Giving in to Christmas

 You have all seen my goofy posts about Billy not letting me set up my Christmas tree, or decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Well, Thanksgiving has past and my house is decorated. Its not quite as decorated as I want, but when you're ballin' on a budget.... Sometimes you have to skip spending $200 on Christmas décor at Hobby Lobby. My life is SO hard! (that's a joke) 

My family was always a little crazy around the holidays. My mom had her bazaar going on, there were Christmas parties, trying to make it up to Lewiston to spend time with friends and see the Christmas lights, Advent at church, doing our own bible studies, trying to work in some cold afternoons with hot cocoa and a good book or movie, not to mention the gift shopping and crafting of incredible cards to send out during the holiday season. It might not sound like a lot, but when you figure that you have 25 days to get all of that done, a bunch of it overlaps, and you have kids who have their own thing going on, it is a lot. Like, a lot a lot. 

Don't get me wrong, I loved it. I miss it all. I almost even miss the snow.... I'm wearing shorts and a tee-shirt right now, while everybody in my hometown gets to wear pretty sweaters and jeans. Maybe I don't miss the snow... I miss winter fashion. I don't want to drive in it... just look good in it! Anyway. 

Obviously this winter, things are VERY different for me! Before William and I got married, we both agreed that we would take a year-long hiatus from family. We had spent the past three years doing long distance. We had never had a Christmas together where we weren't going from one set of parents house, to the next. Holidays had been stressful for us, and usually involved tears. This year, we just wanted to hang out together, make our own traditions, and get our feet underneath us! Long story short, we are spending Christmas in Florida, just the two of us, and I couldn't be more excited. 

I was hoping that this month would be a nice, chill month. Baking cookies at home, relaxing, packing for and planning our honeymoon. Well that did not happen. Not that its a bad thing! Because its not. There are so many things I want to do, that I have been holding back from for the sake of having a "chill" season. It doesn't quite feel like Christmas for me, but it does for Billy. I just kept thinking back to what Christmass (ssss???) looked like as a kid. All the lights, the magic in the air, the anticipation for church events. I was like "WHYYY am I holding back?" 

So ladies and gents, I am giving in to Christmas. I was so worried that I work run us thin, that we wouldn't enjoy our holiday season if I filled with with festivities, but I was listening to an Advent service this morning, and I just felt God telling me to "give into Christmas" and celebrate and be the light. Christmas is a magical time of year because we are celebrating the greatest miracle that has ever happened to the earth. Thanksgiving was a little bit of a mess, but I loved it, and so did my husband. This year, we are married, its probably the last Christmas we will get, just the two of us. 

I am giving in to the magic that brings everybody together this Christmas! Hopefully, the only tears I shed will be in gratitude and joy instead of stress. Our lives are so full of blessings, its time for us to embrace them, and play a little more on the fun side! You have no idea how wound up I have been this year, it literally feels like God is giving me a back massage and telling me to relax and have fun. Sometimes I get so caught up in my head and the strict rules I make for myself, that I forget I can relax and let go a little. Sadly though, I still couldn't get my Hobby Lobby budget approved :( Maybe next year! 

So excuse us, we have Christmas parties to attend, friends coming over, honeymoon to go on, hot chocolate to drink, and of course, Christmas lights to go look at!! We miss and love our families so much, and we are so thankful that they gave us such incredible childhoods to base all of our new family traditions off of. I can't wait to come back and share with you, all the adventures we had this season. Of course, we know that Christmas is about Christ, and I am not trying to minimize His role in this holiday. God wants us to celebrate, and I can feel Him encouraging me to fellowship and gather and celebrate. 

Merry Christmas everybody!!! 

I hope you all find the time to "give in to Christmas" this year <3