MERRY CHRISTMAS!

What a great Christmas Day! I realized that today I have had 55 wonderful Christmases! WOW! How cool is that! I remember all those Christmases past---from the times when I was a child  to the times when our own children were small and were all at home! All  of my Chrismtases have their own wonderful memories and joys!!!! One memory from childhood is that Daddy would always run in that morning and tell me, "Merry Christmas, ANGEL!" Oh how I wish tonight I could hear him say it one more time! One year, when I was around 11, was one of my most vivid memories.It was Christmas Eve and Daddy had put on the stereo console the  Fred Waring Christmas Album (that and Mitch Miller!). We sat on the couch and for well over an hour didn't speak a word, but I sat in the crook of his arm and laid my head on his shoulder and we listened to that entire album while the magic of Christmas weaved in and around the room and connected our spirits---from the darkness of the room to the shadows the candles made on the wall to the smell of our Christmas tree, it is a memory I will hold in my heart forever. It was a magical moment in time. Nothing profound,just simply being.  Being QUIET on Christmas Eve and LISTENING and waiting.I wonder why that time was so special to me? Maybe because it was just us. When I was with Daddy, I was the center of his world. No one else invaded my space! I had his whole attention! Not only that, I always felt so secure in his arms. Like nothing could ever hurt me and that I could do and be anything in the world I wanted to when I was in his arms. He always listened to me and respected my opinions and made me feel like I was the smartest and prettiest girl in the world when I was with him.He challenged me to be the best person I could be. He encouraged me and laughed with me and called me his angel (and, his sweetheart).I think this year I've missed him more than any other since he's been gone. Why, I don't know.But I miss him. SO much tonight.  I cherish and relish those moments and the Christmas Eve night just reminds me of that. Each year, I pull that memory out and hold it close and tonight, even more so. As I'm writing, I'm looking at a picture of Daddy and Mimi that I made with my camera probably that very year---my 11th year. They are smiling in front ofthe Christmas tree.Daddy is almost chubby looking---I love it that he looks so robust and healthy and my mom looks so pretty! How old are they? I guess Daddy must be 50 and my mom, 48? Younger than I am now! Mimi has on a pretty dress and pearls--she looks like a young Jackie Kennedy so stylish and pretty!On the tree behind them are the tacky "icicles" I probably draped on the tree in clumps and I see the old ornaments on the tree, some of which I put on my tree now.Nostalgia is overwhelming me tonight and it feels, well , it feels good. Bittersweet. I hope my own children maybe are making memories like that, too. Not of me just running around the kitchen cooking (like I usually do!) but maybe they saw me on the floor with Kemp playing with the train or with Lily singing with Barney the Christmas Song. That's what memories are made of! I hope I made some for Kemp and Lily today like my Daddy and Mother did for me! I hope so!....And what about all those years of getting toys and believing with all my heart in dear old Santa?! I loved Santa Claus! And, the year he brought me CHATTY CATHY?! Well, he became my hero that year! That doll made me the happiest little girl in East Lake my 9th Christmas Day!!!!! And, Santa has faithfully and continually come each and every year of my life! This year was no exception!Of course, for all of us, it was a special gift to have our Patrick HERE this year, after the scare a week ago when he had his terrible wreck. No greater gift could I have received than to have him here with us today---smiling that beautiful smile and giving me my special "Patrick hugs"!!!!So, any other gifts after that were BONUS ones! And I got lots of those, too!..... Christmas 2006  started off quietly enough--- unlike Christmases 20 years ago when 10 feet would hit the staircase and 5 voices screaming, MERRY CHRISTMAS sounded throughout the Fry House! This year we only have our ONE baby girl at home.She came downstairs around 9 and we hugged and said, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!". It still seems weird not having any other kids around now on Christmas morning!! Katie and I  exchanged stockings and enjoyed eating some SISTER SCHUBURT sausage and biscuits!!! Terry went to church and  while he was gone,we reveled in the excitement of Christmas morning, just the 2 of us! It's that ANTICIPATION thing---will everyone like their gifts? What will the day bring? Even the cats and dog seemed to know Christmas was in the air! Last night, well, actually, it was early Christmas morning, Katie and I laid out all the stockings and I made a few pictures of the stockings filled to the brim as well as the toys Santa left here for Lily and Kemp and caught her half asleep on the sofa!!! But, back to later on this morning! Jon was here bright and early and then came Stefanie and Pat. Soon after, Natalie/Brad and Kemp and Michael/Kadie and Lily came next. Natalie made a delicious breakfast casserole and we ate that and laughed at the little ones as they went nuts over their gifts! After eating we opened gifts. It was, as usual, a madhouse! Paper and bags everywhere as well as new dolls/toys and gifts. Lily got her new Disney T.V. from Aunt Cutie and Kemp got his V-SMILE so he can be a big boy like Uncle Pat and Jon J on and play video games---only ones for little tykes! I can't wait to see him work it! He loved his THOMAS THE TRAIN that we gave him and Lily loved her Talking Stove and Arial, the singing mermaid! Pat Pat and Stefanie gave the little ones some books and dolls,e tc. and I enjoyed getting some super gifts, too! Money from Terry; a soft and cuddly warm up  suit from KEMP and a warm gown I'm wearing right now from Katie! Of course, I loved my SHUTTERFLY scrapbook that is filled (90 pages!) of pictures of my incredible trip> It turned out simply awesome. Terry loved his Shutterfly scrapbook I made him, too, of his Emmaus Walk! ......after gift giving and cleaning up "the kids" played a (LONG!) game of Monopoly. Pat ended up the winner!!!!!!! Kemp took a 3 hour nap and Lily took NO NAP AT ALL! Of course, the minute they got in the car to go home she was zonked out!!! We had another wonderful Christmas Day to add the memories of Christmas Past.! And already, I am thinking ahead to NEXT year to Christmas FUTURE!!!!! Oh  how I love my CHRISTMASES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

P.S. Of course, we ended Christmas by searching for the CHRISTMAS PICKLE!!! Guess who the winner was? ONCE AGAIN, PATRICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He won a gift card! He got to hide it for the next round and it took them about 20 minutes to find it!!! MICHAEL won that time! I think Patrick will be our official "HIDER" of the pickle from now on! GO PATRICK! He won MONOPOLY AND the PICKLE PRIZE!