Christmases past

I finally finished decorating our Christmas tree last night. I have to admit that it has been a struggle this year. Not for the usual reasons, like having sons on opposite ends of the Earth or anything like that. I mean, all of the boys will be home for Christmas this year, so what do I have to complain about...right?? It just seems to have been difficult this year.

For one thing, my two oldest boys were living here for a while until they found a house to lease. We had stuff piled everywhere, which put my decorating plans on hold. Even if I could have gotten to the Christmas tree in the attic, I had no place to set it up. Then when it came time for them to move into their house, the weather was terrible, so it took over a week for them to get completely moved out...and of course, we were part of the moving crew..... :)

Another thing is that I caught a cold over a week ago and haven't felt much like decorating or shopping or anything. Now that the worst part of my cold is over, I have this lingering cough that's driving me crazy and wearing me out. Arrrggghhhhh!!!!

Anyway, I've been thinking alot about Christmases past...yeah, okay, reminiscing..... :)

When the boys were young, they got up earlier and earlier every year on Christmas morning, until we finally told them they couldn't wake us up before 6 a.m. Right!!! Ken and I would laugh as we listened to them whispering in their rooms before 6, and then hear one of them sneak down the hall and then go running back to tell his brothers that Santa had been there. They could hardly contain themselves.....lol.

When they were teenagers, and the Santa Claus thing had worn thin, they slept later...we wouldn't get up until 7...hahaha. What can I say?? Christmas is just magical...even at my age.

In 1998 came the military years. Kevin would come in from Barksdale AFB for Christmas and the boys would all sleep in until 9. Talk about a role reversal, Ken and I would be the first ones up, after all those years of being dragged out of bed before dawn by antsy little boys, and we were waking them up. Then came 2002, when Seth joined the Army and went off to basic training right before Thanksgiving. They actually let them go home for Christmas in the middle of boot camp, which shocked me, but I was thrilled. That was the last year all the boys were home for Christmas together until last year. Christmas 2003, Seth was in Korea and Kevin was in Alaska; in 2004, Seth was here, but Kevin was still in Alaska; 2005, Kevin was still in the great white north, and Seth had just left for Iraq. As difficult a time as that was for me to have two sons away from home at Christmas, it was even harder for Katie, but she was a real treasure to me that Christmas. Watching her give Ken a hard time while we decorated the Christmas tree made me laugh. I mentally thanked Seth at that time for giving me a daughter-in-law. Anyway, I got an email from her a few days ago about their Christmas plans and I told her that I wished she was here to help me decorate the tree like she did two years ago. She laughed and said I should get Ken to help me...yeah, right..... :) She remembered how "helpful" he was the year she was here.....hahaha.

Then last year, with all the boys and Katie here, it was absolutely wonderful. Kevin had returned to the lower 48 and could make it home without spending an arm and a leg on airfare and Seth was home from Iraq. It couldn't have been any better.

I know this Christmas will be another good one, and I'm really looking forward to it, but the decorations are lacking and I've only been shopping once. Oh well, the shopping may not get finished, but c'est la vie...that's not the important thing. What's important is that I'll be surrounded by my wonderful family...my hubby of 35 years, my three boys, and my sweet daughter-in-law. I can't complain..... :)