Giving thanks

Is it really nearly December? The past few months have flown by in a homeschooling, crafting, morning sick and anemic haze, and I can hardly fathom that the wonderful Christmas season is upon us. I LOVE Christmas, and am looking forward to spending our first Christmas at home here in Maryland. Hooray!
John and I have had a lovely visit with his parents in California, helping them out with some things and enjoying lots of time with cousins, good food, and great company. It's been lovely to spend the time with John and the children without the everyday worries of all the responsibilities at home: church, school, extra-curricular activities, and just clear my head.
I'd been struggling for a while with some complex feelings of disconnection from friends and associates. In many ways I feel like I still struggle with the loss of friends from our move 18 months ago. I have a number of friends, but not any close friends, and I'd been thinking a lot about that, as well as obsessing over some complicated interactions at church, and feeling out of the loop, and completely underused for my talents and how I would like to share them. In short, I guess its been a quiet battle with depression- combined with the changes a new school year and pregnancy bring.
I'm so grateful for the chance to sit back for a bit, and center myself and our family. I'm ready to go back and deal with the fantastic chaos December brings, with birthdays, Christmas, and all the obligations in the church and community. I've also reconciled myself to life as it is, so to speak ( : I'd still like to develop some closer local friendships, but I am grateful for the farflung friends and family that bless my life, and the casual friends that influence my life. Composing the Christmas newsletter, I am realizing whata a wonderful year it has been, and am so gratefu this Holiday season for the blessings evident in my life, deserved or not. I'll try to share some pictures soon. Love to all.