Christmas-

"Merry Christmas!" Jessica exclaims

"Merry Christmas mom. It actually snowed out! It's going to be a great day, I can already tell." Olivia smiles. She runs up to Jessica and hugs her tight.

"I'm not surprised it snowed. It's Minnesota!" Sean says looking out the window.

It was a perfect morning. Jessica and the kids woke up early so they could open their gifts. After gifts they headed to church. Snow covered the once perfectly green lawns. Christmas was always Jessica's favorite holiday. It was one of the only days in the year that everyone got together and nothing could go wrong. Sadly, this year was different. It was their first Christmas not all being together. There was no Danny. Jessica wanted to continue lots of old traditions, but it was hard without him. There was still that pain that lingered in Jessica's heart. She only wanted the best for her kids and for them to be happy. Not being able to spend the whole day with them hurt her too. They were going over his condo for the first time for a few hours. Jessica would be all alone without them.

After church Jessica and the kids went back home for a bit before Danny came to pick them up.

"Thanks for an awesome Christmas morning, mom." Sean says helping her clean up the wrapping paper that covered he living room floor.

"I'm sorry Christmas isn't like it used to be..." Jessica becomes discouraged.

"It's okay, really. Today was still an amazing day." He says

"Don't be upset, mom. It's Christmas, you have to be happy." Olivia says

"I love you both so much. You both deserve the world. Only if I could give it to you." Jessica brings both of her kids close to her and holds them. Though Danny wasn't there, having her kids there was at that mattered.

Around noon Danny stopped by the house to pick up the kids for a few hours.

"Are you sure it's okay that we leave?" Sean says standing at the door.

"Of course! I want you guys to spend time with your father. Don't worry about me." Jessica smiles

"I'm so nervous to go. Justine will be there. I only met her last week." Olivia says

"You said she's nice. If there are any problems just call me." Jessica reassures them.

"Alright, we will see you at grandma's!"

"Great! Your dad is dropping you off around five."

"See ya then!"

Once the kids were gone Jessica turned around to her empty house. Tears escaped from her eyes. It felt so real that things would be like this forever. There would always be that sense of loneliness.

After spending an hour alone in the house of Christmas she still felt sad and couldn't stop crying. She decided to head to her mothers early.

**

"Jessie, you're here early. I'm glad!" Dorthy smiles opening the door.

Jessica's face was still red from crying.

"Darling, why are you crying? Today is a happy day." Dorthy takes her hand and sits her down in the living room. She sits next to her and holds her as she cries.

"Christmas... it was our family holiday. The kids, Danny and I. We all spent the day together. We were so happy. Not having the kids all day makes me sick. Tomorrow they leave for Stillwater. I'll still be alone. I hate being alone! It makes me so angry. I don't want to be sad anymore, but days like this just make me think about how much I've lost."

"It's hard, I can see that you're really upset. I also saw how upset you were the last few months when you were with Danny. In a way you've changed a lot since you separated. You seem a let more content and 'free'. It's hard to get a divorce for you and the kids. But in a way it's a blessing. You have a second chance to be happy again and find someone. I know Danny made you happy, but he hurt you. Don't waste your tears on him, Jessica! He isn't worth it anymore."

"I still have get through my head what ever went wrong."

"You were an amazing wife. He was stupid for leaving you."

"I loved him... I thought he loved me. I poured my heart out to him for years. I gave him a family. I gave him my trust, my love, my tears, my life."

"And one day you'll find a man that will give that to you. You deserve to be happy, baby."

**
New Years-

After Christmas the kids went up with Danny and Justine to Stillwater so they could see his family. Jessica spent that week alone. She decided to go back to work early to distract her from the fact that she was alone. She wasn't used to the empty house.

On New Year's Eve the kids arrived home late. The next morning Jessica surprised them with a big welcome home breakfast.

When the kids walked down stairs the table was set up perfectly. Jessica let all the light into the kitchen. It smelled like fresh cinnamon rolls out of the oven and coffee.

"What's going on here?" Sean says

"You're up! How happy I am to see you two!" Jessica runs over to her children and holds them.

"We missed you! It smells good in here." Sean says looking at the table.

Jessica had the plates, silverware, and glassware all set up. She had a different assortment of breakfast foods in bigger plates and bowls. Also, next to their plates were a pad of paper and pens.

"What is the paper and pens for?" Olivia says picking it up.

"I want you two to sit. We are going to do our New Year goals." She says

The kids sit down and pick up the pens.

"On one piece of paper I want you to write ten goals that you guys want to set for yourselves this year. Then on two other pieces of paper you write goals for two other people at this table. It's something I want to try... last year was a tough year. We went through a lot. That's why this year I think we should set goals and try new things. Make it an ever better year."

"Okay, I'm up for that."

"You two sat your breakfast, write down the goals, then we can share." Jessica smiles

During breakfast the kids caught Jessica up on their trip.

"So you had fun?" Jessica says

"Yea, it was okay. I mean you could feel the tension between dad and his family. Grandma Zoe did not like Justine."

Jessica couldn't help but chuckle. "Really?"

"They kept asking about you." Olivia says

"Like a lot!" Sean adds

"That's sweet of them. I always loved your dads family..."

**

After breakfast the three of them wrote their goals and decided to share them.

"You can share five, the other five stay a secret." Jessica giggles

"Okay, I'll go first...

My five goals for myself are to pay off my car, be the basketball team captain, get an A in calculus, be a better person, and face my fear of heights." He says setting down the paper.

"Wow, that's great. I think you can do it! Liv,
It's your turn."

"Alrighty then. My goals are to make it to state in track this year, keep my 4.0 GPA, beat all of my PR times, make more friends in high school, and donate my hair."

"Very good... I guess I'll go now.

My goals are to get a promotion at work, lose some weight, exercise more, be happier, and save up to take us on a big trip this summer."

"A trip? I like that idea!" Olivia giggles

"Haha, thank you! Now the ones that we wrote for each other stay anonymous. We read them after dinner, but we don't know who wrote what."

"Okay! And what happens when we accomplish these goals?" Sean says

"We set knew ones and reward ourselves. We need to give ourselves for credit this year."

"I like how you think."

**

That night Jessica laid in bed. She looked to her side and saw the goals she had set. She decided to read what her kids wrote for her.

Mom-

1.) Be more confident
2.) stop blaming herself for everything
3.) Love herself
4.) take a trip
5.) get over her fear of big dogs so we can get one.
6.) go on a date!!!!
7.) spend less time at target
8.) try crazy things
9.) take more time to herself
10.) stay the way she is forever.

Jessica set the list down and smiled... her kids wanted so much for her. It made her happy knowing she had them. If it weren't for them she didn't know where or how she'd be in this whole mess.

**

Happy I finally got to update this. What do you want I happen next???