Every year my children plan a get-together with me at Christmas time. It is something I look forward to each holiday season.
This year I spent Christmas Eve with Duane, Kathy and Kathy's daughter's family. It was especially fun for me as I had not before had the opportunity to see Duane and Kathy's apartment in Gaylord. They have such a nice place - cozy and homey. We went from there to spend the evening with Kathy's daughter, son-in-law and two grandkids, two pooches and assorted cats. My kind of place. They made me feel right at home. There was enough food for a decent sized army, and we ate until we couldn't any more, and then moved on to open gifts. After that, we talked and ate some more and just enjoyed being together. When we were ready to go back to Duane and Kathy's place, there were hugs all around and when Kathy's daughter told me that I was welcome there any time, I knew that she meant it. Duane drove me home the following day. I so enjoyed my time with them.
The next Sunday afternoon we gathered at David and Staci's home for our annual Christmas get-together. It is always so much fun to be with my children and grandchildren, and that day was no exception.
The small kids and grownup kids spent time playing the new Wii game that David's kids had received for Christmas. There was much bantering about who was going to beat who and how badly they were going to be beaten in bowling. Jeri's friend Jon was with us for the first time, and I knew he fit right in when he teased Chris that he was going to call all of Chris's friends and tell them that Chris's six year old girl cousin had beaten him in bowling. Chris did redeem himself and went on to win some games.
David fixed a wonderful ham dinner and there were goodies galore. Everyone brought something to add to the meal as is our custom when we all meet like this. If anyone went away hungry, it was their own fault.
After dinner, we went to open gifts. It is so much fun to watch the kids open their presents. Jacob had tried really hard to get a head start on the present thing before dinner, crawling towards the tree a few times, but we managed to head him off at the pass and he had to wait like the rest. Soon the family room floor was a sea of wrapping paper and ribbons. The grandkids liked the quilts I had made for them. They were the secret surprises mentioned in a previous post. They seemed to generate a few extra hugs and kisses for Grandma, and that was worth every hour spent making them.
After dinner, we went to open gifts. It is so much fun to watch the kids open their presents. Jacob had tried really hard to get a head start on the present thing before dinner, crawling towards the tree a few times, but we managed to head him off at the pass and he had to wait like the rest. Soon the family room floor was a sea of wrapping paper and ribbons. The grandkids liked the quilts I had made for them. They were the secret surprises mentioned in a previous post. They seemed to generate a few extra hugs and kisses for Grandma, and that was worth every hour spent making them.
It is a funny thing...sewing quilts. Not "ha ha hee hee" funny, but perhaps sort of "odd" funny. There is a lot of time alone with one's thoughts while sewing. As I am not a huge fan of TV, I didn't have that distraction while working, but often had music playing. I found myself thinking about each child as I sewed together the pieces of that person's quilt. I thought about how the fabrics of one quilt suited the bubbly personality of one child. And how the grownup patterns in other fabrics were just right for one teetering on the edge of becoming an adult. The girly prints served to remind me of the similarities between these two little granddaughters and my own daughters when they were of the same ages. One of the boy's quilts got me thinking about that child's outlook on life that often tickles my funny bone, and how he has gone from being very shy with me to being outgoing and so loving. The baby's quilt conjured pictures of a ready smile mixed with a little sadness that soon he will no longer be a baby. One tends to lump these children all together under the heading of "Grandkids." But each is his or her own person with a unique personality. As I thought of each individual child, I could see traits of their parents as well as traits of mine and of their grandpa in each one. I am truly blessed as a grandma to have these children for my grandkids.
After pie and coffee and a little more conversation, it was time for the drive home. As we were getting ready to leave, David remarked to me that it was so nice that nobody had to rush off right away and how good it was to set and relax and talk. I know that most of you think that I tend to live in the past, talking as I do about times when I was young. I don't really live there...I just have fond memories of times when life moved at a slower pace than now. But as Christmas get-togethers go, this one comes really close to those that live in my memory.
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