Well, I'm back to work after 2 weeks off for the holidays. The holidays went well. I rested as much as I could. The only stress I felt was due to worrying about other things. (But more about that later...) (And bear with me, I know this is long...)
I made up stockings for son and his wife. As I wrote in my blog earlier, I'd gotten her some maternity clothes for Christmas. She hadn't a clue. She expected absolutely nothing from us. I spent a day or two shopping for little things for their stockings and putting them together. I've done that for son ever since he was a newborn! I didn't feel like stopping this year!
;)On Christmas Eve, I picked him up from work with packages and large, overflowing stockings in the back seat. I drove him home that night. (It was freezing and he walks more than 2 miles to work. I decided to give him a ride that night since the temp was below freezing. For Texas, that's really saying something!) I had to help him carry the things upstairs to his apartment. He knocked, she came to the door. He walked in the door and I stood behind him. She was totally shocked to see me. I handed her a huge gift bag of presents and this big stocking with peppermint sticks and candies sticking out the top. She was definitely surprised! (Son even said so later. She was shocked. She truly expected nothing from us this year.) I handed her her gifts and a bottle of sparkling apple cider to celebrate the holiday. (No alcohol for the pregnant girl!) She thanked me, I wished them both Merry Christmas, and said I'd see them another day. Then I turned and walked away.
I called son later to see how things went after I'd gone. He said she tried on the maternity clothes immediately. They all fit perfectly and she LOVED the styles! So I guess you could say that all went well.
Son has really been trying his hand at (and very well, I might add!!!) cooking. He's really showing how much he learned from us (mostly his dad!
;D), so for Christmas, we bought him a nice set of pots and pans, a very nice Santuko knife, cutting boards, etc. We also bought him some clothes and a few other small things. He loved his gifts, too.
Though I don't recall getting any "presents" from him (or them), I have to be honest and say that his company and the ability to be together with him this year was probably the best gift we could have received. This time last year, he didn't call or come over. We had no way of calling him or reaching him at all. We had to search him down just to give him his gift last year (days after Christmas, I should add). Our closer relationship is worth everything this year.
Then the worries... I don't want to go into too much detail, but basically, I work for a very, very small company. None of us are considered "full time". There are only 6 of us who are in at least 5 days a week. Anyway, just before Christmas, my boss (and company founder/owner) learned that her husband has brain and lung cancer. It threw us (and the business) into immediate turmoil. My boss is 67 years old and could easily think about retiring/selling/closing the company at any time. Her husband had brain surgery on Christmas Eve. I have to say that, thank God, he seems to be doing much better, but he does still have to undergo some kind of therapy for his lung cancer now. I know it sounds amazingly petty, but I still can't help but worry about my job now. She says that nothing is changing, but how can one go through all this and have nothing change? We're already changing the way things are done and such. It worries me greatly. I know it sounds horrendously selfish, but I still worry. The biggest thing, though, is that he is doing much better than was expected at this point. Thank God they got all the cancer in his brain. They've searched and found no other cancer in his body aside from the lungs.
So I suppose all I can do now in this new year and new beginning, is continue to pray for his (and her) health and well-being. ...pray that the doctor's hands will be sure and steady and knowledgeable. ...pray for calm and quiet in this new year. ...pray for son's health, her health, the health of us
all -- including the tiny one that will make us grandparents this year.
May you all find peace and calm, health and happiness in this new year.
