Bittersweet Christmas

I put a special twist on Christmas gifts. This year, I commented on the box holding the Snuggie I gave my brother. Circling one of the models wearing the Snuggie, I wrote "DUFUS!!!" Everyone loved it. Sweet

My brother also got the new Michael Jackson CD from my parents. All four kids stayed around in the living room after all the gifts were given and danced for hours to the CD. It was a BLAST. SWEET

At my Nana's for lunch, my two-year old cousin quickly learned what it took to get the attention of the many adults eating lunch around him (aka....not much!). Sweet

Sitting down to open gifts in the living room, my Nana started to talk to everyone, and couldn't get through it without getting upset. She said, "I just couldn't bring myself to do shopping this year, but I want you all to remember the gift of God, so that we all can join in Heaven together.

This was the first year without Grandaddy at Christmas. No santa, so no "special selected santa's helpter," no $20 made out of $2 bills in film canisters for each grandchild, no santa hat plopped up on his head. This was the bitter part of Christmas. Being in the room without the leader, and trying to make everything normal. My uncle, however, gave us hope by saying the days like March 18's , and the dreaded December 26's won't happen in Heaven. He said the God put those types of days in our lives as reminders of what we have to look forward to, Life without misery and without March 18's. That was sweet.