I am happy you spent that time together over Christmas, Nomad. Our relationships with our troubled kids are...troubled. Even when the kids are doing well (for them) the strangest, most utterly embarrassing or unexpected things suddenly have already happened when all you did was look away for like, one minute.
But that is okay.
Your daughter was able to eat food she enjoyed and feels she has adequate clothing and, so you have learned, cherishes her memories of family Christmas enough to want to save some of the old decorations.
I think you all did really well.
I feel that way too when one of my children leaves. It is a centerless, spinning kind of feeling, but I am not sure why. So, I just put the house in order and remind myself that we have been fortunate to see her, at all.
And that part about knowing the kids will be leaving?
That is important, too.
Really important.
Cedar
Which makes me feel guilty and that contributes to everything. But if we have hosted our families and made our toasts and eaten good food together, I think that is very nicely successful and am happy that happened for you and your children.
