krumpmas with the kranks.

from tennessee to wilmington, to walnut cove to germanton, to charlotte to philadelphia and back... every season is a whirlwind in our world. here are some highlights.

yes, this would be my mother. she has fully embraced the "tacky christmas sweater" craze by braking out her old sponge-painted sweatshirts. this one is quite the gem.

pat and i took a carolina blue flower arrangement to mamaw and pop's graves in honor of their love for basketball season... and to last the rest of winter. go heels!!

we took the girls to see the chipmunks!

a friend's wedding on the 30th in charlotte. so beautiful and so fun to see all our friends. josie took me to mac to get my eyes done!

the craigs dirty santa. always a hoot.

hanging out with charlotte. notice my mom's tree is gone... it started hatching spiders. so much for "real" trees!

my beautiful nieces.

craziness, right?? we were everywhere with everyone, but it was magical. i cried on my drive home with molly (pat had to go to philly to take his PE board test). i miss them all so, so much, but know that god has plans to bring us all together again soon. at least, that is what i am praying! and praying hard. here's to 2012!

a very merry christmas of healing.

the holidays are bittersweet.

don't get me wrong, i love my family, friends, christmas cards, presents, of course, and especially the music. but i find myself on the verge of tears often, even when trimming the tree. you see, 10 years ago, this year, i spent christmas in a funeral home, at a graveside, standing in the cold laying my mamaw to rest. my mamaw was more than a grandmother, and more than any words on this blog could begin to express. my world changed that day. my christmas changed that day. when my pop was alive, i could tell it in his face too, his heart hurt at christmas. my mom cries at christmas. it is hard to find the joy. it is hard to find the spirit of christmas. slowly, over the last 10 years, i have tried to remake christmas in my heart in an ill attempt that maybe, just maybe, one day i would love christmas again.

this year, 10 years later, is the year i love christmas again.

one big reason, next to my own emotional well being, i chose to love christmas again because my husband loves. christmas. he loves putting up the tree, covering it in crazy bulbs, trimming it with ornaments from our wedding, some made by my nieces, others complete jokes--- aka, snooki is in one of our white elephant, framed ornaments. he could really care less about presents. he hates shopping. but he loves to give. he reminds me that i love to give. he reminds me that the holidays are about joy. that is it ok the cry when the tree goes up or when a song plays that tugs at my heart like a ten pound weight. but life is moving on. my life is moving on with him. we're making new memories. great memories. joyful memories.

i thank jesus each day that he is my ultimate joy, and to play this in my every day life he sent me a husband that loves to put snooki and huge gaudy lightbulbs on a christmas tree. he has encouraged me to laugh at christmas. another reason i know this christmas is different? i made decorations for our home. and i was proud of them. i made wreaths for our cabinets; brought out the runner and gold chargers; bought new holiday dish towels; and hosted a mini christmas party with friends. and i was happy. this is how healing begins. my heart is healing.

a few pics of my christmas of healing...(sorry these are from a mobile)

our tree and my mini tree.

this is my pop's grapevine wreath that he wrapped himself. it gets decorated seasonally.  

beyonce and snooki. a patrick craig original.

may your christmas be healing, joyful and merry.