It’s all good

You know, for someone who admittedly likes routine and has a difficult time with change, I’m currently in a pattern of nothing but change. But I have to give myself a pat on the back, because so far, I’m handling it like a champ.

Breathe in ... breathe out.

Having been empty nesters for nearly four years, we recently moved our youngest son back home with us.

Deep, calming breaths.

Carson has been working a full-time job in Altoona since March, while living in Ames and going to college full time. A month ago he informed us he’s done with school for now and had decided to move closer to his work. The problem is, he sub-leased his old apartment and had to leave there before his new apartment is ready in January.

So Mick and I helped him gather all his belongings and clean his space out. We moved his living room, dining room and bedroom furniture, along with 3.5 years worth of boxes of kitchen items and other assorted non-essentials and stored them at Avery’s (along with his kayak). Electronics and all vital necessities needed to get him through the next month are at my house ... including his cat, Holly.

There was no problem bringing Holly into our home — my three dogs couldn’t care less about her and she feels complete apathy for them.

So far, so good. Of course, it’s only been four days.

Breathe in ... breathe out.

Our routine will change for Christmas this year too.

We have always spent Christmas Eve with our kids. I fix a couple varieties of soup and a crockpot of wassail (just as my mom did when I was growing up), we snack, we play games and we watch “A Christmas Story.” Then we watch “A Christmas Story” again ... and again.

So anyway ...

This year, our grandson will be at his mother’s for several hours Christmas Eve, but as a group we decided to continue with our usual Dec. 24 traditions, only we plan on exchanging gifts with the adult kids that evening. (Opening gifts on Christmas Eve has always been taboo in our family for some reason, and although she’s 26, Avery has insisted, up until this point, we abide by the “gifts on Christmas morning” custom.)

On Christmas morning nowadays, we usually lounge around in our sweats or pajamas for a while, drink coffee and eventually open gifts.

This year, Josh suggested an alternative plan. With our grand now 5 (“and a half, Nana!” he makes sure to add), he wanted to host the morning in his own home and have us join them to watch his little boy as he gets his first glimpse of what Santa brought. That was a change I was happy to oblige.

So we will go to Josh and Kaylee’s house and delight in seeing our little open gifts from his parents, Uncle Bubba, Auntie WeeWee and of course Papa King and Nana Dana.

Yep ... I’ve got this. And it’s all good.

Contact Dana King at dking@shawmedia.com