Christmas 2015

I have to admit that I was pretty bummed with the way everything was going down this year. I blame it on the stress I let get to me with Rich being gone the 5 weeks before Christmas. It was rough and I was stressed but that’s for another post. Facebook put me in check with it’s flashback reminders by pointing out that we’ve had some pretty dang rough Christmas’!

2 years ago on Christmas Eva was really sick and I was getting next to no sleep and would eventually end up with shingles.

6 years ago on Christmas Day Arabella was in the hospital and the doctors were still trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

Facebook, thanks for the reminder of how bad it has been and how I need to be grateful that everybody is home AND healthy.

So, Christmas Eve was not a fun day. The kids were being horrible and I was a grump. I was missing my family and friends and it was a gloomy, rainy day in Okinawa. Suddenly my home was just too small and messy and I just didn’t like a single thing about our lives in that very moment. I just couldn’t see any possible way that we were going to have a good Christmas.

We took this picture and got the kids to bed. Rich and I finished Christmas preparations and went to bed. While lying in bed I had a moment of peace and quiet to think and that’s when the guilt crept in. How could I be so ungrateful? Now, I’m looking at ^^that^^ picture of my kids and remembering how grouchy I was and how I could just cancel Christmas all together and I don’t understand how I couldn’t see that I’m the luckiest mom in the world! Look at how precious they are! I allowed the guilt to eat at me for a little while because I deserved it and then I just felt blessed.

Christmas morning the kids were so excited to tell us that Santa had come. Then, Arabella told us that Aidan already tore into his stocking…and dad’s! That’s when I remembered why I wanted to cancel Christmas in the first place. We didn’t let that ruin everybody’s morning though. Santa had come and Rich and I loved sitting and watching the kids open all of their presents. It was fun feeling connected to our family members in Missouri while opening such kind and thoughtful gifts. We love and miss them so much!

Santa was pretty awesome this year. He got each of the kids a plaque with their name in Japanese.

Santa doesn’t only know our kids really well, he also knows Rich really well. The main gift he got them was a Wii U which totally made the kids AND Rich super happy. Funny how that works out Here they are enjoying their favorite Christmas present.

Eva got a Little People Clippity Clop princess toy.

Once she decided she liked it she quickly marked her territory with one of her usual utensils of choice, a black crayon.

We had the best lazy day with minimal fighting. Yes, it was a Christmas miracle. We finally decided we would head to the Aeon mall to get out of the house and get some dinner.

We each picked what we wanted. Rich had steak.

Aidan had his usual, spaghetti.

The girls and I shared a big bowl of Ramen and dumplings.

After dinner family selfie

Inspite of my “Scroogy” attitude on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day was one filled with love and family.