its getting to feel like Christmas

Ellie couldn't say for sure where she stood with her mother these days. She did come to the hospital when Zoe was born. She'd been so subdued. It was as if she was a little angry with her. But she'd been quiet. And Ellie thought maybe she was just seeing things. Maybe her mother was actually happy.

Of course, she had to make Ellie feel a little guilty. How could she have had the baby before Thanksgiving? Didn't she know all the trouble she had to deal with her sister and her  car accident.

On the upside, Lisa and Geo found their own place. They bought a house. Although, it wasn't quite exactly what Lisa wanted, but at least they could afford it. It was an older house where the taxes weren't quite so expensive. And Lisa still had her job at the bank.

But the weather had gotten all wintry as of late and Ellie stayed home with Zoe and Charlie. It was like their very own little house on the prairie, except there were streets and sidewalks, and they were snug in their little place. Lon and Kyle had put new windows in over the summer, and it was much warmer this winter than last winter.

And just when Ellie was making their own plans for Christmas,  at home, she got word her brother Ben was coming up with his own daughter and he was bringing Hannah, Lon's daughter.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Ellie was full of anxieties. Yes, she knew she should be happy about the occasion, except. "Its winter."

"Hannah's seen snow maybe just enough to cover the ground, then it melted. She wants to see snow." Ben informed her.

"Well, its not going anywhere up here." In fact she looked out the kitchen window and saw big fat flakes coming down. She guessed it would be great, but she just wasn't sure if this was the best time or the idea of Lon meeting her face to face. They talked to each other on the phone and by Skype, but still it just didn't seem right not to have Reese here too. It was Christmas. "You should talk Reese into coming if Hannah's coming." Plus, his baby daughter was a little younger than Charlie. That would be a lot to handle with winter driving.

Here she was hoping for the most laid back Christmas ever, suddenly it was swallowing her up, and they hadn't even thought about putting up a Christmas tree yet.