Christmas Spirit

This month has been full of ups and downs. This week started off a bit rough. We had a medical issue come up but we have had an amazing support system to get through it and others who we never expected offered their help for our future. In addition this weekend happened in just the right way that I know this Christmas will be one of love and joy for my family. I got to spend time with the amazing and strong women in my family. Each of these women have such amazing talents and I am truly lucky to have them share with me and support me in developing my own. I also got to spend time with my amazing husband where everyday I am reminded by him that I am strong, loved and always supported. Today has been the best of all. I got to have mommy and daughter time for most of the morning. No matter how old I get I will always treasure the time I get being my mommy's little girl. One of the best parts about today's mommy/daughter day is that the line between my family and my husbands family started to disappear. Mom joined me in helping finish off some Christmas shopping help for my husbands grandmother and now we are even talking about our two families coming together for next Thanksgiving! The day got increasingly better as it went on. This evening my sister called to tell me that my plate of Christmas cookies were ready. For those who don't know this is a tradition my sister has done every year. She spends about two days making at least four kinds of cookies from scratch and makes a plate for everyone in the family. I am sure she used to do this for fun but I think she does it now out of fear of an angry mob with torches and pitchforks showing up at her house if the cookies are not made! So with mouths drooling my hubby and I drove through a storm to rescue our plate of cookies. On the way we got great news that we get to see some people who are very important to us soon. Super excited! Once home with cookies in our bellies we watched the Blazers win (no I haven't switched teams I am still a Laker fan but the Blazers make the hubby happy). No way today was going to get any better right? Wrong. So here is the kicker. I logged onto our school site to see if our final grades were posted and some of them were. I made Jay pause the T.V. and I got Nina on speaker phone. I then showed Jay the final grade for his Excel class. A big fat "A"! I have never been so proud in all my life. I knew Jay could do it so I wasn't surprised but to hear the happiness in Nina's voice and to see the shock in my husbands face was more than I could have ever hoped for. 

Here is what I am taking away from today. True Christmas spirit is not about what others can do for you or give to you. It is not about buying the most expensive thing or having the most elaborate plans. It is putting others first and above yourself, loving without condition or expectation and most of all reminding those close to you how wonderful they are and what they mean to you.