25 Days: Day 16. Traditions and Christmas.

Today's entry is From Nicole Rodriguez. Finally a guest blogger I did NOT go to college with! I often say that Nicole is my oldest friend in OKC, meaning that I have known her the longest, but people always take it wrong. Go figure. Can I help it if people choose to believe she is geriatric? Nicole and I met through work when we both were in the bilingual reservations department for Howard Johnson. Recently she told facebook that she delighted in driving my crazy back then. Truer words have never been spoken. However there must have been a spark of something worth holding on to because all these years later she is still my friend.

A couple of weeks ago she graciously let me invade her house with 12 or so kids and their parents for our annual ornament party, even though her girls are too old and too busy to participate any more. That is true friendship for you. Nicole's girls are so similar to my boys that I know I have someone who absolutely understands my parenting woes, and vice versa. Her Thalia and Matthew are two peas in a pod. I love her and her girls and I am very glad we are friends. Here is what she wrote

I'm not much for traditions and holidays. I was young when my parents divorced in the 1970's. it was unusual and I was the only one in town with divorced parents *queue pity party music*.

So growing up thanksgiving was with Dad and Christmas with Mom. Until mom decided to become a minister and we moved then moved again... I never had the same Christmas twice.

Then I moved to OKC, there I met Judson at work, and later became friends with Kathleen who then helped me get a job with her. I went through my own divorce and sharing my children on Christmas with their father.

Nicole 2006 or 2007?

The only thing I have done more than 5 yrs in a row is the Kinkade Christmas party. I have been to their apartment and then the house near Ann Arbor then the house on 15th then 16th. I have left the girls home when they had a fever. I have driven through icy storms and good weather. I have dressed up, worn ugly sweaters and sometimes just gone as is. I still have ornaments and a random gravy boat they gave me one year. I don't make gravy but I cherish that gift. Then they moved, and I intended to caravan to CO, but timing and finances never jived.

Nicole & Lexi 2004

I'm so glad they're back. I can honestly say I feel more full of the Christmas spirit when I have the Kinkade party to attend. It IS the one Christmas tradition that has lasted the longest for me, even longer than my new tradition of Midnight mass started AFTER the Kinkade party tradition. I ❤️ the Kinkade family.