Just Another Christmas Blog

**Warning: Photo Overload**

This holiday season has been so different for our family.

We started off being SO overjoyed, grateful, and blessed to be back in Texas.

We were so thankful, and we couldn't figure out what we did to deserve our new life here.

Then Nick's mum passed away the day after Thanskgiving, and my grandmother passed away 5 days before Christmas.

It rocked our world.....(Nick and me).

Mattis is too young to understand....

Our sweet, sweet Dannika Jane is so pure and innocent...

I feel like our holiday season has been mostly spent grieving and mourning our losses.

I have tried my best to make it cheerful for my kids, but honestly, Nick and I weren't in the holiday spirit. 

A lot of our "annual traditions" got put on the back burner this year....stocking stuffers...Christmas light watching....we didn't do any of it.

I feel bad for my kids, and Nick and I promised ourselves that next year, we would get back into our typical "holiday groove".

In fact, I sit here with 3 ulcers in my mouth from stress and lack of sleep....(I get them from stress or lack of sleep).

I am, however, so thankful and grateful that we got to spend Thanksgiving AND Christmas with our family during this difficult time.

I can't imagine going through all of this by ourselves.

Our families bonded together and got closer than ever through the passing of our loved ones.

We laughed together, cried together, mourned and grieved together this Christmas.

I can't help but think that maybe this was the reason why God put us back in Texas this year.

He knew that he was going to take two of our loved ones back to His kingdom, so he wanted us to have the support of my family.

I'm also eternally grateful that I got to hug and hold my grandpa and my daddy during this difficult time.

Nick, my grandpa, and my mom.

We all wore pink for my grandma's funeral because pink was her favorite color.

She requested that we all wear pink when she passed.

My grandparents, with all my uncles and aunt. My dad is the one kneeling down at the bottom.

My grandparent's wedding photo.

They were married 61 years.

I hope to one day be able to say that about my marriage....61 years of wedded bliss...

All the flowers that were sent to our family for our grandma were piled on top of her gravesite.

One of the happier things about this holiday season is that this was the first time in several years that my little sister's entire family and my entire family got to spend time together.

Dannika had the most fun hanging out with her Aunt and Uncle.

The cousins enjoyed spending time together.

My niece Lyla and I making silly faces.

She's the cutest ever!

My sister and her daughter, Lyla.

Brother in laws and the girls.

Dannika loved her Uncle Aaron.

Mainly because he lets her play with his iphone.

Christmas day!

Trying to get a photo with 3 kids under the age of 5 looking at the camera is impossible....

Beautiful Gigi and her grandkids,

They totally did not plan dressing alike.....twinning!!

 The Christmas feast!

Kim family women

My grandpa looked so sad this year.

I can't imagine how it must have felt to be spending his first Christmas without my grandma. 

I got to sit down and really talk to him.

My first cousin once removed (that really is his official title...we googled it), Nick, and my Uncle.

Me and my other "first cousin once removed"....lol

My Uncle Scott and me

My cousins!

I can't remember if I blogged about it, but Nick sold his Chevelle a few weeks ago.

Long story short, it just wasn't practical for our family to keep it while being active duty.

Yesterday, he got himself a new GMC Sierra 4X4!

 Santa brought Dannika a Wii for Christmas.

I think Nick had more fun playing it than Dannika did...

We hope y'all had a very Merry Christmas, and got to enjoy it with your loved ones.

Here's to the last few days of 2014, and here's to hoping 2015 is better than 2014!!!