Followers

11 December 2007

I put the fun in dysfunctional

Sitting here last night watching the movie "White Christmas" and thinking during commercials about the Christmas Eve plans. I've been divorced from the kids' father for 14 years now. I have kept the doors and windows open on that relationship for the kids' sake and I guess something is working because we are having Christmas Eve get-together at the childrens' father's house with quite the cast of characters: My 3 kids, their father, his parents, me and my husband and my best friend, her husband and 2 great-nephews. This is the same group of people minus my husband that celebrated Christmas Eve pasts. The same menu of Italian Beef, Texas potatoes, corn casserole, lil Smokies in bacon and assorted Christmas cookies and breads and Wassail. The ex's present wife flew to Guatamala Friday to spend Christmas with her ex-husband. The ex-inlaws are so excited that I will be resurrecting the traditional Christmas Eve meal that they have known and loved. I'm getting that Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men down pat this season.

And Christmas Eve always brings up the yearly family joke--will Mom actually stay awake and go to Midnight Mass this year? I LOVE Midnight Mass. Walking out of the church at 1 a.m. with the cold wind and snowflakes drifting down. The beautiful music of Mass. It's Christmas to me.

Enter fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome into my world. Scrooge at its finest. I lay the best plans every year, coordinating my entire Christmas Eve activities so that there will never be a dull or quiet moment that I could fall asleep. I do really well until about 9:30. Then the fatigue vamps me like the snowplow just buried me in an avalanche of snow. But I am determined this year!!! I will make it to Midnight Mass and you will hold me accountable. I want to come on here Christmas morning and say, "Joy to the world-I made it to Midnight Mass!" Will you help me? I may just have to place Christmas Eve calls to my fellow bloggers to wish them a blessed Christmas and if I time them just right, I will turn off my cell phone at the steps to the church. Or maybe I'll spend the time after dinner in prayer for CJ, all his fellow airmen, my son and all his fellow cadets and soldiers and everyone else who makes my world what it is.

Until then, it's time to sing the Shmoopy Song for today and get busy working! Have a special day!

3 comments:

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

I love that you sing the Shmoopy song each day! What the heck will you do when it's over? :-)

Your XMas eve sounds awesome.. I give you ALL a lot of credit for maintaining good relationships with your ex's..

My parents divorced after 26 years of marriage about 8 years ago and they are still good friends - sure makes my life easier!!

Have a great day!
Hallie
http://wonderfulworldofweiners.blogspot.com/

kimmy said...

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog yesterday. Hallie officially talked me into starting one and so far I am having fun and meeting some really nice people!

Your Christmas Eve sounds like a lot of fun. We usually go to my in-laws that night for dinner and a few presents usually get unwrapped at some point by my eager children.

I used to go to midnight mass when I was younger. I loved it, but I still think my kids are too young. Once they are older I will most likely ressurect that tradition.

Kimmy
http://talesofablenderkimmy.blogspot.com/

Ness said...

Hallie, I don't know...I guess do a non-alcoholic version of 99 bottles of beer on the wall since CJ isn't legal to drink yet and base it on how many days until he comes home on leave. I will come up with something...of course, you knew that! :-)

After being married to he ex for 17 years I just couldn't deal with a functioning alcoholic who didn't want to be a father to his children. If I was going to raise them alone, I wanted to do it without the side effects of dealing with an alcoholic. It makes it easier on the kids, as you said.

Kimmy, gotta watch that Hallie! She encouraged me to blog as well. I remember the Eldest used to snore during Midnight Mass so had to take a hiatus for a while as well.