December 1. Deep Breath. We Made It.

Thanksgiving is done. We survived the first real snowfall and the first round of sledding. We ate with my side of the family this year, which felt strange after spending so many holidays with his side, but it was a good kind of different.

I still haven’t been to the barn since the last lesson. I’m over here hoping blankets are on, dogs are bedded down, and the waters aren’t frozen solid. Trusting Dan and trying not to think too hard about it.

Finances are tight, so Christmas shopping hasn’t even started. I spent Saturday hunting for a dress for Kelly’s formal dance. Came home empty handed. Since I had time with Loretta and Kelly on Saturday, I spent Sunday morning one on one with Bonnie. And of course, that stirred up feelings. Kelly wanted to go to Champaign to keep looking for a dress, but plans changed. Hard lesson for her, hard lesson for me.

Tonight after work, I’ll make the icy drive to Champaign. Hoping for a smooth trip and hoping Macy’s or Sears has a dress that makes her smile.

Meanwhile, the house has turned into a whole saga. Kelly got a new “roommate,” and now Bonnie and Loretta are crushed. Loretta has claimed the living room because she refuses to sleep alone in her room. Tiny house problems. Big emotions. Some days I swear I can’t win. And yet, I know I’ll miss this chaos someday.

Work isn’t slowing down either. We’re hosting our software development team today, so I’m in the lab all day. No lunch escape, no nail repair until later this week.

And now here we are. December 1. Twenty five days until Christmas morning. Twenty five days of trying to keep the magic alive while juggling everything else. Twenty five days of lists, gifts, budgets, and prayers.

If you’re feeling this too, let me know what your December 1 looks like. Let’s survive these next twenty five days together.