Merry and bright

Christmas feels particularly poignant to me this year. We've spent two of the last three years celebrating this season in the hospital. It's changed how I feel about the holiday, about the month leading up to it, deepened my understanding of the joy we can bring to the day even in the face of adversity. And this year, for the first time, I am married. Our families are at home. Life is huge and complicated. We are lucky.

I'm not religious, but blessed is still a word I use when luck doesn't seem to cover it. We're blessed with another year, another day, another chance to gather with people we love and celebrate that love. I'm ever more convinced that it's all that matters. There are no guarantees in life. We should love each other as fiercely as we know how, for whatever time we're given together. And that is what I intend to do this weekend.

{r&r christmas}*

Merry Christmas to any of you stragglers out there still reading! Go eat a cookie or something.


* That is my little sister and me on Christmas, I think 20 years ago. Guess what?! I still have that sweatshirt. NOT KIDDING. It's on its last legs, sadly - I think this might be its very last Christmas and I haven't yet found a suitable replacement. Also, I have that haircut again. So basically, that's what our weekend will look like. Minus the Barbies. Possibly. Also, our mom now has a better couch, I'm happy to report.