thoughts on a dark christmas morning

^^ first real christmas tree

it's just about 2am here in the federal way.  i'm just in the middle of wrapping some gifts for my family for christmas morning. i'm a procrastinator, so every christmas eve i sleep little, but this year especially because i have even more gifts to wrap and a home of my own to make lovely for the morning. just a moment ago it's a wonderful life ended and i was in tears again. it's such a happy movie with a really great moral. it wasn't a blockbuster when it came out, but it's amazing how it's turned into such a classic these generations later.

i'm feeling especially blessed tonight/this morning. i'm missing about half the people we usually have on christmas eve on my mom's side of the family, but she said somewhere during the night, "at least we have this half!" right she is. my big brother is in germany and my sister and her husband are in utah. and, of course, my dad somewhere else watching from afar, maybe. i miss them all tremendously. christmas isn't the same without them. i've been blessed with so many wonderful people in my family and such wonderful relationships with them all, and i feel especially blessed tonight for joining an equally wonderful family. they've opened their arms and hearts to me, i love them all dearly.

now back to wrapping and cleaning.... and then maybe i'll even wash my face before i plop into bed. merry christmas, everyone!