Where are you Christmas?

I've been having a lot of trouble getting into the Christmas Spirit this year. I don't know what it is, but it just does not feel like Christmas. I don't know if it has to do with the fact that my family is going to be leaving, or if its the fact that my roommates decorated the house and the Christmas tree while Nick and I were out of town this weekend, or that I had my Christmas shopping completely done before Thanksgiving...

So I decided to list some of my favorite things about Christmas in hopes that it will put me more in the Christmas Spirit.

1. The music. I *heart* Christmas music, especially Josh Groban's Christmas CD. Its uber fabulous. And of course singing Christmas hymns in church, and listening to the children singing "Picture a Christmas."

2. Elf. Pretty much the best Christmas movie ever. "I love smiling, smiling's my favorite."

3. Disneyland. The Christmas fireworks, the feeling of sheer peace and joy when it snows on Mainstreet, the hauntingly beautiful version of "White Christmas"... it all makes me cry everytime.

4. Special Eggnog. Eggnog, Fresca soda, and vanilla icecream. Its oh so yummy and we have it every year at my parents house.

5. An orange in the toe of the stocking at my in-laws. I think it a fun tradition.

6. My ginormous stockings and sparkly stocking holders. They are gorgeous and I love them.

7. Wrapping presents. I must admit, I'm rather good at it and I really enjoy doing it. My gifts are always the best dressed.

8. "You ruined Christmas!" My mom told that to one of us one year a while back, and now we tell my mom that at least 3 or 4 dozen times on Christmas. It makes her so mad, and it is so much fun!

9. Bella's Christmas shirt. It says "I ate Santa's Cookies." So cute.

10. The opportunity to celebrate our Savior's birth and concentrate on what's really important and to refocus ourselves before the beginning of a new year.

Emotional

I have been SOOOOO emotional lately! I don't know what it is, but the littlest things have been making me break down into tears. Sad, happy, touching, spiritual, offensive, nice... doesn't matter what, they just all result in crying.

My latest sob fest came today after I was talking to my dad on the phone. He got a job this weekend!! Yay!! That is exciting news because it has been a long time since he has had an official "job." But guess what... the job is in Canada. Calgary, Canada to be exact. He starts January 4. He will leave shortly after Christmas to go up there and find a place to live and get settled before he starts work. The rest of my family will stay down here until Zachary leaves on his mission at the end of May ish, and then they will follow my dad up to Calgary.

I'm freaking out. Freaking. Out. Everytime I think about my family being that far away at this stage of my life I burst into tears. There was a time in my life when no distance would have been far enough away... but now I'm finally starting to be closer to my family. And especially because Nick and I will be starting a family in the next year or two. My mom is supposed to be here to walk me through being pregnant and plan my baby shower...

I know this is the Lord's doing. My dad was in exactly the right place at exactly the right time to be able to get that job, and they way things are working out, we can all see the Lord's hand in this. I know this is His will, I'm just having a really hard time with it. Don't you hate that? When you can see what He's doing and it makes perfect sense, but it's just hard to accept?

Funny thing about all this though... of all the places in the world my dad could get a job, he finds one in Calgary. Nick is Canadian and guess where he and his family are from... Calgary. What irony. Also funny, my mom hates the cold. Too bad it's like -13 degrees in Calgary right now. Good times. I guess this gives us a legit excuse to go up there and visit. I told Sierra she's not allowed to start liking the Flames though... Its Ducks or she's disowned!!