Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are a blur of finishing up all the odds and ends, marathon wrapping sessions and delivering treats to our friends. Every time I think of "cutting back" I realize that all of this is what makes Christmas special to me. There isn't anything I would rather do than "give gifts." I LOVE it!
Thursday night we had our Moore Christmas Eve gathering. It doesn't seem to matter how early we say we are going to start, it NEVER starts on time. If anyone has a suggestion on how to get your family all in one place within 30 minutes of starting time, please share! We finally started our festivities 1 1/2 hours after starting time and enjoyed YUMMY food! Mexican of course! There was food a plenty! We ate until we couldn't eat any more and then we had our talent portion of the evening. Each family does something. Or nothing. It is whatever you want to do. Our family sang a song. Can I just say that it is actually starting to sound pretty good! We have another male voice and the girls can harmonize and everything! BEE U TE FUL!
After trying to get my children to bed for Santa...(you think it's hard with little ones? Try big ones who stay up past midnight on a regular basis!) I finally went ahead and did my Santa helper thing and finally got to bed at 2:00am.
The girls were up and ready to go by 7:00am! There was lots of laughing and hugging as hopes, wishes and dreams were fulfilled!
This year I had a very special gift for one of my girls! This gift has been LONG waited for. She hasn't said much about it, but I knew it was important to her when she asked if I would get it for her for her birthday (which will be in February).
So in October I started working on this gift. I drove to Phoenix, I made phone calls, I visited the bank (twice), I searched high and low for the things I needed. Finally, everything was just right. I decided NOT to wait until her birthday, but to give it to her for Christmas. So after everyone was done opening gifts I asked them to wait in the living room because I had a very special gift for Holli.
I will NEVER forget her face. Everyone sat down again full of anticipation. Hillary had already been briefed on what she needed to do and was busy getting that ready in the kitchen. I handed Holli her gift. She looked very confused and nervous about opening it! But she did! Inside this special box was Holli's birth certificate.
Finally.
After 14 +years she now has a birth certificate. She lifted it out of the box, total confusion on her face and as she started reading it the light dawned and the biggest smile lit her face. Then Hillary came in with a cinnamon braid wreath with birthday candles and we all sang Happy Birthday To You.
And she cried.
Yep, she did. She cried and laughed and cried some more. It was the sweetest thing ever. It makes tears come to my eyes to remember. It couldn't have gone better. It was just what I had hoped. I don't know if I realized how much it would mean to her, but I do now! I hugged her and told her welcome to the family! You're Born!
So crazy I know, but it feels so good to have this silly document! This legal piece of paper!
And that is what I will always remember about Christmas 2009. This sweet girl who we have teased about "not existing" because she didn't have a birth certificate. I'm sure she will need counseling in the future, but I hope she knows she has always existed and been a special part of our lives - with or without that silly piece of paper! I love you Holli dolly!
(I know someone is wondering "Why didn't she have a birth certificate?" The simple answer is that the midwife who assisted in her birth didn't file it! And yes, I have worked on this off and on for years. I just kept dropping the ball, so I would have to start over. Well, and in the beginning I actually thought it had been filed. It took awhile to get the puzzle put together! But now it's done! YAY! It makes for a good story anyway!)
3 comments:
Oh Diane... that is sooo cute. What a great story indeed! Thanks for sharing it. Very cool!
=)
aw, that is the sweetest little story i've ever heard. What a sweet girl. That was so clever Dianne, and I'm sure it was that good old mother's intuition that helped you know how much it would mean to her :) So cute!
The Sunday after Christmas in MiaMaids we asked the girls what was there favorite thing about Christmas - Holli of course said she got her birth certificate and had to explain to us why she didn't have one. That is great - and she will need that sucker a lot once college and marriage and buying houses and life start.
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