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| This year- no snow on Christmas |
#5 Our first Christmas as a Married Couple
Luke and I went WAY overboard and opened presents just from each other for literally hours. It was insane and completely extravagant, but a nice memory.
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| Joshua's 1st Christmas |
After and months of praying that Joshua would live, that God would heal him and that we wouldn't spend our Christmas in the hospital watching Joshua receive yet another transfusion, we had one of the most joy filled Christmases. Not only did we praise God for sending Jesus to come and save us from our sins and death, but we praised Him whole heartedly for being a god of mercy, faithfulness and a God that answers prayers. I can't remember one gift I got that year, I already had everything I needed.
#3 There was a Christmas when I was 7 years old
that will live on in my memory for as long as my memory remains intact. That year was just a regular old family Christmas. We opened gifts, played with our new toys, and ate snacks.When I thought that it was time to head for bed my dad went outside, and when he returned he was carrying a huge sack filled with more and more toys and treats for me and my brother. I can remember the how shocked and surprised I was. I couldn't imagine what the contents of the bag could be since I had already received all that I asked for and then some. He pulled out gift after gift. I only remember few of them: Toss Across & a kids Pinball machine. It wasn't the gifts that make this memory so magical though, it's my dad. I remember the look on his face like it was yesterday. His smile was one of the biggest I'd ever seen on him. I saw the true joy of giving, which later as I'd become an adult I learned was a key component of my father's character. He just loved giving.
#2 The Christmas that Luke and I were engaged
was a stressful one to say the least. We were planning a wedding and wondering how we were going to meld two lives into one. One of the days that preceded Christmas was a particularly stressful one for me filled with wedding preparation kinks as well as teaching and getting grades ready for the end of the semester. Luke had called me early that afternoon to set up a date for the night- a usual practice. It became quite unusual though when he told me he would be by to pick me up around midnight. I cannot completely remember my response, but I can only imagine it being less than excited since I knew I would have to wake up early and teach the next day. He told me I should go to bed early, set the alarm, he'd by around midnight to pick me up for a surprise. When I walked out of my apartment and into the cold brisk air, and trudged through the snow to Luke's pickup I was extremely sleepy from my short "nap". We only drove about 2 blocks and he stopped the car at his house. I was definitely awake at this point since we never hung out at his house, but went along with the plan. The house was completely dark which was no surprise since he had already informed me he had no intention of putting up a single Christmas decoration since next year we'd be married and we could decorate together then. We approached the house and Luke opened the door, leaned into the entry way and flipped on the light switch. The room came alive, filled with Christmas lights, greenery, and a tree. He turned on the stereo and I heard Dean Martin crooning Christmas songs. The tree caught my attention from across the room. The decorations were familiar. Luke had called my parents and asked if they would be willing to part with a few ornaments, ones that still to this day we place on our tree and hold special childhood memories for me. I loved it. "This isn't the best part", he informed me. He turned on the TV and just beginning was an episode of one of our favorite shows Mad About You. It was the episode where Jaimie is freaking out over all of her wedding plans. It was perfect. The only thing was that they were only showing the episode at midnight.
#1 The last Christmas I spent with my dad
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| Dec. 26th 2009 |
There was a huge snow storm right before Christmas and the interstate was closed down all over the state Christmas eve. I called my parents house to see what their weather was like. I was so sad. My dad said we shouldn't try to come even if they opened the roads in time. When I got off the phone I told Luke, "we're going if they open the interstate." He sighed and said, "I know, you won't miss Christmas with your parents." They didn't open the roads until the 26th but it was perfect because the 26th of December had always been a favorite day of my dad's. He called it Second Christmas Day and has since I was a child celebrated it as though it were really it's own holiday. I called them once we were on the road and let them know we were on our way. My dad was ecstatic. There was nothing my dad loved more than having family home. He had told me he saved everything for me, the Christmas meal, the present opening, everything. I don't remember every detail of the visit since I had no idea it'd be our last Christmas together. However, he said one thing that I'll cherish forever. When I got to my parents house and greeted everyone, my dad hugged me super tight and said to me, "I knew you'd come, even when I told you not to. I knew you'd come, because you always come home. You know how much it means to me." I am so thankful that we spent that Second Christmas Day with my mom and dad, and I'm so blessed to have had such loving parents. I now strive to be that kind of parent for my own kids.
