Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Bummed

As many of you know, tomorrow is my birthday. Usually, I would be looking forward to a great dinner with family or a night out with the hubby. This year, it will be spent in my lovely Dora room at the Ronald McDonald House. Don't get me wrong.... I know I am very blessed and things could be a whole lot worse yet it just seems a little hard to get excited this year. From November 20th to right after Mardi Gras is the time of year I live for. The crisp cool air, my birthday, the christmas lights, the excitement in the kids faces with the thoughts of presents from Santa... who doesn't love this time of year. Yet this year, I haven't felt the same level of cheer or excitement. Sad thing is I have actually put together a top 10 things list of things I will miss the most this year. I know many of you may be thinking.... "if only she realized how lucky she is!" or "stop whining and move on". For those of you who are thinking that.... I want you to stop this holiday season for just a moment. Take a second while you are celebrating whatever holiday it is you celebrate and look around you. Who is there? I have realized that the holidays are not about what you get or making sure every gift is nicely wrapped, but who you spend them with and how you express your love and gratitude. It is the small moments with the ones you love that make the memories you live with forever. This year, my small family of five will be together and for that I am blessed. Yet, there is a huge part of my family that will not be here. My parents, siblings, in-laws, co-workers and friends will be back home and greatly missed. So while I am very fortunate this holiday season.... I can't help but feel bummed too.

Happy holidays to everyone! Enjoy what really matters this year.

8 comments:

  1. Chin up honey. I can't begin to imagine how hard this has been on you. But think of it this way: your friends, family, coworkers miss n love you guys and are just as bummed that you will not be here with them. THey are with you, just not physically. Just keep reminding yourself its just one holiday season and that next year you and your sweet baby girl will be celebrating it all at home! <3 you and still praying for you and Olivia

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  2. I would be bummed too and I am so sorry you are having to celebrate Olivia's first Christmas away from home. You all are in the best place medically, but if you weren't a little bummed I would be surprised. Many prayers for a memorable and merry holiday season.

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  3. Mel, you're just going to have to make next year all the much more festive and enjoyable! Double birthday, double mardi gras, double Christmas - and with your baby girl at home to help celebrate! Love ya!

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  4. She is a beautiful chunky monkey!

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  5. I know it's not much, but every morning when I get up, I check this blog and Facebook for the latest info on you and Olivia and say a little prayer for both of you. Your family is with you, even the quiet ones like me, and we love both of you and think of you daily.

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  6. I agree with Stacey! Christmas explosion at the William's house next year! You can even get Brett to dress up as Santa and sit on the roof. And, Gracie would make a great reindeer!

    We love you and miss you, too! You will be home soon and thinking, "Why didn't I enjoy the peace and quiet when I had the chance?". Enjoy your baby girl, she is going to get big very quickly! Give her kisses and waabaas from her BB:)

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  7. Melanie, Happy Birthday! Give Olivia a hug and a kiss from us down in New Orleans. I know it is hard to be up there because I see how it is hard for Brett, Nathan and Delilah with you and Olilvia being away from them all this time. Next year all the celebrations will be GRAND, and Fantastic! We all are just so happy that Olilvia is doing well and her surgery can happen sooner rather than later. It will be hard to experience watching her go through the anesthesia, surgery and recuperation again but it will then be over for awhile and we can all watch her grow and get stronger for a few years. You and your little family will finally be together again for the summer and maybe you all will get to share some fun summer moments with the kids.
    It's ok to be sad for what you are missing but you do have it right when you say we all should appreciate what we have and who we get to spend our time with. We should appreciate everyone in our lives. We really are looking forward to you and Olivia coming home after the holdiays so we can get together and have a delayed Christmas, birthday and every other holdiday you have missed celebration. Love you

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  8. It is completely reasonable and understand to be down. It is okay to feel grateful for the blessings and yet still sad by the rest of it. That simply means you're human. I'm thinking good thoughts for you and hope you have an amazing birthday. This is hard and it so sucks that you have to go through it. You are doing it with grace, even when you don't feel like it.

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Olivia loves to hear her mommy/daddy read your comments!