Holidays and family of your heart!

Okay, i'm laid up and bored silly and am not allowed to do much so thought i'd do a mega blog....do you have your cuppa water, mugga joe or a stiff drink ready? K, well kick off your shoes, put up your feet and lets get at it, lol.

Christmas time is an extra special holiday for me and always has been. Our family had many Christmas traditions and it was a time for just that, family. With us family doesn't just mean blood family. We came from Nova Scotia to BC when I was 3 months old and because of that we have a lot of 'adopted' family here that are as much family.

When Hal and I moved here in '99 we came alone with our dog after living so close to our families from the time we basically left home. It was a difficult decision and as much as we thought we were prepared for the separation it was far harder then anticipated. December 99 Hal and I flew home to Kamloops for Christmas. The next year we were so blessed to have our dear friends Laura and Adam Taylor bring us into their family circle and to share Christmas with the Taylors. It was wonderful to be around a big family again and to see what their traditions were and hear them sharing there Christmas stories of years gone by.

Last year we were surprised by my Sister, Brother in law and nephews being here for Christmas with us.....how exciting again to have a houseful.

This year Shari and Doug invited us to spend Christmas Eve with them and to share in there Christmas morning with Kali and Parker. For some of you it may be hard to understand how this can make someone so happy. To have 'our Kitimat' family of Laura, Adam, Damon, Colton, Shari, Doug, Kali, Parker, the Taylors and Sharon and the girls open their hearts and homes to us is beyond amazing! It shows that family is truly in your heart and not what runs through your veins.

Christmas morning I wanted to cry so bad because I witnessed something that made my heart swell with happiness and pride but also a little ache. I now look at it that this would not have happened nor had the same effect had our lives been different.

Hal had gone upstairs to lay down for a bit because he had a fat head, lol. Well we heard Parker chit chatting and then he was quiet. A few minutes later we hear Uncle Hal say "Pen, come up and bring the camera." Shari and I snuck upstairs with the camera and here was Hal snuggled in bed with Parker beside him and Kali snuggling under the blankies beside Parker. She was playing hide and seek and Parker was grinning at Uncle and babbling away. My heart was so full of love for him, the kids and this moment.

Christmas morning was fun watching the kids enjoy their gifts and the four of us just chit chatting. We had breakfast and tried to do a quick tidy up but i'm afraid that poor Shari and Doug were left with the majority. Hal and I had to get our butts home and put that bird in the oven for dinner.

On our way home we stopped in at Laura and Adams to see how their Christmas was and to see how the boys scored! Walking in the door and seeing Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and the rest of the gang was so awesome too! Lots of hugs and holiday wishes, a visit with the boys and even playing Guitar Hero (holy crap am I bad, lol). I love those boy so much and my heart bursts with pride as well for the young men they are turning out to be. Laura and I had some laughs about the gifts we had given each other and a few minutes to just be. She's an amazing friend who has been by my side through so much and I hope she knows just how special she really is. I can only hope to be 1/2 the friend she has been.

Hal and I headed home to get the bird stuffed and try out the new vacuum (I'm so happy with it..more on it later!). Doug, Shari, the kids and her Mom were coming for dinner and it's something I thoroughly enjoyed!

Dinner was awesome and we finished off the evening with a game, omg we laughed so hard at Doug acting out Crash Test Dummy...it was perfect.


I'll have another post about the rest