Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I have started and ended quite a few blogs over the last month or so not really knowing how to describe my feelings as the holidays approached. This song kept playing in my head. The cold weather has been brutal to my outdoorsy self, so I have found myself pondering more while cuddled in a warm blanket and watching the newest Netflix series I have found. Luckily, I have a wonderful husband that somehow can sense when things are getting tough for me, and he always finds a way to surprise me in the best ways! We have been steady at The Ridge but nothing like the spring and summer. We have the holidays booked up with families coming to see their Ozark relatives and I am now planning on some specialties for our guests to munch and drink on at their leisure in the Outhouse lounge. I was able to get away to Texas by blocking a week and got to see a lot of my grandkids. I spent a day shopping for Christmas items and had lunch at Olive Garden and that was a treat! I went to my Texas office and surprised the girls with some gift boxes I had found online that fit the both of them perfectly. I had lunch at the infamous Little Mexico with my longest lasting friend, and it was great. I took my mom to see my son's house, and we were treated with yummy coffee and such easy love from Madison, his wife and my daughter in law. The time came and went so fast, but I could not help but be grateful because had I not come here to Arkansas I would have been working all of those days in an office instead of the freedom I have now. Not all of my family understands this, and that is ok. Not everything in life is supposed to be perfect. Not everything is happening the way we wanted to on the sale of our house, but that is ok too. The best experience for wisdom is the adjustments you make with what life has in store for you. I call it God's timing. I have so much to be thankful for. All of our adult children are grown up now and living good productive lives. They are happy which makes me happy. When I arrived home to Texas, I remember walking in this huge space where massive windows let you see the beautiful lake waters and a bedroom that can fit two king size beds and all the furniture to boot. Gorgeous chandeliers and a tub big enough to fit two make this place seem fit for a queen. But it did not feel like my home anymore. I arrived back in Arkansas to my quaint cabin with bedrooms that can only squeeze a queen size bed and a closet that can only fit so many outfits that you have to choose which ones you keep. Linoleum in the bathroom with a floor that is in need of lifting repair. It is cozy, it is..........home. I could tell The Ridge missed me too. The pool filler pipe had frozen in the 18-degree temps, the totem pole had fallen from straight line winds, all of my plants had died in the greenhouse because it could not keep temp, there were limbs everywhere! Within a 3-day period I had everything handled and ready for my next check in. I am excited for 2026 and pray that my husband will be able to join me here in our next adventure in life. I now have the right clothes for these temps and actually saw the first snow fall here. I am content. I hope my blog readers are too. If not, find and do what makes you content. And most of all, have yourself a Merry little Christmas!