Monday, November 30, 2015

#Microblog Mondays: The Christmas Cards...

Last December sucked.

Royally, royally sucked.

We had several bad things at once: my cycle went wonky, my grandmother died, my cycle got cancelled, my hopes got trashed, I felt like everything was just going wrong.

And so, our Christmas cards just never got out. As in, we have a whole box of New Year's cards that CLEARLY say out with 2014 and in with 2015...and now it's time to send new ones.

The lovely front

I can't turn it, but as you can clearly see we were feeling irreverent, with a large dose of "fuck it'" on the back of the card. That's a glorious picture I took of Bryce, wearing my wedding tiara and his bathrobe, holding Lucky like he's doing a royal portrait with his Corgi or something. I don't know what we were thinking, but it is kind of funny. Also unclear why he gets to be His Majesty and I'm just Lady Jess, but whatever. I was feeling somewhat inconsequential at the time. 
We have done a picture card every year since we got married. It's like an encapsulation of our life together, and so I would really like to do one again this year...but time is running short.

I had an idea... pictures of us from around the year, doing things we enjoy, and then in the middle, a picture of us with a sign or a map or something that says "On the road to our baby through adoption!" or something similarly schmaltzy. Because, believe it or not, there actually are people who don't know we're on the path to adopting. BUT, we don't want to look like it is imminent or has already happened in some way. I like it, but how to execute?

Bryce's worry is that we do this one, and then next year's Christmas card looks just the same. Which would be kind of depressing, but do we protect our heart for an outcome that could be instead of being freely exuberant about our hope and joy? I WANT THE JOY. IT'S THE FREAKING SEASON FOR JOY. Maybe next year, if we're in the same boat, we could post a picture of me dusting the nursery. Ha. ha. ha.

I say we do it. We figure out the center picture and send them out as New Year's cards, a joyful way to show that hopefully this is the year we become a family of more than two.

Want to read more #Microblog Mondays? Go here and enjoy!

12 comments:

  1. You crack me up, especially about the FREAKING SEASON FOR JOY. And dusting, lol.

    I'm so glad you're in such a better place this year. Here's to that trajectory.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! Still haven't done the photo yet, but I think we'll try for New Year's cards again, so we have time! :) Glad I gave you a chuckle.

      Delete
  2. I love this! Your insistence on joy this year is wonderful and I think it's a fabulous idea. Here's to that joy and hope for good things ahead for you in the coming year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I love that, "insistence on joy."

      Delete
  3. OMG your card from last year was amazing! I wish that we were friends in real life so that I could get a card like that. :-)

    I love the idea....and you never know if someone that doesn't know about your adoption plans knows someone....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you liked last year's cards! It's so sad that they sit in the Shutterfly box, unsent. I should send them as thank you notes for Christmas, ha. :) I'd be happy to send you one! :)

      That is SO TRUE. I wonder if we should put the 800# for our agency on the cards and a "spread the word!" kind of message. What a spectacular thought...I didn't think of that!

      Delete
  4. Oooh, what about one of the pictures being the two of you peeking into the nursery? It shows off this huge project that you worked so hard on AND it serves to state the upcoming news?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That would be adorable! My concerns are that I would worry that people might think that there's a baby in the nursery possibly, and that the doorway is so awkward that it's literally impossible to get that shot, unless someone is in the nursery taking a picture of us peeking in. Might echo our favorite wedding picture, actually... :) I will think on this! We haven't made a decision yet, but this could work! :)

      Delete
  5. I like Mel's idea. And I say yeah, mention the future adoption and revel in joy and anticipation. Glad that this Christmas is so much more upbeat for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely... "revel in joy and anticipation." Beautifully put. It is an interesting Christmas, I waffle between totally happy we're on a more definite path and being sad that it's our 6th Christmas where we could have had a baby but don't. (Or first married Christmas was barely 2 months after we got married, so I don't count that one). Trying to stick with the joy and anticipation and not the wallowing, and this card will help! Thanks for your thoughts!

      Delete
  6. I say go for it too! You have such an incredibly positive attitude about everything you've been through so far, so you definitely should have the joy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Traci, I'm going for as much joy as I can muster. Why not, right? (It can be hard not to wallow a bit, but I'm trying to keep the wallowing to a minimum and look at this holiday season as one full of possibility, not tragedy.) Thanks for your thoughts!

      Delete