Ahhh - the day after Christmas. My Christmas was yesterday - the only time I could spend with my daughter and this morning, a long trip back to the coast for them. Although both her and her b/f are professional drivers, one always worries about the icy roads and the other less experienced or over-confident drivers.
The steep mountain passes, narrow roads, and ineffective side barriers on extremely tight corners - ugh! Glad it's them driving and not me! Honestly, looking down from their truck into the deep chasms as you're navigating the roads - um - no, scares me just thinking about it! (Okay, I'm a chicken and deathly afraid of heights).
At least today they are driving back in beautiful sunshine and not the almost blizzard conditions they came up in. And yes, I'm sad to see them go. It was such an incredible day - and of course, what would Christmas be without little kids?
Having the grandkids here was so fabulous. It's an unusual situation with the grandkids, but it works for all us. My daughter became pregnant a couple of years ago, realized she was not in a situation that she could take care of a child, and adopted her daughter out. Although devastating for everyone, and even though I offered to take her baby, she really wanted her child to be in a two parent family with siblings.
The family she chose had a son, but wanted another child. Unfortunately, the mom had lost many babies, so they decided to adopt. My daughter chose them as they were willing to accept an open adoption. As it turned out, she was pregnant when my daughter chose them, but they decided to go ahead with the adoption, as there had been too many babies lost at different stages of her pregnancies.
After much heartbreak and tears, my granddaughter, Emma, was adopted out 3 days after she was born. And her new family was blessed with another daughter 4 months later. Fortunately, the new parents were not only willing to have my daughter in their lives, but me as well. When I moved 2.5 years ago, it just happened to be only two hours drive from my granddaughters new family's house.
Although difficult and a little shaky to begin with, our relationship has grown into one where I realized that I did not lose my granddaughter, I gained another son/daughter and two more grandchildren.
Having them here yesterday (at which time we celebrated as if it were Christmas day) was exciting and so much fun! The two little girls are incredibly cute, and into absolutely everything! Sam, the older brother is what every older brother should be, protective of his sisters, but also a bit of a devil as well.
This truly was a wonderful Christmas celebration. Mya and Emma played dress-up with their new fairy and princess costumes. OMG, the two of them were so funny. Mya, slim and athletic doesn't mind the dress up, but is a busy little girl, always moving (and very quickly I might add!). Mya heads for my exercise ball as soon as she comes into the house.
Emma LOVES dress-up. She wandered into my bedroom where she sat at my vanity (which has three mirrors - two side ones that move) and talked to herself for ages. lol - getting her fairy wings off at the end of the day to go home was definitely a challenge. Emma was NOT happy at having to take her wings off. I will venture to say that her fairy costume will be a favorite for some time.
And what is better than kiddie hugs? Sooo many hugs and kisses before they went home. Although Emma had played shy with me for quite a while and wouldn't hug me or sit on my lap, the last couple of times she has seen me, there are instant hugs.
What is wonderful is that she displays absolutely no shyness with my daughter. I'm sure it must be difficult for my daughter, but she has always had Emma's best interest at heart, and I'm so proud of her for making the ultimate sacrifice in order to give her daughter the kind of home she wanted for her. I told her that that would be the hardest decision she would ever make in her whole life.
So now, 2.5 years later, we were all together for Christmas. My adopted extended family, my mom, my daughter and her b/f and myself. A houseful of happiness, joy and thankfulness. A family together. This has, without a doubt, been my best Christmas ever.
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