Winter heart

I am trying exceptionally hard to put on my winter face. I wasn't through with autumn yet. I wasn't through gathering twigs and dried weeds for arrangements, I wasn't through buying crisp apples and apple cider at the orchard, I wasn't through with fall festivals, I wasn't ready for the fields to be harvested, I wasn't through photographing my favorite time of year. The Christmas season is here and I am still longing for more of autumn. I am having a very hard time even thinking about getting ready for winter, let alone Christmas. Generally I am. I don't know what is so different for me this year, other than having more stress with finding nice accommodations for my mom. It was difficult to move her from her home, but I feel that my sisters and I have found a good place for Mom to call her  "surrogate home", so to speak. It will never truly be home for her.  Other than having to deal with that decision, it still doesn't feel like the Christmas season to me. I don't think it would even if I hadn't had to worry about Mom's health or accommodations. My sweet husband and I were lying in bed the other night talking about this very thing. This whole year seems like it has been fast forwarded. Neither one of us can believe how fast it's gone by. Christmas is coming, and coming soon, whether I am ready for it or not!