Our December.

With my (Gavin) birthday on the eleventh, four Christmas celebrations with various people in my family, 2 Hannukah celebrations with Erin’s family, and six birthdays between both our families (Erin’s is on New Years day!)…I’m officially giving myself permission to just sit here with Erin for a second and…breathe.

It’s been a marathon of a month, no doubt about it.

But amidst the hustle and bustle of jello molds, turkey basting, and endless hours of driving – I can say we are truly blessed. It wasn’t a Christmas piled high with gifts, but rather, a time to realize the gifts we already had. With the passing of my Grandfather less than 6 weeks ago, stocking stuffers and gift cards weren’t at the forefront of our minds to be quite honest. Instead, we enjoyed being with one another, reliving memories and pulling together to make it a Christmas filled with joy.

And you know what? It really was, all things considered. There was laughter, tears, poignant silence, and cheers. Throw into the mix a mini fashion show from items of clothing dating back to the 60’s (we raided Grandma’s closet), and I’d say we had one our most memorable Christmases ever. I think I might be writing all this down just to make sure I remeber that the gifts most valuable to me, are the times I get to spend with those I love.

And since this blog has been neglected for the better part of two weeks or so, what better way to round off the year than with a few fuzzy iPhone photos of our month. They help the blur of everything come just a little more into focus.