Eight is great

Can you believe?

Christmas Eve.

Every year since 2004 it comes three days after my Melanie's birthday.

We were supposed to travel up to North Carolina last Friday, on Melly's actual eighth birthday, and have a pizza party.

Then we were going to spend the night and for Saturday we'd planned a big family Christmas (with brunch), the first of several.

Let's pull over and park here for a mo.

Do you remember when there was only one Christmas? As in, Christmas morning?

You got up early and Santa had come whether you had a chimney or not (we never did) and there were presents under the tree, some wrapped and some fetchingly posed?

After freaking out over the ones that Santa had left (the unwrapped ones), you slowly savored opening the wrapped ones until you were all done and awash in Christmas joy.

Can you tell I never went to Grandma's house on Christmas Eve for presents? Never did.

But now, kids have so many family Christmases, they often start a week or so before the actual holiday and extend into the new year.

So anyway, that was the itinerary: a birthday party on Melly's actual day and our first family Christmas on the next day, with Stephanie's brood.

Mother and Henry planned to drive over and join us. Aunts Audrey and Erica would be on hand.

Uncle Andrew was the only one who had to work on Saturday. He would drive straight to Columbia on Sunday after teaching his Sunday School class and attending church.

But alas, Melanie and Stephanie fell sick on the previous weekend, and as the week progressed, Allissa and Joel were stricken. Only the baby was spared.

So to give them a chance to get well and to minimize the likelihood of our branch catching what their branch had, we decided to drive over on Saturday and spend much of the day, celebrating birthday and Christmas all in the same event, then go back home.

And that's what we did, with the unhappy result that I did not get to see my Melly on her birthday.

But she enjoyed having two consecutive days of birthday frivolity! She got a new bike (her first) on Friday before we all started arriving with additional gifts on Saturday.

The weather was fine and everyone was in high spirits. We had ham and biscuits and breakfast casserole and homemade cranberry sauce, with assorted jams, jellies, juices, and other hot and cold beverages to round out the feast.

And all of that was before birthday cake was served.

Naturally I brought a big chunky white 8 for Melanie to hold up for pictures, and she seemed to like that.

Allissa grabbed a blue capital Times Roman A from her room and got in on the photo shoot.

Baby Andrew walked all over the place (he turned ten months old that day but he's been vertically ambulatory for several weeks) doing an infant approximation of the Rebel yell.

Kid is intense.

So now an eight-year-old Melly is on her way to Pennsylvania with her mommy and daddy and little brother and sister, anxious to have the next scheduled Christmas with the rest of the family.

I think they're going to have snow too!

And I know they're also going to have a wonderful time.

And I hope you do as well, and that is certainly my personal plan.

We have an accord.

Don't forget to pray for one another! Hearts are hurting as much as they are singing.

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God made a little Gentian --
It tried -- to be a Rose --
And failed -- and all the Summer laughed --
But just before the Snows

There rose a Purple Creature --
That ravished all the Hill --
And Summer hid her Forehead --
And Mockery -- was still --

The Frosts were her condition --
The Tyrian would not come
Until the North -- invoke it --
Creator -- Shall I -- bloom?

~Emily Dickinson~

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Merry Christmas!

Comments

[Mari]

Love seeing pictures of your little darlings! Happy Birthday to Melanie. That's a great day for a birthday - it was my dear Mom's as well.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas - enjoy your family and the joy that other Baby brought!

[Debbie]

Look at the eyes on Baby Andrews! Wow. Aren't they something special.

I do remember when we had one Christmas, but that has been a long time ago. We had Christmas with our daughter and grandson on Saturday. Having our Christmas today, as hubby works 24 hours on Christmas Day each year so those with small children can be home to celebrate.

Yum, that cake looks wonderful.

Wishing you and your lovely family a Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Debbie

[glenda]

Happy Birthday precious Melanie....God certainly blessed your family eight years ago when He gave them you. You are very special!!!

[Donna M.]

Prayers and Christmas cheer to you and your loved ones!