Christmas Eve 2010

The day has arrived.  Christmas Eve.  This year is different because we are missing a very important family member, but he is with us in spirit and we have made every effort to include him in our holiday thoughts.

Melanie and Zach came over this afternoon and we had our gift exchange.  We took our time and really enjoyed ourselves.  When we were finished, I turned on the Greeting train that my husband loved so much and ran it a few times as we felt his presence.

One of the gifts I received was very special.  It was address to "mammaw for pappaw".  It was from our oldest granddaughter, Brianna and it was a nutcracker.  It is standing next to all the others that my husband had collected through the years.  I added some new ones but the one she sent is very special.

I made the traditional chili and we had our chili along with ham sandwiches and then we played a few hands of Texas Hold 'Em.  When I went broke, they finished it out.  Later, they hooked up the game consoles and played some Mario and Guitar Hero. 

We also called my mom so that we each could talk to her and wish her a Merry Christmas.  We then called my younger daughter, Michele and the grandkids who were at their Christmas party but took the time to talk to us.  We will be talking to them again tomorrow as they open the gifts we sent over to them.

It has been a strange Christmas and I've felt like something was missing but we were together for awhile tonight, even if a part of the family were miles away and we only heard their voices, we were still together and I know that Harold was watching over us and was here with us.

Zach's car wouldn't start so his mother had to go get him and they just left so she could take him home.  They were going to make a side trip and go through the light display at the state park.  She was really impressed when she saw it and wanted him to see it as well.  Tomorrow he will be with his dad and hopefully they can find the problem with the car and get him fixed up before he has to go back to work on Monday.

So as Christmas 2010 goes into our memory book, we look forward to the new year that it will hold good health and that the woes of this one will fade.  We will always have the memory of our loved one in our hearts as we look forward to the future knowing this would be what he wanted most for us.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.   And let's not forget that we may celebrate and exchange gifts, but the biggest gift we've ever received was on this day when Jesus was born.  May we celebrate his birth and give him the gift of our faith.