ChRiStMaS tRaDiTiOnS...

It's hard being so far from family, especially during the holidays, I can not tell you how much I hate missing out on what is going on back at home! I know that there are many days that too easily forget but today I was reminded how blessed we are to be able to spend Christmas together and how even more blessed we are to have a Florida "family" to spend the next two days with!

I guess you should expect to start new traditions when you get married but even after our first year of being married in 2007 Aaron and I had family traditions that we held near and dear, including Christmas Eve with our grandma's. We somehow managed to be with both grandma's even thought they were 300 miles apart that year but it was well worth it!

Our first Christmas 2007, playing around at Grandma Royer's!

After Aaron had his accident in 2008, I knew I couldn't leave him alone in Florida while I went home to celebrate Christmas with family. I really struggled to make this decision knowing my grandmother's health was declining and it could be my last Christmas with her. Aaron was also not able to travel at this time so it meant our Christmas would be spent IN the rehab facility. I remember being pretty miserable, Aaron doesn't remember it at all. It had to be the worst Christmas I can remember...ever! This was the first year I went shopping on Christmas Eve! In between visits both Christmas Eve and Christmas day I joined friends for dinner.

Christmas 2008, looking on the bright side, we were wearing flip flops and shorts on Christmas day!

Things were looking up in 2009...Aaron got to come home OVERNIGHT for the very first time! I was nervous but excited at the same time! We had to have therapy do a home visit and needed some minor things done around the house before he could officially come home for the night. Christmas was kinda quiet and we were just getting used to the idea of being home together overnight! This year we decided to go to a movie, adding another tradition to our Florida Christmas! 

2009 at home for Christmas! Our nephew visited Santa's Secret Workshop and had sent us these aunt and uncle pens!

By 2010, Aaron was coming home for the night on a regular basis. I continued my Christmas Eve morning shopping tradition and we went to a movie Christmas day again. This was the first year Aaron could eat some soft foods, even though it consisted of oatmeal, scrambled eggs, and some pie filling...it was improvement! We spent time with friends for dinner both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Our good friends even blended up ravioli so that Aaron could enjoy it with us! 

2010 Christmas at home for the 2nd year!

2011 kept improving...we were home again of course! Our shopping and movie traditions continued, however, we went to the movie just a bit too early and missed out on dinner (everything was closed by the time we finished) so we had an oven pizza for Christmas Eve dinner! Of course we also spent more time with some Florida "family"!

2010 Christmas at home again!

This year we continue our Florida traditions...I have already shopped on Christmas Eve (I may or may not have filled my own stocking), we have already been to friends for dinner, and now we plan to hang out at home. Our night wouldn't be complete without at least one Christmas movie, Home Alone (my favorite)! Tomorrow we are off to more friends for dinner and most likely we will go to a movie! 

Even thought these aren't the traditions we grew up with and they don't include our family in Michigan and Ohio, I am thankful for all of the new traditions we have started and the "family" that we get to spend the holidays with! If you are reading this then there is a pretty good chance that that in some way, big or small,  you are a part of our old or new traditions and we are thankful to have you sharing not only the holidays but your lives with us!