My mother always made the Christmas season a special time of year in our house. She also made it more of a season of giving, than receiving. She showed her love in decorations, homemade cookies and the gifts she carefully chose. Seeing the excitement in her eyes as she gave to others was the spirit of Christmas I remember most as a child.

We had our own family traditions and perhaps what I love most about this time of year is the rituals we’ve started in our own family. Each Christmas our son picks out an ornament for his own tree (which is in his room). Usually it is something that represents what he’s into at that time.

I purchase him a new pair of pajama’s to wear every Christmas Eve, so that he has a new pair on for pictures that next morning! Before bed we leave milk and cookies on a plate and sprinkle reindeer food outside. The evening ends by reading, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas‘ as we tuck him in.

We attend church on Christmas Eve so that we can wake up and open gifts on Christmas morning. Santa leaves one, unwrapped gift under the tree overnight (just like he did when I was a child). After gifts are opened we pack up and head to my parent’s or aunt and uncle’s house to gather as a family.

I’ve struggled with the 5 year old “I want’s” this year, and how to explain the story behind Christmas without confusing his little mind. I realize every house is different, but in our home we celebrate the birth of a life that was eventually laid down, to save ours.

Our son asked me why last week, “Why are we still celebrating Jesus’ birthday when he died last Easter? Would you celebrate my birthday if I died?”

Yes. Yes, I would.

In the spirit of giving, head over to Props & Pans to enter for a 4 disc DVD set from Nick Jr! It includes Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues, Diego & Wonder Pets!!

If this was on your daughter’s Christmas wish list, we need to talk.

And how crack me up (no pun intended), funny is it that Britney Spear’s little sister is pregnant? Hey at least Britney was like 23 years old. Jamie Lynn is only 16!

Add these two things together for the perfect white trash Christmas!

I remember the Christmas of 1989 very well. As an 8th grader, we had been studying the Berlin Wall and the collapse of government in Germany.

It was an interesting holiday within our family as well. Every year since I could remember, our grandmother had given all the grandchildren money. Never presents, just cash.

For some reason she was giddy with delight this Christmas day as she pointed out the rather large, shoe-box sized wrapped gifts in her living room. They were heavy to pick up, which left us all wondering. What could have caught our 70 year old grandmother’s attention at Wal-Mart this year?

When it came time we ripped through the paper to find large chunks of concrete. Oddly shaped rocks at that. I’m sure the look was a priceless moment for her as we wondered what the hell this was. We all had the same thought running through our minds, who spiked grandma’s eggnog?

She explained with delight that she bought us all a piece of history - The Berlin Wall! Apparently they were selling these chunks of time in a department store that holiday season.

It wasn’t until many weeks later, after we had each lugged the concrete home with lectures of being grateful for what we were given, that she cracked and let us all in on the fact that they were in fact pieces of her sidewalk behind the garage.

We received money every year after that, but she definitely proved her unpredictability and earned the title of best gift ever.

Walking into the local outpatient surgery center for me is like walking into Cheers. Everybody knows my name.

Well maybe not my name, but they all recognize me from previous surgeries. Each nurse knows the story and they act as if they’ve passed around my medical chart (book) over lunch.

But it’s over and thank you for the positive thoughts. It went fine. The orthopedic doctor cleaned out the ankle joint, removed some bone that had grown over and created spurs, flushed the area to clear out debride and all that medical technical stuff. The hope is that this will reduce pain and improve movement.

For now it’s just a throbbing bulky wrapped area that is propped up with ice laying over the top of it. My new address for the next week will be the brown leather recliner.

I’ve been drifting in and out all evening. Thankfully, the doctor sent me home with a whole handful of medicines so I should be pretty comfortable. Follow-up to remove the staples and this soft cast wrapping is in one week. Then I can shower! (Thank goodness for all the good smelling Bath & Body Works products.)

That may very well be my least favorite part of the after-math of surgery. Did I ever tell you that after the car accident I was bed-bound in the hospital (due to the pelvic fracture and other injuries) for over 2 months. That meant using the restroom in the bed too. It wasn’t until I was in rehab that I was able to shower, and I’m pretty sure I sat in that hot shower for over an hour!

Since I have a lot of free time next week, I’m going to write about some of our Christmas traditions and previous funny gift stories. That will keep my spirits high and my mind busy.

Thanks to a very wonderful lady who truly uses the talents God gave her, we have several frozen meals for next week. That will save my husband from making a lot of Hamburger Helper and Mac-N-Cheese. Even though she just welcomed her second grandchild into the world, she was still thinking of someone else. Thank you!

I haven’t posted much this week because I can’t seem to write anything concise. The same thoughts keep running through my mind as I mentally prepare for yet another surgery on Friday.

Today, someone said a prayer for me at a meeting I attended out-of-town for work. In her prayer she thanked God for seeing me through this “tragedy” in my life. The dictionary defines tragedy as “a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; calamity; disaster.” My entire three hour drive home I couldn’t get that word out of my mind.

Everyone will face tragedy in their lives at some point and we each measure its effects differently. From the definition I would consider losing a loved one or your house burning down to be a tragedy. To me surviving a serious car accident against all odds is a triumph, no matter what the cost has been.

The road to here has been long and hard. There have been many times I’ve considered the alternative. What if I wasn’t here? Sometimes I resent myself for harboring anger and sadness that my life, as it is now, isn’t enough.

It should be MORE than I’m worthy of. I have a husband who loves my son and I more than anything else and would give his life for us without hesitation. I have a healthy, vibrant son who continues to love me unconditionally, despite my parenting faults. We have a house that we’ve made into a home and food to fill our cabinets. We may not be wealthy, but we are rich with family, friends and faith.

I know all this, yet I still can’t get past what I don’t have and what I still must face. The fact my left arm doesn’t straighten and that I must walk down steps one at a time, is not a tragedy. Displaying a few scars here and there isn’t a tragedy, it’s proof I’ve lived. Having only one child is not a tragedy either, in fact it’s a blessing many don’t have the opportunity to experience.

So the road has been long, but it has taken us out of what could have been a tragedy. For that I thank God.