Mark Twain

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Eve of Memories


A Christmas Eve like no other for me.

I can't help be disappointment that mom is not home for Christmas. Her inability to climb steps has changed so much for both of us. Although I am ready to shed the old habits and traditions, but I can't help but desire her presence in my home during this season.

When I look at my Christmas tree, I see reflected many past Christmases when my heart was heavy because of other missing family. But I see other happy reflections as well.

Meathead's picture on a ceramic ornament.

Our tree has symbols of all the things that are important to us.
Most are cat and dog ornaments collected over the years.

It may not be obvious, but that is a pug dressed as Santa Claus.
Pugs love to wear clothes!
Grimace would happily wear an outfit like this.

Several ornaments represent the years my son served in the military
and couldn't be with us. Those were very hard years for me.
My heart goes out to those family this night.

And cat ornaments have graced our tree for all the 42 years of our marriage.
In fact, for most years, cat ornaments were the entire theme.

We have the hand made ornaments as well.
Here is one made by mom many years ago.

We have the traditional Santas.

And the not so traditional Santas (a cat, of course)

The other not-so-seasonal beings that grace my holiday this year are my grand-dogs.
They care not one twit if things are decorated or what gifts are wrapped.
They are happy to be with their "peoples." The rest is unimportant.

And that is how I feel this season.

Thank you for visiting my blog this year during so much of my upheaval and turmoil.
I may not be able to gather all my "peoples" around me this holiday,
but I have got most them.

I am blessed!

Mom, you are missed.

7 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Elaine .. I wish you and your family a peaceful and blessed time - you have done wonders for and with your mother .. you are as you say 'blessed' .. your mother is in safe hands and you can visit easily .. more blessings.

I love your various decorations - they are lovely, so diverse and such fun .. thanks for sharing with us .. with happy thoughts - Hilary

Anonymous said...

Elaine, may you have a wonderful and warm Christmas. It is sad your Mom can't be in the house with you but you do still HAVE your Mom. I wish I could say the same. Merry Christmas my dear and all the best in 2012.

happyone said...

A very Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Chatty Crone said...

Merry Christmas to you - have a blessed Christmas.
sandie♥

SarcasticTestGuy said...

Nice pictorial! We have stored away amongst the buh-zillion ornaments in our attic my very favorites: a variety of Santas from the early 1900's. The wife had picked them up from the years in which our grandparents were born.

Back then, they knew what Santa ought to look like.

Lindabee said...

I thought about you yesterday. My mom is also in assisted living, but we had made our house accessible when she lived with us. With the ramps that DH built, we are able to get her into the house in her wheelchair, and that makes our holidays a little brighter. Can you do this with your house?

g-girl said...

i think all trees are symbols of one's past, present, and forever. :) thanks for the peek at your tree!