Christmas Eve / Christmas Day

We had planned our family Christmas for Christmas Eve, because Zion and Camille were spending Christmas Day with her family. But this did not go as planned.

I woke up feeling a little under the weather on Tuesday and started coughing. It wasn’t terrible but by that evening I wasn’t exactly feeling the best. Wednesday morning, I got up and started the ham in the crock pot. Trevor was going to help out with the rest of the cooking and cleaning and family activities were planned for the afternoon. Camille had started feeling a little under the weather on Monday, but she said she was still up to coming over. I was feeling pretty rough by this point, so Trevor and Glorianna had to take over the cooking and cleaning. I spent most of the morning in the chair trying not to cough my guts up. I would start feeling a little better, then I’d have to sit down and rest. Zion and Camille came over and we had a nice dinner, even if things weren’t as they should have been. I forgot about the ham and over cooked it. Trevor forgot about the applesauce, which I was supposed to make but aborted because I wasn’t feeling up to it – so he decided to give it a try. He left it on the stove too long and it scorched to the bottom of the pot. OOPS. So no applesauce and the ham was a bit dry, but overall we made it through the meal and enjoyed being together.

Glorianna made a nice charcuterie board.

We opened presents, while I mostly tried to ignore how awful I was feeling.

Back story on this gift for Trevor:
He is known among the youth, far and wide, as “A Message Teacher.” He loves his Starbucks “preacher’s tea”, carries a backpack and his own coffee machine with him when he travels. He has been quoted as saying “reward yourself….read your Bible…eat a donut.” , “Donuts for Jesus.”, among other things. If you know, you know. It would take too long to explain everything.

Anyway, so Zion came up with the idea to custom make a Lego set for Trevor with the things he’s known for, that people joke about. So we all pitched in and had this made for him. It was so fun and he loves it.

Watching him play with it later was hilarious.

We got the bone for Ava…she had it gone within 4 days. It doesn’t take her long to chew something up.

So after opening gifts, and visiting a little longer, we went downstairs to watch the newest “Prep and Landing” cartoon.

We were a bit disappointed. It wasn’t as good as the first one. But then that’s usually the way it goes. Zion and Camille headed home after that and I spent the rest of the night in the chair.

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Christmas Day :

Camille woke up feeling great, so her and Zion continued on as planned to spend the day with her family.

The rest of us just took the morning slow and I tried to push through how bad I was beginning to feel. I enjoying watching everyone sing Disney Karaoke, and wishing I had the voice to participate. My voice was starting to sound very scratchy from all the coughing. But I still had some laughs watching everyone else.

By that afternoon I was just miserable. I couldn’t stop coughing, I was sore all over, my throat was hurting and I just wanted to cry. I was so mad. We had so many fun games we were going to play and we weren’t able to do any of them. Thankfully, tho, Glorianna, Azariah and Trevor were good sports about it and made the day as fun as they could anyway.

By Friday, I thought I was on death’s doorstep. I felt so bad. I lost my voice and my throat felt like I had knives in it. I could barely get around without feeling exhausted. I knew Winter Youth Retreat was coming up fast, and I wanted to go so bad, but also knew things would have to change in a hurry for that to happen. Saturday morning Trevor took me to the doctor. I have the flu. This is just plain awful.

So here we are today….It’s New Years Eve. I wasn’t able to go to WYR, but thankfully I’m finally on the mend and PRAISE THE LORD, no one else in the family caught it. Zion and Camille have been taking good care of me while I recover and I’m glad to say that after 3 days with no voice at all, I’m glad for the weak, pathetic excuse for one I have now. I’m sure it will return to normal soon but for now I just need to keep resting it and try not to talk too much. The cough is getting better and I’m trusting it will be gone soon as well.

The family Christmas games will have to be postponed to a later date, and I feel like I want a Christmas redo, but at the same time…..I’m grateful for what we were able to have.

Trusting that the new year is a happy one for you all and that God is the center of everything you do. Goodbye 2025. It’s been a rough one, but God’s still in control and I’m looking forward to what He has in store for us this next year.