untold stories of 2011 :: the holiday season

It wasn’t that long ago that I suddenly realized how much I love the Christmas season. Sure, I had the usual amount of excitement as a child, waking early on Christmas mornings to creep down the hall with my sisters and explore what Santa had left for us during the night. But then adolescence came and Santa was no longer a magical mystery, and eventually Christmas became one more holiday from school and a time when family gathered for gift exchange. I still enjoyed that aspect of it, especially as my niece and nephews arrived, but somewhere in the mix I lost the sense of wonder and joy. I liked Christmas as much as I liked other holidays but no more than that.

It was only last year that I felt the great stirring in my spirit that I’d had as a young girl. I’m certain this is directly proportional to my relationship with Jesus. As I’ve grown spiritually in the past few years I’ve come to view the world in terms of beauty and art. And that has brought with it a true JOY that I don’t recall experiencing in my younger years. I do all I can to choose joy throughout the year, but there is once again a sense of WONDER and MYSTERY as Christmas approaches. My heart is thrilled by the sparkle of the world – whether manmade or innate – and I have come to recognize a new buoyancy to my heart during the Advent season. Everywhere I go and everything I see fills me with expectancy and excitement. I have come to enjoy the experience of shopping for Christmas gifts simply for the fun of standing amidst the twinkling decorations. Every lighted tree makes me smile. Every shimmering display makes my heart happy. These are the reasons I don’t want to nail down my Christmas gift list too early in the year; I enjoy wandering the festive store displays in search of little treasures! There’s no telling when I might run across that perfect little gift that the recipient doesn’t even know she wants! That is pure joy for me. Even when the world seems filled with Scrooges and Grinches. As far as I’m concerned, those people give me even more reason to be joyful: Jesus did tell me to bring His Light to this world, you know. And Christmas is the perfect opportunity to reflect His love onto others.

That right there is the reason I believe the season has become so powerful for me. I am filled with wonder but that wonder always leads to worship. Every moment of Advent reminds me that Jesus came to this world for me. He chose to live a human life – and to die an excruciating death – for me. That reality never escapes me during the frenzy of holiday shopping and canned carols. Every gift I seek is for the single purpose of bringing the same joy to others than Jesus brings to me. Sure, it’s all material goods, but in the long run it’s not the item itself that gets remembered but the fact that I loved them enough to find something just for each person. And that builds a foundation for the future when gifts will drop away but our relationships will endure. I never want my loved ones to wonder how much I care for them and how important they are to me. During the holidays, I take all the time I can to impart that to each of them.

While the kids are still young there will be physical gifts, but I have to say I’m truly looking forward to the day when the wish lists are insignificant and time together becomes the most important aspect for them. It’s already become that for the adults. A few years ago my sisters and I chose to stop exchanging gifts to each other in favor of pouring all of the budget into the kids’ gifts. Because I have no children myself, each family gifts me one item, but I give only to the four children and to my parents. It saves on the finances, for sure, but it also has the added bonus of finding new and fun ways to share our love for each other. The older we get (and the older their kids get), the more we come to value our time together and our conversations during the other months of the year. Daily interaction has become the focus. I have no doubt that my sisters love me (even when they dislike me greatly for some stupid thing I’ve said), and I think they are assured of my love for them, as well. It comes from the way we share important events with each other, from the way we inquire about each other’s daily lives, and especially from the way we pray for each other and rally around when someone is hurting. The older we get, the more we know the importance of being friends. So when Thanksgiving and Christmas come back around, we use the special season to amp up the shared moments. More and more, my reward from my family comes in the memories we make together and photos I have to tell the stories. And the laughter. Oh so much laughter!

Each new holiday season seems a bit more special than the last. I’m sure it’s about feeling my age more and more, and I know it’s also about realizing that our years together are fleeting. My parents turned 65 this year and became “official” senior citizens (rather than AARP-eligible), and though they are as youthful as ever (and moreso) I cannot help but consider the reality that their days on the earth are fewer now than ever before. In realizing this, of course, I understand that none of us knows how many days we have left. It’s become ever-present in my mind. And the last thing I want in this life is to regret not telling people I love them or showing them the depth of that love. This becomes all the more poignant for me during the holidays, but rather than lament the shortness of days remaining, I choose to celebrate the time we have now. I love that the world lights up all around me while I’m experiencing that same sparkle in my own life.

In 2011 my family didn’t have the most typical of celebrations, but we held true to our traditions. In recent years, two of my cousins from my mother’s family have joined us for Thanksgiving Day, and this year my cousin Kim offered to host the holiday at her newly completed home. My sisters and their families did not join us, but I traveled with my parents to the western skirts of the Dallas region to hang out for the day. All of Kim’s family was present, including her husband and son, her sister Shawn with husband and young daughter, as well as Kim and Shawn’s parents, my Aunt Linda and Uncle Don. Linda is my mom’s only sister, and the last remaining member of her birth family, so I’ve come to understand how important it is for us to share time with this part of my extended family. We didn’t have much time together growing up and have only just reconnected a bit in the past five years or so, but during our childhood years I spent alternate Christmases with these cousins when we all gathered at my maternal grandmother’s home. Due to distance, that was often the only time we ever saw each other. I’m not sure how much my own (younger) sisters can recall about those holidays, but I have several good (and ridiculous) memories from those few years during our childhood. That we are now reconnecting a bit in adulthood is a nice thing. And Thanksgiving was a good day of relaxed family time. No great fuss, no pressure, some laughter and sharing and a ton of food. Holidays with my sisters’ families are never this tame. Or quiet! So this Thanksgiving was a rare moment of casual family time in the midst of holiday celebration. Driving back home that evening we weren’t even tired! And the awesome blessing of a beautiful sunset through the trees was a perfect topper to the day.

By contrast, Christmas with my sisters and their families was as chaotic as ever. In the very best way. It has become tradition for us to all gather (along with our parents) at my youngest sister Janeen’s home to have lunch and share a family gift exchange. Her house is the largest, and with eleven of us, that is much needed. By the time I arrive the stockings have already been sorted through and Janeen’s family has exchanged their own gifts to each other. Since my stocking remains at their house (and we have the new tradition of filling them for each other), I always have little gifts waiting for me when I first arrive. Not long after, my other sister Joanie arrived with her family and we set about getting lunch to the table. The kids would rather this tradition didn’t exist, but my paternal grandmother had a rule that no gifts could be opened on Christmas until a full meal had been shared and all dishes cleaned up. When we were children this referred to the breakfast meal, which was always a full and hearty breakfast that took forever (it seemed), but as adults it now refers to the lunch meal. To make it even more excruciating for my niece and nephews (ha ha!), my own mother implemented a tradition that the gift exchange take place in a round, with each person opening only one gift while everyone else watched, then continuing in birth order until all gifts were finally revealed. To say the kids get bored is an understatement. The youngest ones typically last for a couple of rounds before wandering around the house and complaining about how long it takes until their next turn. Even some of the adults get bored with this, but we’ve come to embrace it as tradition so it’s just part of the deal. And I love it like my mom does. This practice allows us to all know exactly what gifts were received and by whom, and everyone gets to share in the joy of each other’s creativity and personal attention. As much as I love giving my own gifts, I’ve come to realize how cool it is for me to see what others give. And I learn a lot about each person in the process.

Following the gift exchange this year was a fun period of photography. I’m always shooting throughout the day, more than ever lately as I try to capture every small moment, and in years past there has been some effort made to posing for “family” photos. We abandoned it last year since so many turned out so horribly (bad lighting, lack of interest), but Joanie wanted to capture her own little family this year so I helped out with that. The photos really didn’t turn out as I’d hoped but the experience turned into my favorite hour of the day. There was just a shared joy in being silly and not worrying too much over the process. Interestingly, this period also provided my very favorite photo of the day: an accidental shot of my brother-in-law mugging for the camera while I tested my settings. He wasn’t expecting the shot, I wasn’t intending to depress the shutter, but the image turned out amazing and really captured his sense of playfulness and our ease with each other that has only come about in very recent years. It’s taken 25 years for us to feel totally relaxed around each other (owing to the fact that I was completely unlikable when he and my sister met at 15 years of age), so having this hour of silliness with him and Joanie really showed me the importance of growing into relationships. If you’d told me that my favorite moment of the day would be laughing loudly with Shane over an accidental photo I would’ve told you “fat chance.” Now I can’t imagine not experiencing it again!

These are the memories that remain with me year after year, and they define the holiday season for me. As soon as they end I’m ready to fill that void with something equally brilliant. This has made the standard Christian phrase of “Keep CHRISTmas in your heart all year long” all the more simple for me. My holidays are wrapped up in family, but the heart of everything is worship. I worship Jesus all year-round, every moment of every day, and Christmas just shows the rest of the world the joy that I experience daily. When all the twinkle lights are taken down and the evergreens are tossed by the curb I am reminded that many in the world will be looking for something to fill that space in their hearts, something that keeps the celebration alive. There’s only one answer to that: Jesus came that we may have life – and have it abundantly. The joy of Christmas is present every day. Praise God for that!

Take a look at the complete gallery of my holiday photos.

five minute friday :: A Few of My Favorite Things

In the mail yesterday I got this fun little package of beauty samples from Target. They came in a cute little bag by Sonia Kashuk — adorable little bag filled with fun little treats. This kind of thing makes me very happy. They truly do bring joy to my heart, these little freebies in life. And it’s no secret that I love freebies. Or that I love stuff, in general! New stuff makes me very happy. But the stuff is not what I consider my favorite things.

Instead, it’s receiving one text after another from my nephew with updates on the opening day game being played by our favorite New York Yankees. It’s seeing the wistful look in my niece‘s eyes as she dreams of what her life could be and where it could take her. It’s the flicker of joy on the second boy‘s face as he tells me that his phone plays a Star Wars anthem whenever I call him. And it’s hearing the last boy switch up the letters of my name when he bids me farewell. “See you later, J.A.” It’s moments like these that are my favorite things.

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Five Minute Friday prompts are designed by The Gypsy Mama, challenging us to “just write, and not worry. For five minutes flat. Simply stop, drop and write. Set your words free. Don’t edit them, don’t fret over them, don’t try to make them perfect.”

this girl’s mecca

 

As far as I’m concerned, The Container Store is the holy grail. My mecca. Or, according to my friend Meredith, “the happiest store on earth.” No matter how you see it, it’s pure heaven for us near-OCD types and anyone else who loves good design and symmetry and rows of colorful office supplies.
 
This post is for you, Cerella. I am so sorry you don’t have Container Store in your neck of the woods. When you come south to visit, be sure to bring an extra suitcase!
 
click image to see complete photo album

 

Sunday Seven :: the perfect summer meal

 

When I was growing up my family always had a particular meal during the summer that allowed us to take advantage of the fresh produce that is so very specific to the season. As luck would have it, the meal had seven components, making it the perfect final post to the summer’s Sunday Seven. I recreated most of this meal a couple of days ago in order to capture it for posterity, and though the produce is just past its prime moment in time, it was still as delectable as I remembered.
 

 

ONE
Purple Hull Peas — my favorite of all legumes — cooked all day with a little salt pork then seasoned with nothing more than salt and pepper
 

TWO
Summer Squash, sautéed in a little olive oil and butter then seasoned with salt and pepper
 

THREE
Corn on the Cob, usually freshly shucked, although I never do that anymore because I despise cleaning the silks (much like my friend Cerella spoke of this week in her series of foodie posts)
 

FOUR
Homemade Cornbread (or, in later years, Jiffy brand sweet cornbread). My grandmother always made cornbread sticks in a heavy cast iron pan, which I have now inherited, but fat muffins are just as delightful. With a little butter melted between the muffin top and bottom, the cornbread is almost like a dessert in the middle of the meal.
 

FIVE
Cucumber Salad (not pictured here) was always a primary element to the meal, although I didn’t really appreciate it when I was young. But it’s Grandmother’s best little salad, made from cucumbers, coarsely chopped sweet onion, and chopped tomatoes doused in a sweet vinaigrette made from vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.
 

SIX
Cantaloupe and Watermelon, as a sweet contrast to the savory components. Often the watermelon served as dessert and sometimes was not even included, but it was very rare to not have cantaloupe on our plates. A good thing, in my eyes, as cantaloupe is my favorite summer fruit.
 

SEVEN
Lemonade Pie remains the best summer treat, and in the event that we had it at the time of our summer meal, it was the absolute best capper. Everything that is good and fresh about the summer just comes together perfectly in this simple, cool, sweet treat. And the perfect summer meal was made even more perfect.
 

 

a celebration throughout OZ

 
June 6th was a day of firsts for the girl. Her first train ride into the city, the first visit to Hard Rock Café (for me, too!), and her first Broadway musical. I’ve been patiently waiting for Wicked to make its way to Dallas since first hearing the soundtrack almost 3 years ago, and when the show was finally announced for this summer I knew there could be no greater birthday gift for the girl. She has dreams of Broadway, herself, and I always want to encourage whatever she has in mind, so I couldn’t think of anything more memorable for her.
 
We headed into Dallas via the light rail and went straight to the Hard Rock for an early dinner. Kiwi and I share a love of music, and her familiarity with 80s rock could easily rival those of us who actually lived that decade. We spent more than half of our time exploring the memorabilia and the Rock Shop, taking photos and picking up gifts for family members, and then we took some time for dinner while watching music videos that played on the monitors around the room. It’s so much fun for me to hear this not-quite 16-year-old singing along with songs from my high school years and to name the bands before the titles pop up on screen. It’s like hanging out with an old school buddy, which is how it seems to feel, more and more, as she grows up. She’s matured into such an incredible young woman and, whether she believes it or not, she exudes a beauty and a confidence and a true zest for life that draws people to her. At dinner she chatted up the waitress about the many pins she had acquired in her time with the Hard Rock, and when our check arrived the waitress had written a little note to her. My intent for the entire evening was to make Kiwi believe every single moment was designed just for her, and this provided a wonderful beginning.
 

I had the most divine barbecued chicken quesadillas with chili sauce and handmade salsa, and Kiwi chose the Twisted Mac and Cheese, loaded with bacon and chives and sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs. I think I’ll have to try her dish on my next visit!     click image to enlarge
 
 
She knew nothing at all about Wicked — and I chose not to fill her in beyond the basic fact of it being a sort of prequel story to The Wizard of Oz — so the fun for me was in watching everything come alive before her eyes, watching each element of the story register with her in relation to the film that we know so well. She spoke very little throughout the entire production, and I don’t even remember much audible laughter, though I do know that she found it very funny, just like the rest of the audience. But she didn’t say much. And after a while I began to see that she was simply letting the entire experience wash over her. She was taking every detail to heart and soaking it up. This we shared, as my emotional attachment to this musical runs very, very deep, as well. When the production ended and I looked at her for a final analysis, all she said was, “I don’t know why, but I can see myself doing that one day.” And that was the entire reason I wanted to give her this gift.

There are no photos allowed inside the Music Hall, so naturally I tried to sneak a couple. I mean, seriously… I’ve been aching to see this production for years. Of course I tried to document it! I managed to get a semi-decent shot before the curtain was raised during the overture, and then I attempted one more during the final duet of the show’s main characters. Those in the know will recognize the blue dress of G(a)linda the Good and the green visage of Elphaba, “Wicked Witch” of the West. Had I not been trying to conceal the camera so stealthily it might have actually taken focus and left me with a truly beautiful shot. Alas, this is the best I could do without risking eviction from the theatre. I still love the visual, though, and have a great memory of being sneaky and trying not to embarass the girl.
I really wanted to get a photo of us next to a poster for the show, a singular visual of the night. Kiwi offered to take one of me.	And a young couple offered to take one of the both of us in exchange for reciprocation with their own camera. (I’m afraid we all failed each other miserably with blurry snaps.)	By the time we reached this point of the evening, she was ready for me to put my camera away. Note the forced smile that says, “Can this be the last photo, please?” Ha!
clockwise from top left: Bonnie Raitt, Bon Jovi, The Beatles, Madonna, Elton John, Keith Richards, Bryan Ferry, The Smithereens, The B-52s, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Blondie, Willie Nelson, and Pantera.   The exhibit from The Beatles is actually a note written by George Harrison: Dear Christine, Thanks for your letter. I’m sorry to hear that you lost your book at [unreadable] Park. I hope this may make up for it a little. The other autograph is for your friend. Love and best wishes from George Harrison xxx   Alongside the note is a piece of paper autographed by all four members of the band, beginning with an inscription from Harrison that says: To Christine     Love from Les Beatles
It seems that all of my trips to the downtown area somehow take me to the West End. Not that I’m complaining!	She debated all day whether she would be happy living in the city. And then she decided.	We decided our next trip would include the House of Blues, and then I learned that this does not actually belong to that establishment. Doesn’t change our minds though!
Apparently, I have a sixth sense for planning trips on the weekend of comics and animé conventions. Remember last year? Kiwi saw a few costumed participants walking the downtown sidewalks before I noticed anyone, and when she began describing girls with pink wigs and boys with samurai swords I knew exactly what we were headed into. I tried to take a few inconspicuous photos from our train stop but finally decided that anyone who was walking around in an elaborate costume probably wouldn’t mind posing for photos. These girls were really awesome!
I’m a sucker for souvenirs and the ones I chose this night were just perfect for me! A bright, shiny thing (hi Mom!) and a new addition for my accidental collection. They make me smile every time I notice them! The nifty little coin purse was actually a sweet find. I’ve been searching for something like this with just enough space for a driver’s license and debit card plus a ring for a couple of keys — something I could carry in a pocket and eliminate the need to carry my 20-lb purse on long days of shopping or fun. That this little guy has a cute fleur-de-lis charm just made it all the more cool.
Kiwi found more souvenirs at Hard Rock Café than at the show, but what she found was truly cool. We also made sure the older boys got a little something, as well. The pictures are dark but if you look closely you’ll see a keyring with a spinning guitar (for the newest driver among us) and a metal guitar pick on a chain (for Kiwi’s brother). Thankfully, both went over very well.
And I picked up the coolest little stuffed bear for the last boy, in honor of his recent fashion decision to begin sporting a faux-hawk, but by far, the best souvenir of the evening came as an afterthought. Kiwi got herself a flying monkey. We both agreed that those monkeys were terrifying to us as children when watching the original film, but the stage show changed all perceptions. We have an empathy we never expected, and… honestly, isn’t this guy the most adorable little thing? My only regret is not picking one up for myself!

 
As usual, I found beauty and art at every turn. From the super-cool fixtures at the Hard Rock and incredible chandelier at the Music Hall to a city apartment with a balcony that spoke to me at an almost primal level. From the extravagant to beautiful simplicity. I have as much fun dreaming of living downtown as I do experiencing the activities of the day.


 
 
 
Our day was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. My happiness came from fulfilling a dream to see Wicked, but the joy was found in sharing the experience with the girl, celebrating her upcoming birthday, and seeing the world through her eyes. These are the moments I treasure the most. Happy 16th, Kiwi Chelle!