An Albers Christmas Story

The gifts are wrapped and ready to be opened, Santa has came and filled the stockings, Christmas is officially here. We are going to savor the morning and watch Otto open his stocking and gifts while watching The Christmas Story and then reading the story of the Birth of Jesus before heading to Joe’s parents to celebrate the day. Joe’s mom always makes a big breakfast before we open gifts and hang out pretty much until it’s time to eat again. The routine of the holidays is peaceful and predictable but most of all welcomed.

I have been saying it the past three years but I will never take for granted the gift of normalcy. The gift that we all get to be home for the holidays together. Home outside of medical needs and stays. I am grateful that so far God has given us time home for each and every holiday and birthday. It has been so important to me since the moment Otto joined us in this world that he has the most magical childhood memories even with everything that he has been through.

I’m well aware this might not always be the case and some day this streak might end but for now I am going to sit back on the couch and soak it in. A few of my friends will be spending the first Christmas with their children in the hospital and my head and my heart is with them today.

To you all my friends, those who are new here, those who have been reading here with me since 2009 and beyond, I hope you have the merriest of Christmas’s. I hope that your home and heart is filled with laughter and peace. I pray that if the holidays are a hard time for you, know that you are loved and can do hard things.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

Abby, Joe and Otto

PS. Don’t think for one second this Christmas Story photo shoot was a breeze. I was pretty much jumping up and down singing the hot dog song as loud as humanly possible while mixing in bits of my own song, Hop little bunnies hop.