Merry Christmas!

As I write this on Christmas Eve morning, I am getting so excited for Christmas!  I think even more so than in years past. Even though my boys are older, 14 and 19 (almost 20), and they know what they’re getting for Christmas because they sent me an email list with the links to all of the gift ideas they had, I’m still excited for Christmas morning. Now, of course, I do have a couple of surprises that they don’t know about (he, he).

I think it’s because the boys are older that I’m so excited. Having two teenage sons is so different from having two small boys. A young child looks at the presents under the tree with awe and excitement knowing Santa has arrived. I loved those moments and rightfully so. Now the boys open their presents with the same appreciation as in the past, but know that their family has sacrificed for them. It’s still magical. The boys appreciate their gifts and thank us with love.

Appreciation.

I love that word and what it means. Christmas is a time to appreciate. All of the shopping, baking, wrapping, and mailing we all do throughout the holiday season is because we appreciate our loved ones, both family and friends. It’s the time of year that we make sure to show this to one another.

I watched my older son stress over buying gifts for his four grandparents. He wanted to pick out just the right gift for each one. I could see the appreciation he has for them just while he was shopping. It was precious. He shopped for his girlfriend with the same look of determination and appreciation on his face. He thought about her and who she was when buying the perfect gifts for her.

I want my family and friends to know that I appreciate you and am blessed to have you all in my life. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a great new year! I appreciate all of my readers!

Sincerely,

Katelin Maloney

Hello everyone!

I've been thinking about my friends and how important they are to my life. I spent four days last week with one of my best friends, Sarah. I only get to see her a few times each year because I moved to Florida. The time I spend with her is special. 

Friends make everything better--in both good times and bad. They are cheerleaders, sounding-boards, and counselors. They celebrate and cry with us. 

Being with Sarah made me appreciate our relationship even more. It's not easy staying close to each other because of our distance, but we make it work. I know I can call her and she'll be there for me and the same goes for her. What a gift we have!

I've let long-distance friendships fade in the past and I've ended up mourning their loss. I've regretted not putting the time into those relationships. I was too busy or exhausted to make the effort. Have you experienced something similar?  

I'm going to reach out to an old friend this week and try to rekindle our relationship. By doing this I'm giving myself a gift.  Do you have a similar situation? If so, how about you join me and reach out to a friend you haven't spoken with in a while. Our friend will be reminded of how special she is and that's what really matters. In the end only relationships matter.

Have a great week!

Katelin Maloney