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Articles | Allison in Motherland
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Allison in Motherland: The Un-Christmas Letter
by Allison Braswell
I love the holiday season, putting up decorations, listening to Christmas music; just that all-around special feeling only the holidays can bring. One of the things I really look forward to is getting my Christmas cards. Since this is the one time a year I hear from many friends and family, I am anxious to know what’s been going on in their lives since last Christmas. However, I become quite dismayed and even a little jealous to learn that many of them have had a lot more to celebrate than I. I have never taken the opportunity to write one of my own Christmas letters….until now. I am here to make all of you moms who have become frustrated and disappointed with your own lives after reading how much others are enjoying theirs feel a little bit better about yourself and your family. Hopefully I can brighten your holiday season knowing there is someone out there who is not relishing in her fantastic accomplishments and wonderful family life. Here it goes:
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Happy Holidays!
I have one word that summarizes my past year MAINTAINENCE. Most of my time is taken up with trying to maintain my sanity, emotional stability, patience, my flabby figure and all around rosy outlook on life. As some of you may know, we welcomed our fourth child into the world in May. Like the other three, he was unplanned but very much loved. I spent from January to May wearing maternity clothes from my past three pregnancies and five fashion seasons ago. I was trying desperately not to have to buy anything new. I must say I looked pretty stylin' in my stretch pants and oversized sweaters.
In February we found a house that could actually fit our entire family especially with a new baby on the way. So we began the long stressful process of putting our lovely "cracker box" on the market. With no garage, three bedrooms (the “master” bedroom, in the loosest sense of the word, doesn’t have a closet) and one bathroom (the ceiling slants so much you can’t stand upright in the shower),--oh the amenities are too numerous to list, it was a challenge. But I digress. Let’s just say we still haven’t sold the house. Add the stress of moving at eight months pregnant with three kids five and under and you have one cranky, very unstable mommy. Luckily we got moved in before baby #4 arrived.
On May 6th we welcomed little Samuel Michael into the world and began to adjust to life with a new baby and becoming a family of six. The three big kids did quite well. If you don’t count the many hours they had to watch TV and remain quiet while mom tried to calm the always-crying infant, they adapted quite nicely.
Other highlights of our year include:
Jack (our 5-year-old) eating our daughter’s poop (in his defense he thought it was a fruit snack), finding half of our daughter Elise’s wardrobe on the Lost and Found table at school during conferences, Tommy’s constant antagonizing of Jack and endless fighting between the two, and Sam’s average three-times-a-night wake-up calls. All and all it has been a year to remember and cherish. Even with all the chaos and frustrations, we are a very happy family (really!) and love each other very much.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours!
The Braswell Family
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About the Author: Allison Braswell lives in Mankato Minnesota with her husband Ben and four children: Elise, Jack, Tommy, and Sam. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Minnesota State University and has been an at-home mom since the birth of her second child. In her free time she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and long walks (alone) around the neighborhood, since there are no beaches in Mankato.
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