I want to start by saying that I had an awesome Christmas filled with laughter and joy.
But......I can't help thinking about my Grandmother that we lost to Cancer almost 2 years ago.
My Grandmother was the most selfless, never complained, sweet, caring, welcoming person that I know. I was named after her and oh how I miss her terribly.
I have soooo many memories from my childhood during Christmas of her. She always made sure that each grandchild (there are 6 of us grandchildren) had an equal amount of gifts. Even as adults she continued that and she would get the Great-Grandchildren an equal amount of gifts as well.
But it was more that just the presents.......I will never forget the time that she made my Dad go out shopping on Christmas Eve because it was "tradition". We lived in Virgina at the time and would go to ATL to spend our Christmas break at my Grandparents. My Dad would go out every year on Christmas Eve to get my Mom her Christmas gifts. Well....one year he actually got my MOm something before we left Virgina. My Grandmother looked at My Dad and said "Alan, aren't you going out shopping?" My Dad said that he had already gotten his shopiing done. My Grandmother told my Dad that he HAD to go out shopping because it was tradition. And with that my Dad left to go shopping...even though he didn't actually NEED to.... We all laughed.
My Grandmother's house was full of people....laughter....and hot... but we had a blast playing ping-pong in the basement, playing board games upstairs, eating good food, taking naps, laughing and just enjoying everyone.
I miss her soo much.....
But I know that she was looking down on all of us enjoying the same things that we enjoyed as children.
Sooo my point is that even when we get busy remember those that are no longer with us because they always remembered us....