Unexpected

“What do you want for Christmas Eve dinner?” I asked my husband while we were sitting in our bedroom. We were watching TV and trying to focus over the relentlessly barking dogs on the other side of our window.  I had focused Christmas Day prep along with packing for our trip to Virginia and had completely forgotten to plan dinner.

“Hot Dogs,” he replied with a hint of sarcasm.  Those dogs have barked more days than not since our move and love to position themselves on the other side of the fence outside of our bedroom window.

I laughed off the reply until I found myself at the grocery store a few hours later.  Nowhere else was open, so I had to come up with something. He wanted hot dogs?  I’ll give him hot dogs.

I began serving them up and my oldest ran into the kitchen, “Mom!  The neighbors are shooting off fireworks, let’s eat dinner outside in the driveway!”

So we did.  Never in a million years would I have pictured our family sitting in our driveway on Christmas Eve watching fireworks and eating hot dogs.

Earlier that week, a radio station was sharing unconventional Christmas traditions.  So many of the stories had just “happened” and the family continued the tradition to carry on the memory.  In a new place, we needed new traditions to happen, without me trying to plan it out.

I am thankful for those crazy dogs and a culture who celebrates life at every turn.  God always knows when we need a little humor in the midst of the crazy and stressful.