Christmas' Past.

Close to ten years ago I lost a wonderful person that God had put in my life.  She knew me more then many of my blood relatives and when I said she knew me I mean she knew me.  She knew my likes and my dislikes, she knew that my kitchen was done in apples and that I loved sweaters, and the reason why I loved them.  She knew I felt like I was always being hugged when I wore a sweater and she knew why I liked that feeling.  She knew I hid my teeth when I smile or laughed because I was ashamed of them.  She taught me how to make those chocolate no bake cookies because her son loved them.  She knew every year without fail that I would call for her buckeye recipe because I could not keep up with it from one year to the next.  She is why I have such love for my daughter in law, because this women taught me how to love a daughter in law like your own daughter, because that was how she loved me.   Now let me say this love did not happen immediately.  They were a lot of fights and fusses. She didn't like me very much at all at first - I was taking away her little boy.  I remember the first time he chose to do something my family was doing, instead of something she had planned.  She told me "I had always prayed he would marry an orphan." Yet we grew to love each other andnow I miss her so much... Christmas was her time.  She loved it... She was a huge kid at Christmas time.  She loved to buy a present that was unique and make people guess what it was.. You had to not guess it right away because she would think she had not bought a hard enough gift.  She never put names on gifts - she just knew who they belonged to.. She did this so that even her thirty something kids would shake and try and guess what was in the boxes.  She didn't care what you got her because  she just wanted you and she wanted to play games and eat and have fun and laugh... She loved to laugh, she loved to love and she loved to live... I miss you mom Myra...  You proved with out a doubt you were the glue that held your family together... I will never forget that day and never forget that call.. You took a part of me with you that day... I still have the big red sweater and I have kept you that promise I am still taking care of your little boy.  Your grandson has married a girl you would LOVE, and on Saturday he graduates from College... You would be so proud... I love you... I miss you.. Christmas will never be the same... Some 4 years later:  Oh how I still miss you.  You have a great grandson now, he will be a year old Sunday.  You would love him.  Jared and Audra both have graduated college with honors, have jobs teaching,  bought a house, and have Carter Joe.  I often look at him and hurt for you to know him. Memories are both good and bad, happy and sad... it is our choice how we see them.