Its Christmas morning, quiet morning here, fresh air from the rain last night

The place we stayed the last 2 nights is nestled in the redwoods, in Santa Cruz mountains

Its, in a word, beautiful here, I love being face to face with nature, the elements (as long as those elements aren’t too hot or too cold that is)

The big celebration in Matt’s family has always been Christmas Eve

We hosted it 2 times in the past, in Sausalito, so I can tell you how much work it is and how much appreciation I have for those who take on the event

This year Barb & Ken hosted at their house in Scotts Valley, just east of Santa Cruz

Barb’s been wanting to host for years, years…..OMG, they pulled off an amazing bash, absolutely amazing

We all remember the Christmas events of our youth, of all the family coming together, now we are the ones putting these special events on

I still see myself as that child at Christmas, so its sometimes hard to think I am old enough to be someone’s grandmother…..

Yesterday we started the family time with a hike in the redwoods

We hiked close to Roaring Camp, which has a steam engine train that runs through the redwood forest pulling open air cars containing tourists

The train came through when we were hiking; someone said it was like seeing the Polar Express, and it was

For me, the hike was so special because Matt was surrounded by so many family members who were keeping an eye on him

I felt selfish at times, I just got into a conversation, walked ahead, had a moment when I could be free from my ever present worry, oversight of him, dare I say forget about him for a brief moment

There were times he fell behind, but someone eventually took notice, sometimes I did, to make sure he caught up

There was a period of time between returning from the hike and the beginning of dinner

I had made the decision earlier in the day that we’d come back to the hotel room, shower, change, it was only 15 minutes away

Everyone else brought a change of clothes to Barbs….

At first I felt it was a strategic error, but then I realized, once Matt said he wanted to stay at Barbs and not go to the hotel, it was an unexpected respite of “me time”

I embraced it, however short, and worked to find joy in the free minutes I had

Matt was in good hands, Sheba was with her dog cousins, in a fenced in area that let them run around inside and outside, so all was good

The party was amazing, so fun, all 5 dogs, Juno, Charlie, Stella, Sheba and our male ballerina Karl got along so well–this wasn’t their first time together so it was equally a dog Christmas party as well as a human Christmas party

Sheba, ever begging for food from the table, sat contently under the dinner table between where Matt was setting and where I was

Sitting, not begging, just sitting, it was like heaven

So much good cheer, so much good conversation

There were times I just sat still, looked around, stayed quiet myself and drank in the atmosphere, let it penetrate into my soul

Brittany, Steve’s girlfriend, was introduced to the whole lot of us, I am sure her head was spinning!

This is how Christmas should be IMHO, filled with family, generationally dense, enjoying the process of catching up, seeing how everyone has changed since the last year, learning what folks are up to

We can’t see everyone every year, we missed so many, including Emily, Jeff, Cozi and Senate, we missed Ryland last night, he flies in Christmas morning, soon, we missed Jenna, Andrew and their girls, we missed Karen, Dave, Daisy, Nick, Jasper, we missed the Magnuson men who were off with their significant others, we missed all those who have moved onto the Christmas party in heaven

Of course, I deeply missed my family in Virginia, while far geographically, they are close in my heart and thoughts. My mom in Virginia, caught up with her by phone yesterday, missing her during this time. And my brother and his family in Montana, certainly enjoying a snowy Christmas, missing them too

We can’t be everywhere in person, but maybe this post can take some of the distance away, letting each and every family member we are not seeing over these holidays know they are in our hearts and minds

I have another hour or so before we need to pack up and check out

Matt’s still in bed, across the room, Sheba having been fed, walked, done her morning business, rests

I am without my cell phone, having left it at Barbs last night, sans the digital attachment, relishing that actually and noticing how that feels to be digitally disconnected for a moment

We’ll be back with family this morning, I am sure making a bunch of delicious smelling things, watching football, hanging out

But for now, enjoying the quiet, getting grounded, ready for what the day will bring

I certainly hope, expect, the day will bring joy, love, all that being part of an amazing family, being family, brings

This is the greatest gift of all, family, it truly is

Merry Christmas all!