"Merry Christmas From The Family"

So to set the title of this blog straight, our family Christmas could be defined 100% by Robert Earl Keen's song. I wouldn't exactly call us white trash, but we are not exactly the most "put together" family that there is out there. Any how, that is the way that it is, and that is how I LOVE it! This Christmas season has snuck up pretty quickly on me. I feel like I just celebrated my birthday, and that was over 4 months ago. Ready or not, it was here and now it is over. I know this is sad to say but it has taken me 19 longs years for me to find and enjoy the real reason for the season. I have always known that Jesus is the reason for Christmas, and have always enjoyed that. However, it has been the little things that I have always taken for granted that I have learned to appreciate. Regardless how "white trash" our family can be at times, I would not want to spend the holidays with anyone else. People always say you don't know what you have until it is gone, and well they have a point. While none of my family is gone, every year the time that I get to spend with them is cut short for some "grown-up" reasons. I used to spend days and weeks preparing for Christmas with my mom, dad, and grandparents. Now I barely make it home in time to celebrate. Also, when I was little I was so excited to unwrap the gifts under the tree. At this point in my life, I am more concerned about what I am going to be wrapping to put under the tree, and if it is the perfect gift for that recipient. While I will always miss my innocent child hood days of Christmas, I will try to spend my adult ones appreciating all that the sweet Lord has blessed me with. I am so appreciative of every gift, big or small, that I have ever received. Even if it is a warm, long awaited for, home cooked meal on the dining table. Maybe it's even getting to celebrate the holidays with your loved ones that might not be around forever. This Christmas, as well as every Christmas, I was spoiled rotten and received more than I could have ever asked for. Another thing that I have realized this holiday season is how much I really do miss home and everyone here. In the past six months I have not had the chance to spend many days in Krum, six total to be exact. Fortunately, I managed to take a long Christmas break. I forgot how much I like getting to sit on the back porch, and how much I missed just driving around with my friends. Also, it is crazy how much people change, some for the better and some for the worse. This trip at home has definitely thrown me some curve balls, but it has been great. It even makes me want to lock in a college degree plan so I can get my indecisive self back to North Texas. It is really going to be a tough on me to head back to Lubbock on Monday.