From the other side of the mountain (pt. 9)

[SBJ]

I hope that everyone had as good of Christmas as they could have under their individual circumstances. To all of us on here, family is everything. I am trying to keep my family as close as possible during this holiday season and I pray that you all will do the same.

Our Christmas was as odd as ever. My in-laws (divorced) each invited me to their Christmas parties. I decided that if I was invited that I would go to them both. They have all been may family for 26 years. If it made the ex uncomfortable then I guess that was a plus, but it did not. I am the class clown and am as sarcastic as they come, so we laughed and cut up together and things went well. After an appropriate amount of time I excused myself and went to visit with some of my family that were in town. I did not want to overstay my welcome, but I genuinely wanted to celebrate with them. Those parties were Friday and then on Sunday.

My youngest two spent Christmas eve with their mother and on Christmas morning my oldest and I went to her place for breakfast and for all of the kids to open gifts. It was a great morning. Kind of felt normal. After several hours I excused myself to go and get some things done at home while the kids stayed with their mother.

I picked them up in the evening for my families Christmas party. We did have a good time, but I felt like something was missing. It is tough shuttling the kids from house to house to house during the holidays.

May 2018 be the year of joy and happiness for so many of us that are going thru these daily trials. I pray that everyone has a Happy New Year!!! I will surely raise a glass for each and every one of you that I have developed a kinship with over the last year and a half. God Bless you all!