christmas and beyond

It is different living in Costa Rica, away from family and church. Yes, before we moved here 4-1/2 years ago, we were still away from our "birth families" which are still-and-forever in Ohio/Indiana. Yes, our kids that live in New Mexico from which we moved were only rarely with us. We're adults and left our families to follow jobs. Our son/daughter have done the same thing. They have their own lives and, while we saw _a lot_ of them on our visit the first week of December, we know that this would not have been the usual frequency if we all still lived in Albuquerque. >>>>>>>So, we live in Atenas, Costa Rica and "everyone" celebrates the holidays without our being there.>>>>>>>We made our own Christmas-with-the-family yesterday (Christmas Eve _is_ Christmas in Costa Rica, today is, well, Monday). We invited our friends Peter/James, Ally/Romel (her husband that we've met twice), John/Andy (new neighbors), and Martin. Martin is an "orphan". He moved to Costa Rica from Texas to be near Jerry/LeAnn, friends of his who live here now. He lived in their casita for ~4 months while he was moving his stuff here, buying a house, and remodeling it. He had lived in this house for ~2 months when Jerry/LeAnn put their house up for sale, sold it (within a week), and started getting ready to move back to the US. So, Martin is an "orphan" and we thought that he might welcome becoming part of our "friend-family". We had met him a couple times through Jerry/LeAnn. He was eager to join the Christmas Eve potluck at our house and was told to bring bread (easy, just go to the grocery, pick up a loaf, no cooking/preparing involved). >>>>>>>Everyone was to arrive at 1200, to eat at 1300. At 1120, i get a message on Facebook from Martin saying that he now had a "scheduling conflict" and was not coming. Ten days after he'd received and accepted the invitation.>>>>>>>Ally's husband (it's a sham marriage) decided to spend the holiday with others instead so he didn't come either. We were told that by Ally when she arrived at 1200.>>>>>>>So, our big "Christmas Eve with the Friend/Family" went from nine people and two tables to seven people and one more cramped table (stuck my on the end of a six-person table). No bread as there was not time to "pop out to the store" between 1130 and 1200 with still needing to get dressed for the arrival of everyone.>>>>>>>It worked out ok. We had so much food (but not much leftover, thankfully) and the conversation was good. Christmas was "over" by 4:20 when everyone went home. I made Joe's mom's/Aunt Louise's sweet potato pie (which is not a "pie" like a pecan/dessert pie but more a "casserole of sweet potato and pineapple"), recipe to follow in next posting, so that you can make it and "share" our holiday.>>>>>>>Today, i called my mom/sister to FaceTime and "share" their Christmas. They had already opened their gifts, had the Christmas morning pastries and goodies, and were wearing their matching pj's. I spoke with Christian and heard his wife/son in the background. They had a good holiday as well. >>>>>>> It's a different holiday being 2500 miles from birth families (those into which we were born and that which we bore). I lvoe the weather here. I love the lifestyle here. I love my life her, really. But....sometimes i wish that we still lived in Columbus Ohio, preferably with the small children that we had when we did live there. >>>>>>>I will sign off here before i get too maudlin. Have a great day. Hug your honey for me. xoxo-lisa