I had a fantastic Christmas. As I have said before Christmas is my time of year to come in from my cold atheist worldview and wrap myself in the warmth of church. To see things with hope and joy instead of the cold eye of the realist.
My papa had his Christmas party again. He didn't have it last year because my granny was dying but the fact he got one together this year gave us hope that he is doing better with granny's passing. Her slippers are still on her side of the bed and he has not put away any of her make up. He misses his wife. He says that he cannot feel whole again.
There was a new picture on his desk. It is of him in his Marine class A's and my granny in a flowered cotton summer dress. They are a strikingly beautiful couple. They looked like they should have been on a Hollywood set not standing in front of my papa's beat up Packard on a hot Texas morning. The Marine uniform throws me.
WWII is not talked about in my papa's house. Whenever I brought it up he would just say he was in the navy and cleaned up Pearl Harbor. I asked one of my uncles what was with the Marine get up and my uncle said he was a marine during WWII, he was a Raider. I mention that papa said he was in the navy.
"Marines are part of the department of the Navy. He never talked to us about the war. One time I over heard him talking to one of his Mason buddies. They talked about the war and the things I heard where too terrible for daddy too ever talk about with anyone who wasn't there. He just doesn't like to talk about it."
The first time papa lied to me and I don't blame him.
My cousin Amy and her new husband where at the party. Amy is my hip chick cousin who I love more than anything. She is the girly me and my wife bar crawl with and dog sit for. She is everything you want in a friend and I'm always happy to see her. She still needs to give me back my My Life With The Thrill Kill Cult cd.
The usual assortment of aunts and uncles where there to ask me the endless questions about my kids and remember when’s.
We left the party and met my in-laws for the midnight service at the First United Methodist in Rowlett. I sat down and told myself this would be the year I would actually sing instead of just mouthing the words. My voice has been known to kill at a distance of 2 miles. So starting with Come All Ye Faithful I sang my heart out and had a damn good time.
The singing really helped get me caught up in the spirit. I listened to the sermon with laser beam focused attention and for a few moments felt like even I could believe, but like all good things that feeling passed. After we lit the candles and walked out of the chapel I found the minister and thanked him for a great service and all the support the church gives my son's scout pack.
The kids went to bed and I played Santa always keeping one eye open for spies who should have been sleeping. Had another 3 dozen of my mother-in-law's meatballs and put on my cap for a warm winters nap.
The morning brought the typical Christmas cheer. Homemade glazed rolls, gifts, squealing kids and barking dogs. My favorite thing was the fact was my wife, our kids and me where wearing matching Sponge Bob pj bottoms and white t-shirts. The rest of the day was spent sleeping and eating. The night was full of movies and UNO and dread of work the next day. Uneventful and perfect.
customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.
My papa had his Christmas party again. He didn't have it last year because my granny was dying but the fact he got one together this year gave us hope that he is doing better with granny's passing. Her slippers are still on her side of the bed and he has not put away any of her make up. He misses his wife. He says that he cannot feel whole again.
There was a new picture on his desk. It is of him in his Marine class A's and my granny in a flowered cotton summer dress. They are a strikingly beautiful couple. They looked like they should have been on a Hollywood set not standing in front of my papa's beat up Packard on a hot Texas morning. The Marine uniform throws me.
WWII is not talked about in my papa's house. Whenever I brought it up he would just say he was in the navy and cleaned up Pearl Harbor. I asked one of my uncles what was with the Marine get up and my uncle said he was a marine during WWII, he was a Raider. I mention that papa said he was in the navy.
"Marines are part of the department of the Navy. He never talked to us about the war. One time I over heard him talking to one of his Mason buddies. They talked about the war and the things I heard where too terrible for daddy too ever talk about with anyone who wasn't there. He just doesn't like to talk about it."
The first time papa lied to me and I don't blame him.
My cousin Amy and her new husband where at the party. Amy is my hip chick cousin who I love more than anything. She is the girly me and my wife bar crawl with and dog sit for. She is everything you want in a friend and I'm always happy to see her. She still needs to give me back my My Life With The Thrill Kill Cult cd.
The usual assortment of aunts and uncles where there to ask me the endless questions about my kids and remember when’s.
We left the party and met my in-laws for the midnight service at the First United Methodist in Rowlett. I sat down and told myself this would be the year I would actually sing instead of just mouthing the words. My voice has been known to kill at a distance of 2 miles. So starting with Come All Ye Faithful I sang my heart out and had a damn good time.
The singing really helped get me caught up in the spirit. I listened to the sermon with laser beam focused attention and for a few moments felt like even I could believe, but like all good things that feeling passed. After we lit the candles and walked out of the chapel I found the minister and thanked him for a great service and all the support the church gives my son's scout pack.
The kids went to bed and I played Santa always keeping one eye open for spies who should have been sleeping. Had another 3 dozen of my mother-in-law's meatballs and put on my cap for a warm winters nap.
The morning brought the typical Christmas cheer. Homemade glazed rolls, gifts, squealing kids and barking dogs. My favorite thing was the fact was my wife, our kids and me where wearing matching Sponge Bob pj bottoms and white t-shirts. The rest of the day was spent sleeping and eating. The night was full of movies and UNO and dread of work the next day. Uneventful and perfect.
customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.