Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, Elizabeth got sick. She was running a fever, had a cough and runny nose. She was miserable. I took her to the doctor because of the 101 fever but she just had a virus. Wes stayed home with her that night while I went up to my dad's with Katelynn for dinner. Wes went and got his mom to spend the evening with he and Elizabeth since his mom was sick with a cold too.

Before going to my dads, Katelynn and I stopped off at the cemetery to wish my mother a Merry Christmas. A few days earlier, my sister and I had put some flowers on her grave as well as our grandparents grave. It was cold and silent and I was reminded of the song "Still, Still, Still". It was hard to go over to my parents house and not be able to celebrate this special time of year with my mother. It was a quiet dinner with my sister, her husband and their two girls. Then there was myself, Katelynn and my dad. We ate dinner, opened presents and visited.

My dad came home with me to spend the night Christmas Eve. My mother-in-law was still there at it was nice to have both my girls surviving grandparents be with them. They opened some pajamas and then I had a special gift for each of my girls from my mother.

Before my mother died, she had given me some money to spend on the girls. I never spent it and didn't know what to do with it. Then I had my thought. Every Christmas my mother loved buying a Madame Alexander Doll for all her granddaughters. I used the money to buy my girls a Madame Alexander Doll and told them it was from my mother. Katelynn was so excited to get a very special gift from Mama even though she was no longer with us.

I wrapped the dolls in some Angel paper that had been my mother's. Elizabeth got a Scottish Lass Doll. I chose this because my mother loved her Scottish heritage and Elizabeth is named after a Scottish ancestor on my husbands side of the family. Katelynn's doll was entitled, "Forget Me Not". I thought this was appropriate because I never want her to forget my mother.

After the girls got in their pajamas we read a story, put milk and cookies out for Santa and then it was off to bed for the girls. It was a bittersweet night for me, but I know the true reason for the season and that those we love who have passed on are with us on these special occasions.