My First Blog

This will be short and sweet.  I have been inspired to write by @dottymummy on Twitter.  Had been toying with the idea of writing a blog from time to time anyway, but when I saw @dottymummy's, I thought, "now if I were doing a blog, that's the way I'd love to do it".  However, there is no point in simply copying, this has got to be a reflection of myself and not anyone else, but @dottymummy's advice to write as if my life depended on it was certainly a spur.  I shall just be myself, and witter on about my life and thoughts, and act like it's a diary, that no-one is reading, and if anyone does read it, treat it as a bonus.

This Christmas has been such a lovely one.  Just the four of us, and our two friends.  No parents.  No parents-in-law.  No obligation to visit so-and-so from my hubby's family who are having their annual Christmas party.  We determined that we had spent the last few Christmasses pleasing others, and this year we were going to please ourselves and have the kind of Christmas we wanted.  My hubby has become disillusioned with many from his family, for many good reasons (he isn't just being paranoid), although he is obviously still on speaking terms with them, and so thankfully for me he doesn't put the same pressure on me as he used to, to attend the latest party being held because someone sneezed (so it seems, in his family - very social and outgoing people, the complete opposite to my family).  My family, or at least the ones I'm closest to, are not really into large gatherings, and neither am I, so to spend Christmas not having to get dressed up was heaven.  We got great joy from seeing the excitement on the kids' faces opening and playing with their pressies; we ate; we drank but only a little; we watched some TV; we had good chats and laughs.  Just being together in celebration, that's what the season should entail.

I have felt an over-riding sense of guilt though, the more I've heard of people who haven't had such great Christmasses, where there have been arguments, illness, serious lack of money, etc.  Keep thinking I don't deserve to be so content and that it's all going to go horribly wrong.  Let's hope it doesn't.  Money was not in plentiful supply but we had everything we needed, not least each other. 
My baby daughter is crying now so best get up to her.  Till the next one, whenever that may be, take care!