~Christmas and the Blizzard~

After months of shopping and wrapping Christmas is over. I always find it strange how we go about spending months preparing for one single day. However, in the grand scheme of it all I feel that is what makes Christmas truly special. It's not the opening gift part that is special, which don't get me wrong is a blast, but it is the build up to the actual day: going out and finding that perfect gift and imagining the reaction you'll see when that person finally opens it, baking cookies with your best friend who you don't get to see as often as you like, driving around with your significant other and looking at houses decorated for the holiday, watching all of the beloved Christmas movies that made you laugh when you were younger and going to find the perfect tree. All of these things add up to one amazing holiday and even though in the middle of the chaos I sometimes curse Christmas in the end everything always falls into place.

This year many of my traditions that I wrote about in the previous post did not happen. Time seemed to fly by at a speed I could not keep up with no matter how hard I tried. My parents house for the first year ever did not have a single lit up ornament, it didn't even have christmas lights well other than the bay window. It was weird to pull up to my parents house and not be blinded by the thousands of lights that usually adorn their house and yard. In a way it kind of made it feel not like Christmas at all. Even on Christmas Eve pulling up I thought I would see at least one of the hundreds of lighted decorations they have on the lawn, but I didn't. Walking up to the house I couldn't help but wonder if this was just the beginning of another day and not my favorite day of the year. Luckily as my family began to show up Christmas sprung to life. I realized this year that it doesn't matter how many lights are on the house or how many presents are under the tree because all that matters is being with your family. I have never laughed as hard as I did this season (with my family and friends) and to me that is the greatest gift of all.

The most bizarre thing that happened to me was a week before Christmas when I had a dream. In the dream I saw my grandfather for the first time since he passed away. Until that night I have never dreamed of him before. I was running past a crowd of people when I spotted his face amongst them. Instantly I ran over to him, throwing my arms around him and squeezing him as tight as I could knowing that this would be the last time I would ever see him again. I told him I loved him as he continued to look at me as if I just lost my mind. Eventually I let go and went to go back on my way when suddenly you could see that it was all making sense to him and he knew too. He called out "Hey!" In his usual scruffy voice and I stopped and turned back to him. Then he said the most peculiar thing to me he said "Violence at dinner. It's okay." and I replied "Perfectly acceptable." and he said "Yes it is," before going on into a speech or poem that basically said You can fight with family all you want because in the end it doesn't matter they are family and no matter what you will always love them for who they are. Then he smiled at me, his eyes glistening the way I will forever remember and then my alarm clock went off jolting me back to reality. I was perplexed at the message to say the very least, but when Christmas Eve came it all began to make sense. My dad was cranky in the morning and we all were ready to strangle him, but as the day progressed he got over it as did we all. At dinner my uncle and aunt started to argue and in the mist of their banter the cork from the wine bottle sitting on the table in between then randomly popped off landing in my uncle's lap. Once that cork popped I smiled and began to laugh. You can call it a coincidence or whatever you like and I will still say that my grandfather was at dinner with us that night. Just like he always was and always will be.

So today is the day after Christmas and there is a wicked snowstorm going on outside. I love the snow and my only complaint is that I wish it would have come a day earlier so we could have had a white Christmas. I guess a day late isn't so bad though. The forecast is calling for 12-18 inches which is fine by me because I am on vacation or should I say staycation (again). As I mentioned in the past post I will be catching up on my reading and what better way to do so as the snow is falling down outside your window. I love it.

Lastly I just want to mention that I had put in for an internship at a literary agency for a marketing position. You had to send a letter and your resume and after the agent looked over the applicants would ask a few to come up with a fake marketing plan. Well on Christmas Eve I recieved an email asking if I could come up with a marketing plan. I am so excited. It would be the ideal job for me combining both my love of books and my love of marketing. It's unpaid, but the opportunities that could stem from it is well worth it. So my fingers are crossed and I can't wait to start working on this marketing plan. Also I still have yet to hear back from the agent who requested my full manuscript but those fingers are still crossed as well. I see changes on the horizon and I can't wait to see how it all will unfold.

I'm off to enjoy my homemade tacos and curl up with my book and a glass of wine. What do you do during a snowstorm? And how was everyones holiday? Leave your comments below.