All I want for Christmas

Just a few moments ago, I went to a friend's blog. His post simply said, "What do you want for Christmas?" It didn't take me long to answer. This year, I don't want material things. But the one thing I want, I can't have. I want to be with my family on Christmas. That would be the absolute best Christmas present ever! But I have to work, so I cannot go home.

You know, as a child, Christmas was always so magical. I knew the real reason for the season. My mom made sure to teach me about Jesus at an early age. But my dad made sure I got to experience the other side of Christmas, too. Santa Claus was very real to me growing up. I remember hearing elves run through the hall on Christmas eve, and hearing the reindeer on the roof. One Christmas morning, I went outside and found sleigh marks in the dirt. Santa was there and he was there every year!

One year when I was little, we were all spending Christmas at my grandmother's house. We used to have these big family Christmases with all the cousins. I don't know why we stopped. But it was so much fun. My brother and I were the youngest of the cousins and the older ones had a lot of fun with us because of it. One year, they were trying to get me to go to sleep on Christmas eve, but I wanted to stay awake. And you know if you're still awake when Santa comes, he won't stop. So, I was laying there and I looked out the window, and I saw Rudolph's red nose in the window. Oh no! Santa is here and I'm not asleep! What am I going to do? It was so much fun. I miss those days. I can't wait until God blesses me with children so I can bring back that childhood magic of Christmas.

Thanksgiving hasn't even passed and I'm already thinking about Christmas, but I can't help it. Christmas is all around me! On the radio, stations are already playing Christmas music...and you go to the store and there's Christmas decorations everywhere! But I don't mind. Christmas is my favorite time of year. I've been known to listen to Christmas music in July! :)

I'm going to my dad's for Thanksgiving next week. I'm really looking forward to it!!! And I get to see my nephew for the first time...he's a year old! My step-brother and his wife live in Chicago, and her family lives in France, so we don't get to see them very often.