I'm ridiculously behind on blogging for a lot of different reasons, but mostly because life just keeps getting in the way and I don't take my big camera out as often as I used to. Still, after nearly 10 years of blogging this journal, I'm determined not to let this digital memory album lapse. So, in my attempt to catch back up, you get Christmas in July!
The rest of the Christmas holiday was slow paced and laid back. My Mom and Dad came for a visit. Brenna got some fishing in with Pawpaw at our neighborhood's fish camp and she enjoyed the Christmas themed dress-up days at school.
We've taken a vacation every summer since Brenna's been born... except this past summer. Our summer was consumed with the move, temporary living, and building the house. I knew trying to squeeze in a vacation would be a lost cause, so in early May I booked a cruise for our next school break; Christmas. At the time, I didn't know that we'd be spending Thanksgiving in the Smoky Mountains with the other McAlister's or that Jacob would be in Dubai the week before the cruise was scheduled. The end of the year was travel laden to say the least, but given the tough year we'd had with the move, Hurricane Harvey, and losing the cats, this turned out to be a nice break for just the three of us.
We decided not to tell Brenna about the cruise and save it as a Christmas surprise. I love vacation planning, and this was the biggest secret I've ever had to keep from her. There were several moments over those 8 months that I almost let the secret slip or just wanted to give it away anyway. But I stayed strong, and as Christmas approached a small gift wrapped box appeared under the tree. We told Brenna it was the only Christmas gift she would received from us this year, and while she tried to be a good girl and say she was fine with it, I could see her emotions bubbling up. She was crazy curious!
On the last day of school, before the winter break, Jacob took off early and we attended Brenna's class Christmas party. After the party, she came home with us and we sat her down and gave her a choice. Since she was only getting the one present, she could open it now, to enjoy during the winter break, or she could leave it until Christmas morning and do things the traditional way. Just as I expected, she jumped at the chance to open the gift. Her overall reaction was much more subdued than I expected. Once reality set in, she was thrilled about the vacation, but slightly disappointed that I didn't include her in the vacation planning like I usually do.
