Heart Warming Joy

I  really wasn’t certain what to expect emotionally this holiday season, as the landscape of my life has changed so much.  I am SO thankful now for the changes and how this Christmas has been for me!

Our living room ready for Christmas

The  Divas LOVE Christmas time, as  do I.  It has always been a very special time of year for  me despite a few times that were painful.  For 22 years a little black rain cloud  hung over the holiday season as Ebeneezer Scrooge, the ex’s alter ego, fought  his inner demons to try to enjoy Christmas.  This year has been outstanding!  Everyone cheerful,  shopping and wrapping and  ENJOYING this season.

We put up 2 trees here, one in the family room, one in the living room.  Our house is decked out with old world Santas and Nut Crackers all over the place.  Even the upstairs bathroom is in theme,  with snow men shower curtain,  rug and accessories.  We get into  it  around here. 🙂

Last weekend Stan took me to the Festival Of Lights, a  holiday favorite I had missed for years.  It not only was fun but for me it was rather magical because  of the hand holding mine, the fact that he too very much enjoys this time of year.  Then we snuggled near the tree together.

Thursday evening my immediate  family celebrated Christmas and more change was there as us girls hosted our first family Christmas in this house…and my brother and his wife have split and he was there with his new love and her daughter.  It was a fun evening,  filled with some happy tears and lots of laughs.  It was a great reminder to me of what a wonderful family I have and how blessed I am to have them.

For Christmas Eve we Divas hosted the annual family party with my aunts, uncles and cousins from my mom’s side.  This time Stan was present to celebrate as well.  He has been such a wonderful  encouragement to me in my return to my faith.  He gave me a beautiful cross  necklace for Christmas, something I will cherish very much because it came from him.  It will be a constant reminder to me that someone very special loves me and prays for me.  I very much enjoyed having him here, someone that loves to hold my hand,  hug me and hold me.  One of my favorite memories this season will be sitting with him in front of the fire last night.

My baby girl slept here last night and my son arrived promptly at 6:20am to celebrate Christmas with us.  My second favorite gift this year is the Kindle they gave me.  I LOVE to read and love that I will be able to carry an entire library with me as I purchase books now  online for my E-Reader.  It was an enjoyable time this morning and was wonderful to spend it with my kids, mom, sister and nieces.

And of course the best part of this holiday was that my soul celebrates the return to my faith and church family, to being  in God’s Word, praying on a regular basis,  memorizing scripture, and worshiping each week with other believers.

Yes, it has been a very wonderful Christmas,  the best one in a very long time.  Never did  I imagine that I’d be truly thankful for being set free.  It has been a JOYFUL, blessed Christmas!