Christmas

We had a great Christmas this year. It was a little bit non-traditional, but we made the best of it. 

It all started when Logan flew into town on a Friday night while I was working. Jason picked him up from the airport and they had some brother time together that night. We met up at Einstein's Saturday morning when I was done with work (such a great Saturday morning tradition when I work on Friday nights) and enjoyed a delicious breakfast together. It was so fun to see Logan and get updated about his life at BYU. We love Logan. 

After breakfast we drove to Topeka to Jason's family's house. I slept for most of the drive, Jason and Logan had more brother time. It was great. 

We spent a few days in Topeka with Jason's family, which was really fun--it always is a good time with the Brases. Brenna was also home from Utah State, so we loved hearing about her freshman year and all the fun she's been having at college. After a few days, Jason and I came back to Kansas City because I had to work the 23rd, Christmas Eve, and Christmas night. Jason did a few projects around the house on Christmas Eve while I slept, and then we decided to order take-out Thai food when I woke up. I wasn't in the mood to make dinner, and I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself that I had to go to work on Christmas Eve, so Thai food sounded like a good idea. We looked at some Thai menus and decided on one of the cheaper places--not a good idea. Jason's pad thai (that had chicken in it) smelled and tasted like fish, and my curry had too much cinnamon in it. 

Needless to say, I was not very happy. I was working two holidays and getting paid time and a half, for goodness sake! We could afford to at least buy some decent Thai food for our Christmas Eve meal! I am embarrassed to say that I was a little bitter. I almost let it ruin my night and my mood.

But then we sat on the couch together and read "The Gift of the Magi," a story that my dad read to my family every Christmas Eve while I was growing up. It is truly one of the best stories ever written. The message and the memories brought me to tears; I could hardly even read the story. Then my heart was soft and tender. I felt homesick and sad that I had to go to work. I felt grateful that my sweet husband came back to Kansas City with me and spent Christmas Eve with me and would be there in the morning to spend Christmas morning with me. 

While I was at work, my mom sent me pictures and videos of the live nativity my family was acting out. Then I got a FaceTime call from her, so I got my patients all settled in, asked another nurse to watch out for my patients, and I went to the break room to FaceTime my family. I sat and listened as my dad read "The Gift of the Magi" and, again, tears came to my eyes. My heart was overflowing with love for my family, love of my faith, for the chance I had to be part of Christmas Eve with my family, who was thousands of miles away from me. 

I'm so grateful I was able to do that. It was really special. 

The next morning, I came home from work (after stealing a few cartons of chocolate milk from the Neuro Stepdown unit) and Jason had made orange rolls for breakfast (a Folsom family Christmas morning tradition). So we ate orange rolls and drank chocolate milk together. Everything felt just right.

It was really fun to have our first Christmas together, just Jason and me. We opened presents and felt so grateful for each other and for the memory we were making together. We gave and received so many wonderful gifts.  I got some new workout clothes, new yoga pants from my mom, and a really nice yoga mat from Jason. 

Warrior Two

Jason got a nice wool shirt from my parents (which he didn't take off for the rest of Christmas break, literally), slick Nike shorts and a darling ornament from nephew Henry, and a new drill from me. He was pretty excited about his new tool. I loved seeing how happy he was to get a drill--he's been wanting one for a looonnnggg time. 

Feeling pretty rugged and manly in his wool shirt holding his spiffy drill

I was so grateful Jason came back to Kansas City to spend those few days with me. I had tried to convince him to stay in Topeka with his family so he wouldn't be alone on Christmas Eve, but he insisted on coming with me so we could have a little Christmas just the two of us. We had such a good morning together. So full of love and gratitude and happiness. I'm thankful for him. 

I headed to Topeka after I worked Christmas night. Jason was already there--he had left the day before after we finished our Christmas morning festivities. Some highlights from our second stretch of time with the Brases:

-Touring the Mars candy factory

-Seeing the Hobbit

-Playing Pass the Pigs. Jason's commentary "a double DRB!!!!!" "a BACON!!!" (Three double razor backs in a row)

-Just Dance

-Ping pong

-Going on walks, throwing the football

-Family fun at the church

-New Year's Eve fun

-Candy bar game

-Puzzles

-Sequence

-Sleeping in later than humans ever should

-Super Uno

-Teaching the Brases golf (the card game)

-Long conversations in the kitchen with Jan, Jason's mom (I love her)

I love my in-laws. When I'm with them it feels like I am with family. They make me feel so welcome, loved, accepted. I wasn't able to go home to Oregon for any of the holidays this year, but if I have to be away from my family, I want to be with the Brases. My husband came from a good, good family. I'm thankful to be part of that family now. 

This holiday season was definitely different. Christmas passed and it kind of didn't feel like Christmas actually happened. I realized that holidays are special because

they are spent with family and friends, celebrating Christ's birth and life. It was the first time I wasn't able to go home for any holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years), but I felt so blessed to be with Jason and to live close enough to the Brases to be surrounded by family during the holiday season. 

We truly are so blessed.