Twas The Week Before Christmas - Guest Post - Day4

Today I would like to introduce the wonderful Brook at Redhead Reverie all the way from Iowa.  Her blog is a great diary of her football mad life with her husband and their 2 gorgeous little boys that makes great reading.  If you have not yet met Brook then please do stop by her blog and say Hi, I know she would welcome you with open arms.  

Here is Brook's magical tale of Christmas.  (And just a little warning you may need a tissue at the ready)

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The twinkling lights, the crisp smell of evergreen, and the soft melody of holiday carols filling the air. Ah Christmas!

It’s a magical time. A time for Christmas wishes.

Last year, I shared my wish with Santa. Ironically, he has heard the same wish since the first grade.

“For Christmas I would like my mommy,” I scribbled on the gray wide spaced paper.

“Are you sure you want to write that,” my teacher asked. “It’s going to be put on the bulletin board for everyone to see.”

What was she thinking? Of course I wanted it on the bulletin board; more of a chance for Santa to see it.

But if he saw it, he didn’t really make it happen. Well, at least not the way I wanted.

Weekend visits with my mom were fine, but I wanted the REAL thing; the mom who greeted me at the door after school, the one who made actual dinner {not just mac and cheese…no offense dad} and the one I could talk to about girl things.

Even when I visited Santa, and asked him for my mommy, he would just look at me strangely and nod like he understood.

It wasn’t until I was in first or second grade that I realized there was no Santa {sorry spoiler alert}. I blame it on my Grandmother and a lost pair of earrings. She kept asking over and over where the earrings were that she bought me for Christmas. After about the fourth time of asking I realized she meant the ones Santa had brought me. BLAMO the myth was busted.

For years I went about my merry way never once giving Santa a thought, until I had kids. Yep, those little munchkins with their wide eyes and large smiles brought Santa back to life for me.

We buy special Santa wrapping paper, we write Santa letters, we leave him cookies and egg nog {blech} and carrots for the reindeer. The magic is alive and well at our house.

Except for last year…last year was hard. It was the first holiday without my dad and Christmas is his birthday. I was feeling a little lost and disconnected from my family.

I talk to my mom EVERY day, but it didn’t take away the fact that she just couldn’t make it for the holiday.

So, while other people were full of holiday cheer, I was full of bah humbugs. It wasn’t until I read The Grinch to my eldest son {over and over again} that I realized I needed to change my attitude and start letting a little Christmas magic into my heart.

I decided then and there to make one more plea to Santa, just one more. And I made this wish …

I want some family to FINALLY be living closer.

So with that said, Santa better get to work because this time next year I expect my mom and stepdad to be living somewhere nearby...do you hear me Santa, do you hear me?

And you know what?

This year. After 30 odd years of waiting.

My WISH came true!

My mom whom I only see twice a year is FINALLY going to be living only 45 minutes away, and we will celebrate the holiday TOGETHER.

 

Thanks Santa, I’m a believer.

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Now that really is what they call a Happy ending, I hope this Christmas is the most magical Christmas yet Brook.  To find out more about Brook's Christmas with her Mum do check out her blog here to see how it all goes.

Merry Christmas

Love Gem x x x x