More Christmas musings.....

As I got ready for work this morning [yes, I am one of 'those' people at my desk this morning] I was thinking about Christmas 2004. What a truly magical Christmas!!! The memories are bittersweet too.

My sister still had her house in Southwest Houston; I was sharing space with her. Her job, at that time, took her away on trips for a week or more at a time to the Northeast to meet with clients and I was the house-sitter - nephew-sitter while she was gone. I truly enjoyed those times, even when they were not so pleasant, but cherish the time to get close to my nephew and closer to my sister.

But that year, we had all the parental units still with us, all the grandkids and kids were in town and Mom and Dad were delighted to have the Christmas Eve family celebration at my sisters house! We had some of the proverbial 'strays' too. One family in particular was and is still very special to us; he was my girls' computer teacher in high school and we were fortunate to become friends with his precious wife and beautiful children. Both of my kids babysat both of their kids through the years and we got to watch them grow up into beautiful young people. But I digress. There were events that made This Christmas especially memorable.


2004 was the year of the "2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm"

As we made our preparations for all of the friends and family that would show up that evening there was a special 'tingle' in the air - it was cold and cloudy and the local weather forecasters were actually saying the "S" word out loud and in public! We all hoped it would snow but as the day wore on into evening, no sign of flurries.

Then around 5:30-6:00 Mom and Dad drove into the driveway and said, "We saw some flakes on the way over!" Talk about excited!!! Then when the Newlands arrived awhile later, we had a full blown dusting of snow EVERYWHERE in the yard and on the street! By Rocky Mountain or Northeast U.S. standards, this was nothing but in Houston, Texas on Christmas Eve, this was the event of the year if not the decade! S N O W on the ground and sticking for awhile at CHRISTMAS!!!!

As we visited and snacked and opened presents that Christmas Eve, everyone talked about how special THIS Christmas Eve was - we had loved ones around us and enjoyed the moment - I couldn't even tell you what anyone got as presents but we ALL got the present of a White Christmas Eve in Houston, Texas that year. In my book, that's a bucket list item checked off.

The bittersweet part of this story is, that was the last Christmas we had with my Dad. He was gone before the next Christmas but, I will always cherish that Christmas as a Very Special one with all of the family together and the white stuff on the ground. How wonderful that Dad's last Christmas was a white one and at home :-)

My Wish for all of my Family and Friends:
As you go about your preparations for this Christmas, think about the special moments - the laughter of your children - the warm feelings of being with family and friends, all together for another Christmas - the joy and delight in seeing the decorations on the houses you pass as you drive around town. Enjoy these moments, you will never ever get them back and make them into special memories to take out later and hold dear. And in the days, weeks, months and years to come, when you feel a little down and out of sorts, pull out those warm memories and let those memories warm your heart.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! From me and my family to You and Yours!!

Check out this wiki on the 2004 snowfall - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Christmas_Eve_Snowstorm