Happy Holidays from the Weiers!
My goal was to give Matthew, Megan and Hannah as normal a Christmas as possible and so I still kept some old traditions. The house still got decorated thanks to my Aunt Linda who came to visit the first weekend of December. She and Megan put up the tree and garland and hung the stockings over the fireplace. We also played lots of Christmas music and watched our favorite holiday movies throughout the month. I managed to get my shopping done with the help of some "elves" and good babysitters. And we still had Christmas at my mom's the Sunday before Christmas. My mom can throw the best Christmas brunch! The kids had a blast with their cousins and I enjoyed spending time with my parents and siblings. Thanks Mom!
Some things were also done differently. We had Chris' parents come out to our house Christmas Eve. We used to not go to their house until Christmas day. They went to mass at St. Mary's with us on Christmas Eve and then we all came back to my house where Tammy and Todd helped make an awesome dinner. After the Zellers left, the Weier's spent the night and helped Mommy get ready for Santa. Thank God for Lynn's wrapping! She is the fastest wrapper I have ever met. The kids woke up around 6AM on Christmas morning and it was over by 6:10! All that hard work, OVER in ten minutes. It was worth it though to have all three of them say it was the best Christmas ever. Mission accomplished!
After that, we went next door to Jim and Christin's to exchange gifts with Brendan and baby Sean. Then we got ready to head to Lake Forest to Lynn and Dick's for Christmas with them and the Indiana Weiers who came up on Monday. On our way out of town, we stopped by Todd and Tammy's to say goodbye before they left for Des Moines where Tammy's parents live. It was also our farewell to Uncle Todd who has taken a new job in Colorado. He will head out to Ft. Collins from Des Moines while Tammy is staying here to sell their house and let Cade and Zoey finish school. I am so happy that Todd has finally found such a great opportunity. I just wish it was not so far away and so soon after losing Chris. I don't think it has fully sunk in yet because Tammy is still here with the kids. Please say a prayer for Todd and Tammy and that the house sells!
The kids and I also stopped by the cemetery. Daddy got his headstone for Christmas. As weird as that is to type, I have to say I am really pleased with how it looks and know in my heart that Chris is too.
And the best gift I received this Christmas came when I was at Lynn and Dick's house. I was going through all of the pictures that Dick has taken over the years and came across several of Chris and Hannah together! I was devastated to realize that I only had two pictures of just the two of them together. Chris was always the one taking the pictures in our family and so he is not in many of them with her since she was born. But Dick saved the day and has several that I was not aware of. Thank you so much Dick! I cannot possibly put into words how much I appreciate what you have done. Just to share some of my favorites.....
As always, thank you for checking in on us. Wishing all of you a very blessed new year! Take care, Betsy
Betsy: Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I will be following along!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to hear that Matthew and his sisters had such a good Christmas.
My prayers are with you and your children.