This week has been all about Christmas. Sophie and Thomas have been full of excitement all week from the start of their Christmas break from school and counting down the days to Christmas Day. Sophie has been particularly excited about being recruited as a Christmas elf this year. Now that she knows more about how the Christmas magic happens, she’s become part of helping make the magic happen for Thomas.
I’m very thankful that my husband was home in time for Christmas. Arriving back on 23rd December was a little too close to Christmas for my liking, but getting a message from him en route asking me to take him to A&E once he landed as his leg was sore and swollen sent my anxiety levels soaring. It turned out to be cellulitis and not a DVT, which was my first concern. Thankfully he’s now on antibiotics and his leg is slowly getting better.
I’ve tried to focus on the joy as much as possible with Sophie and Thomas, getting out for the Halo Christmas party, a day out at Chessington and a trip to the panto with Sophie to see her friends from one of the other team performing. It’s a joy that has an undercurrent of sadness – there’s always the ache of missing Jessica and wishing that she was still with us, getting excited about Christmas and enjoying time with her siblings, opening presents and playing games. When we saw Father Christmas at Chessington, he asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I just said, “I don’t know” because the one thing I want every year at Christmas is the one thing no-one can ever give me.
Sophie and I visited Jessica on Christmas morning, as my husband wasn’t able to manage the walk to her forever bed. We brought her pretty flowers and her Christmas stocking filled with some gifts – little things that make us think of her, or that we can share together. Sophie opened her presents and we wished her a merry Christmas. We might not be able to have her here with us, but she’s still very much part of our Christmas celebrations.
We spend Christmas Day with my husband’s parents, enjoying Christmas dinner at the carvery and a quiet afternoon at their house opening presents, playing games and spending time together. It was lovely to see Thomas’s excitement this year opening the presents in his Christmas stocking. It’s the first year where he’s been really excited for Christmas and while there were moments when he did get a little overwhelmed, we had a good balance of excited moments, space for calm and opportunities to re-regulate that worked well for him (and me!).
What I’ve been grateful for this week:
- Day 353 – I am grateful for brunch with Sophie before Thomas finished school for the Christmas break.
- Day 354 – I am grateful that Sophie and Thomas had a lovely time at the Halo Children’s Foundation Christmas party. Thank you Halo for all you do to support bereaved children.
- Day 355 – I am grateful for re-reading favourite books.
- Day 356 – I am grateful for a fun day at Chessington seeing Father Christmas and having fun on the rides.
- Day 357 – I am grateful to have my husband home from Japan and very relieved that his sore leg is not due to a DVT and is now being treated.
- Day 358 – I am grateful for a Christmas Eve trip to the panto.
- Day 359 – I am grateful for lovely presents, a yummy Christmas lunch and being able to switch off and enjoy time with family.
Other things that have made me smile this week:
- Reading our favourite Advent books in the run-up to Christmas Day, finishing on Christmas Eve as always with ‘The Night Before Christmas’.
- A quick catch-up with my husband’s cousin and her daughters who were over from Luxembourg and heading to York to spend Christmas with friends and family there.
- Sophie enjoying a day out with her godmother going out for lunch, a trip to the cinema and some shopping.
- Pulling all the stops out (literally!) while playing ‘Joy to the World’ on the organ at the carol service and managing to play it reasonably well (albeit with simplified pedalling). I’m still very much a novice when it comes to the organ, but I’m happy with the progress I’ve made over the last year.
Phew that was a relief about your husband’s leg. Hope the antibiotics are working well and get him back to normal. Sounds like Christmas worked out well, and lovely to see how you bring Jessica into it as well.
Aww! That is lovely that Sophie has become a little Christmas helper. I am glad your husband is on the mend now but what a worry! Sending love and hugs. It makes me smile that Jessica is part of your Christmas celebrations. It sounds like you had a great Christmas. Wishing you all the best for 2026. Fab photos! x