More Memories

Waiting For Santa!!!!

I do not know who this little girl is but she seems content while watching for Santa. I hope she gets everything she ask for for Christmas!!

Well, can you believe I finished my shopping 3 whole days before Christmas? It feels good to have everything done except for wraping. I will get that done too!!! I am thankful I can be with family this year. To me that is much more important than receiving gifts. I do enjoy giving, however. If you can read this and live within driving--or flying---distance, you are invited to spend the Holidays with us. In fact, we are expecting Darla and family on Sunday. Then we will throw another party on Tues. Let me know if you can join us.

We have so much for which to be thankful this year. The same is true for years gone by as well. We have never been homeless and we have always had enough food-----not always the "fancy" food we might desire but plenty food none the less. We did not always have the greatest gifts but we still had the necessities of life. We learn from past experiences. Perhaps because of the lack of some of our desires, we are now more appreciative of what we have. We do not become the persons we are as a result of our triumphs and/or our trials but by the way we accept the things we have or do not have.

During most of my 78 Christmases, I have felt joy and happiness. My dear Mother had the ability of making any occasion special even though times were hard and we had no money for gifts. It was during those times, I learned how important family and friends were and how they had a very great part in helping me become the person I am today.

In the midst of the happy times, two Chrismases stand out in my mind as being very sad. Merrel and I were married in January, 1947. We moved more than 2,000 miles from every thing and every one that was familiar and important to me. In December of that year, Merrel's youngest brother was critically injured in a car crash that took the lives of 3 of his friends. Merrel and his two other brothers left immediately and drove the 2,000 miles non stop to be with the brother who was not expected to live. We three sisters-in-law were left to spend the Christmas Season without our husbands. I am happy to add that the injured brother did live even though the Doctors gave up on him several times during the next several months.

The second mentioned sad Christmas was in 1969 when my dear Mother passed away. We burried her on Saturday before Christmas and it was difficult to feel joy that year. She had been ill for several months so I felt comfort that she did not have to suffer any longer but I miss her still, even after 38 years. I have so many memories of our years together and the many things she taught me that live on in my daily life today. She made so many sacrifices for me and my sister and raising us after our Dad left us, was very difficult. She never complained and always had faith that we would have the things we needed. I think of the years when my Dad would bring home fruit for Christmas. When there were only 3 apples left, she set them on a shelf. I thought they were for the 3 of us but when she gave one to me and one to my sister and the third one stayed on the shelf, I couldn't understand why she didn't like apples too. Well, a day or two later, she took that one last apple down, cut it in half and gave each of us a half. At that point we realized she did like apples but she liked little girls more. Those are the memories I have of my Mother. I am so thankful for her and that God allowed her to be a part of my life for 41 years. I am also glad that God has allowed my children to be a part of my life all these years and that now I get to live close to many of my family. God is soooo good!!!

Merry Christmas and many blessings,

Dortha