Christmas – 2019

We’re half way through the twelve days of Christmas with HWH and Lanky Dude starting back to work tomorrow; the week has passed by all too quickly. I’ve relished the time we’ve all been at home, despite the arguments, mess and normal family upsets. As the boys grow older, each season when everyone is home becomes more precious and I treasure them.

Holidays can be hard for adopted children Holidays July 2018 but by the grace of God, lessons learnt over the years and the girls’ increasing stability we’ve been able to relax more of the routine than ever before, with some payback, but not too much! So, for that too, I’m thankful.

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas, for my memory box as much as anything else.

We made decorations for our Victorian Christmas several years ago, and the tradition has held, with mainly home spun decorations, each with its own story. I love evenings by the fire, enjoying the the twinkly lights.

There seems to be a need to keep rolling out meals at Christmas more than at any other time of year. For someone like me who would rather not be cooking and isn’t great at it, this is a challenge. However, the meals we share bind us together and Rhythm Dude and Dancing Toes sometimes help. If not, I click on a podcast, some music or “The Archers” and prepare away!

Boxing Day lunch always consists of baked beans (!), a regular from HWH’s childhood, potatoes, sausages, stuffing, bread sauce, left over turkey and pickles.

A meal with Grannie; one of our home reared and home cured gammons, the last of our parsnips and roast potatoes.

For years, I’ve made a “Christmas soup”; just a regular root veg soup which everyone likes. This was initially to ensure our small boys got some vitamins in them amongst all the party food. Now it’s just part of the fabric of Christmas.

Lanky Dude gave me “The Screwtape Letters” by CS Lewis, which I’ve never read before. I’ve enjoyed it alongside “proper” coffee (ie, not instant like usual) and a never ending supply of biscuits gifted to us by friends and gratefully received.

Lord of the Rings Risk. Enjoyed by HWH and the three older ones. I just don’t get it, but I love the map!

We’ve done a fair bit of walking, often misty…

and of snuggling up with a good Christmas read.

And a family trip into Wells for Cornish pasties by the Bishop’s Palace.

I know all too well that Christmas can be stressful, painful, lonely…So I’m extra thankful for this time we have, when we can gently close the door for a short while on all the normal pressures, commitments and workloads, and enjoy being together, drinking tea, seeing family and friends, walking, reading and having space to pray and think.

And most of all I’m thankful that as we go into the next year, we know Immanuel, God with us.