I've Just One Wish

Greeting cards have all been sent,
The Christmas rush is through;
But I still have one wish to make,
A special one for you.

As I listen to the Carpenters sing this holiday song, I think of two very special people in my life that I cannot be with on Christmas this year: my mother Jane and my son Eric.

My parents both made Christmas a very special day for our family every year.  I remember Mom doing lots of Christmas baking - including her famous gum drop bread - and lots of Christmas decorating throughout the house.  As I grew older, I realized there was also a funny story about Mom hiding Christmas gifts.  Once Christmas Eve arrived, and it was time to put them under the tree, she couldn't remember where she had hidden them!  

Mom also sent many Christmas cards every year and kept track of all those received.  I was always impressed that she had a few friends she exchanged cards with every year - women she had known since they were all in grade school.  Mom now lives in an elder care facility for those with dementia, and this will be the first Christmas she cannot leave to spend the day with us.  Of course, we are visiting her throughout the holiday season, but she will not be with us for our family celebration.

My son Eric was a big part of my Christmas for 25 years - until he decided to move to North Carolina to be with his sweetheart whom he eventually married on December 1, 2000.  I miss our times together, especially a few Christmases in the Seattle area when the two of us were the only family we had to celebrate with.  We always made an effort to pick out appropriate gifts and filled a Christmas stocking for each other.  I miss my grown-up boy every day, but even more so during the holidays.

So, as the weekend begins tonight:

I've just one wish on this Christmas Eve;
I wish I were with you . . . I wish I were with you.

It's Cold Outside!

The recent cold weather in the Portland area has made me appreciate the shelter of my apartment and the warmth of stores and other buildings I visit.  Sweaters and sweatshirts, extra blankets, hot drinks - these are things that I can do without for much of the year.  But, right now, that extra sweatshirt or hot coffee is more than welcome.

On December 1, I started a practice of writing down at least two things I am thankful for every day. After reading about someone who had listed 50 things she is grateful for - I just took her idea and developed it into a pre-Christmas ritual.  If I record at least two things every day until December 25, I will have a list of 50 (or more) things for which I am thankful.

While I won't be sharing my entire list in this blog, I want to share two things I am grateful for today:

(1) Cold Weather:  I am grateful for the cold weather because it reminds me of how wonderful it is to have warm coats, warm blankets, and home heating.  The cold weather provides a contrast to the warmth that these and many other blessings provide.

(2) Hot Eggnog Lattes:  Every year I look forward to the days between Thanksgiving and New Year's as "eggnog latte season."  Whether purchased at the local Starbucks or made up in my own kitchen, this fragrant and delicious beverage is one of my favorite things about the holiday season.  

What are you grateful for today?