If you read my post Perfectly Imperfect then you know that this past holiday season was about just accepting the change and letting be what will be and just working towards happiness.
I fully expected Christmas and New Year’s to be a bit of downer this year. We were in a new place and we don’t really know anyone. I did not expect for our 2 year Judah 
to break his leg and put a damper on our traveling plans. Even though Judah was put in a full leg cast the kid did not let slow him down. He never complained and he figured out how to do almost everything he did without the s. Expect for the riding in his car seat. His leg was so heavy that he started resting his leg on the window to relive the pressure. He is a pretty smart little guy.
On December 20, 2017 our house was finally demolished. My husband and my oldest daughter tried to back to Bixby the night before but they could not because
of the horrible storms we had here in Texas. How ironic. It has not rained here in months and now its storming? What are the odds? They got up the next morning and drove in. I stayed back because Judah had a broken leg and the boys had their class holiday parties. The boys and I really wanted to watch as it was happening so we snuck into the hall at school and watched via face time as it was happening. I looked over at Robbie and a tear fell from his eye. It broke my heart. I thought this 
would be bring me/ us some closure. We had been waiting for this day for a long time. It honestly just made me more sad. There was no going back…ever. Our house, our things, our footprints were gone forever. There is nothing left in Bixby, Oklahoma that resembles our family. I cried for several days. I was quite shocked that the demolition had affected me in this way.
Once the house was down and the slab was scraped it was done and final. Then it snowed. I felt that was kind 
of symbolic. All of the ugliness and sadness was gone. It had a fresh blanket of snow covering it and it was finally at peace. This spring a new house will be built there. A new family will move in, new memories will be made there and the tragedy that happen right there will soon be forgotten.
You can watch Rob’s YouTube’s video of the house demolition HERE.
I needed to really pick myself up and embrace the change. Make new memories, new traditions and be thankful for the opportunities that have come our way from that horrible mess. I have been back and forth with myself so many times. Happy, sad, excited for change, mourning, frustration and the list goes on. But what good does that do me? None. So with that being said it was time to stuff my sorries in a sack and move on because Christmas was just a few days away.
Despite my gloomy expectations of Christmas this year it actually turned out to be a very nice one. Robert’s family knew that it was going to be difficult to coordinate our annual limo outing and they also knew we needed the change this year to be a positive one. Robert’s parents came to stay with us and his sisters brought the limo party to us…ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
I decided this year all Hargrave’s needed to be a part of our Christmas Eve tradition of opening one gift that is 
always a new a pair of Christmas PJ’s. I love that they all embraced the tradition and quickly changed into their pjs. I have never seen so much plaid in my entire life. I loved it! We ate our steak dinner in our pjs, played our annual game 
of dirty santa in our pjs, and we danced, took silly pictures and really just enjoyed Christmas Eve as one big happy family.
Christmas morning came and like I mentioned I was expecting it to be a downer. Why you ask? Every year I 
ask my kids to make a list of the things they would like to have. I know Christmas is not about things but you know we like to see the smiles on our kids faces when they open those gifts. This year my kids lists consisted of needs and not wants. I have never been on that side. It was humbling for sure. It broke my heart that my kids were asking for clothes of their own (not donated) instead of only toys or things that would usually bring them happiness. But I am also ve
ry proud of them that as young as some of them are they were able to recognize the difference between a need and a want. The smile on their faces were actually bigger this year. They had things of their own again.
My in-law
s got to experience Christmas morning with us for the first time together. My mother in law’s health is declining and seeing the smile on her face and the joy my kids brought her was enough to fill my heart for a good long while.
My girls also really stepped up this year. Kaylee wrapped ALL of the presents. Both girls ran errands for me and every single morning they got up and did the dishes, washed and folded towels and helped keep the house running smoothly since we had so many visitors coming and going. The fact that they are able to just pitch in without being asked shows their maturity and really their love and respect for me.
Christmas Day the limo arrived! Yes, we all still had our plaid pjs on and we were ready for a new experience in a
new city. Our driver took us to this AMAZING light park which half way through had a place to get out and walk around, eat corn dogs and ride a couple of rides. It was perfect! My kids always enjoy this outing and I do not think we could ever stop this tradition. Their Aunties arrange this every year as their gift. An experience with your loved ones is by far so much richer than a toy that will be become broken or old news.
A few days following Christmas our family from Austin came to visit. Always a good visit with them! I love that they just jump right on in there with my boys and that they are such good friends with my girls. We are always able to pick right back up where we left off and our time together is nothing ever but love and happiness.
We still have a trip to make back home to celebrate Christmas with my parents. I honestly never thought coordinating holidays from a different state would be so difficult. Certainly not my parents end but on ours. We have so many things going on and well having a child with a broken leg does not really help either. Oh well… we are rolling with it and we will have a 2 Christmas’ in 2018 LOL.
Christmas was over and the New Year is coming! Kaylee 
and Dustin headed to California to watch our Sooners play in the Rose Bowl and have a New Year’s Eve adventure in West Hollywood (not going to lie I was totally jealous of the West Hollywood adventure). If you watched the game on t.v. the you know the 
outcome. Not really how we wanted it to turn out but hey…nothing is every perfect right?
We rang in the New Year quietly this year. No party and nothing fancy. Rob and I hung out with the kids, ate junk food and stayed up way to late.
Our break this year was full of fun, new adventures, new traditions, saying goodbye to what was and accepting what is. We are all very aware that this is our new life now and our holidays will never be the same. The one thing that will always remain the same though is the love our family shares. It does not matter what decorations we have, what our Christmas lists looks like or where our home is for that matter. What only matters is that we are all together in one place making memories together.
2018 is going to be a positive year for our family. The house will be rebuilt, The Hargrave 3 family will find a permanent home here in Texas, my husba
nd’s business will reach new goals, I will personally reach new goals and my kids will continue to grow and live a rich life. Cheers to 2018 and all of the good things God has in store for us!
