open-air gift exchange, possibly reducing the chance of contamination as they open them. (Yes, we can do that, because it is once again hot in Florida for Christmas. In fact, we are using the air conditioner today.) Our Christmas dinner will probably be postponed until Saturday.
Is this disappointing? Yes, because we had planned for this day and always have so much fun together. But, I think of all the men and women serving in the armed forces who are separated from their families. They are willingly sacrificing time with those they love in order to help protect us. And there are many who can't share Christmas with their families because they have answered the call to missions and are sharing the story of Jesus in another country. Some can't go home for Christmas because of financial struggles, or illness, or other challenges. Others have lost loved ones this past year, and don't feel like celebrating at all.
This interruption of our Christmas plans is truly small. We will work it out. I'm so thankful for how God has blessed our family, and changing our plans is not a biggie.
Merry Christmas, everyone, and a blessed New Year.
2 comments:
Poohy!!!! Nothing worse than the Yukkies on Christmas Day! Patsy was pretty sick on Christmas Eve, too. I'm glad, though, that you figured out how to share Christmas with the family in spite of it all. Personally, I find it very hard to think of it as Christmas when it's so warm and the air conditioner is going full blast! Growing up with snow, ice, boots, scarves and gloves on Christmas, this just doesn't fit the picture!!!!
Hope everyone is better by now!
Cora
I love that! There is always, always something to be thankful for. We would have done that very thing as well.
How neat that technology has come so far that you could watch the fun from your computer. Amazing!
Smiles,
Lea
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