#familychristmas – Tattoo It On Your Heart

Although I was heading out of the country for ten days, I determined Christmas would be stress free—not the usual last-minute mad dash. My sweet potato casserole and other side dishes lay stacked in the freezer. Likewise, the dough for honey-spice ginger snaps, rolled and ready to slide in the oven. Cheery holiday tins filled with fresh-baked anise and almond shortbread adorned the buffet, most of my shopping was complete, and the house clean when I departed.

There’d be plenty of time to complete the few tasks left on my list to prepare for Christmas on Cape Cod when I returned home on December 20th.

Everything in order, I looked forward to relaxing in Canada visiting my mom, stepdad, and my sister Monique, her husband, and their three delightful children who were flying in from New Zealand. — I should’ve known better. Life has a way of upending our great expectations with unexpected interruptions.