Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A Christmas I'll Never Forget....

Our first Christmas with Sugar was absolutely amazing. She was in awe of everything and her favorite expressions now are "Oh Boy" and "Awesome". She was a little overwhelmed with all the gifts Align Rightcoming at her and not having a chance to take them out of the box to play. After about the 5th gift she caught on and started asking for more! I'm pretty sure it was more about the fun of ripping off the wrapping paper than anything else!


We had Jaclyn, Tyler and Miss K with us Christmas morning also which made it extra special. Miss K figured out how to rip the paper of of a few of the gifts her mommy had. She was full of giggles and cute as a button! She is holding herself up and walking around furniture now! She'll be walking any day now! She crawls across the floor at lightning speed now too! I can't believe how much she has grown.

My favorite memory from this Christmas was sharing a tradition with Sugar Pie that I've been doing by myself for the last several years. Around Christmas I always feel drawn to go back to my old home town which is a tiny little village with 3 streets going one way and 3 streets crossing threw it. I've blogged about it before and showed pics of our old house. So for those who don't know here's a quick recap. We lived in a sweet little house on Nelson street. My parents my sister, brother and I. Life was so sweet. We had the white picket fence, the dog and cat, we were a stones throw away from the ocean, everyone in the neighborhood knew everyone else and it was ok for all of the kids to wander the village cause everyone looked out for everyone elses children. I remember a couple of Christmas and how sweet they were. Getting dressed in my Sunday best and my black Mary Jane's heading to Church and all of the kids were given Peanut brittle...It was the first time I'd ever had it I'm sure! I remember grade one in Englewood school and the first Christmas song I ever learned was "I Saw Three Ships".

Tragedy struck our family when I was 6 and I lost my Dad. We had to move away from what I thought was my perfect little world. I loved my Daddy very very much. The sights, sounds and smells are still fresh in my mind today.

Every time something happens in my life I always wonder what my Dad would have said or I wished he would have been here to share these special times with us. With all the hustle and bustle of trying to prepare each year for the season I always feel drawn back to the house to remember the true reason for the season. I was 4 when I understood it was about a little baby who was having a birthday and we were celebrating that with the rest of the world. Ironic that Sugar is 4 hey! I thought it would be a wonderful memory for her when she gets older and it will give her a tangible sense of her family's heritage that she can make her own.

Before we went to the village we stopped on the side of the road where the Church is where my Dad was buried. I rolled the window down and I just said "Daddy I just want to let you know you have a new granddaughter. She is beautiful and you would have loved her very much. We miss you and wish you were here." I kind of tried to explain to Sugar what was going on but I'm not sure what she understood. When we started to drive away she spoke these words that brought tears to my eyes..."Bye Mommy's daddy"....If I ever need closure that would have done it right there...it was the sweetest sound.

We got to the Village and you need to know that almost all of the homes are now summer cottages for people who don't even live in our province so there is not really any sign of Christmas around other than the little live theater called the Victoria Play House which has a little tree outside and lights on it. As we walked towards my old house Sugar ran out onto the street and I dashed after her...there were no cars in sight or in sound....but there was a very tempting puddle inviting us to jump in to interrupt it's sleep in the very middle of the road.....but we resisted. We headed back in the right direction and there on the roadside about 10 feet from the driveway was a single silver bell with a gold cord. I scooped it up and smiled from ear to ear, it was such a magical moment, it was like it was placed there just for her and I.

Above is a collage with pics of Sugar by my old bedroom window holding our little silver bell, Sugar kissing the bell and Sugar heading in to the post office/gift shop so we could go in and get an ornament for our tree. I think it would be nice to get an ornament each year we go to Victoria-By-The-Sea and put the date on it. A neat thing about the silver bell is that our pastor and wife gave us a bicycle bell that they got 15 years ago when they were in China and adopter their daughter, on the card it said "We will ring in 2009 with hopes and prayers that this will be the year you will bring your daughter home"...little did we know at the time that this would be the year! So our year started out with a silver bell and it ended with one too! What a blessing that little bell brought us!

This was another beautiful dress I found for Christmas. I love the purple one so much I just had to get another one in a different color.




She loves the camera...can you tell! LOL!


Little red riding hood. Gosh she looks so grown up in this pic! Speaking of which...we measured her the day after we arrived home with her then again last Sunday and she has grown 2 full inches already!

Little Miss K had fun this Christmas too! She is growning and changing so fast. I'm so happy that they were with us Christmas morning. I find myself looking at Miss K and almost gritting my teeth cause she is soooooooooo cute! At one point on Christmas moring I had Miss K on one knee and Sugar on the other and Miss K was all over Sugar! Sugar couldn't resist and had to kiss her too ;O). Those big eyes would melt the North Pole!

What a cutie! I love you Grandbutton!!!
Sugar Pie and I are heading out to make some snowmen cause we just got a fresh load of snowman snow last night!!
Incase I don't get a chance to post before New Years..HAPPY NEW YEARS TO YOU ALL!!!!
May 2010 be a year filled with hope, peace and blessings!!!

11 comments:

Sherri said...

just beautiful!!

Happy New Year!

Fliss and Mike Adventures said...

Ohhhhh... I can honestly tell you I am crying my eyes out... that was so incredibly sweet... I understand what you mean about your dad... I was 9 when my dad died and think of him to this day when things go wrong etc and wonder what he would say/do... of course I will always see my dad through a 9 year olds eyes... what gorgeous memories... have a great New Year...

susan said...

I lost my dad this year and can only imagine how difficult it must have been at such a young age. of course, it never gets any easier I don't think.
Your pictures are beautiful and
The story of the bell is very special. Thanks for sharing it. Susan, Emily and Julia

Shionge said...

So touching there and for sharing all your thoughts too, thank you ;)

Yes, I faced the same problem when I was in Xiamen (China) last week and no access to facebook, blogger & youtube so yep, was frustrating.

Here's wishing you the best of the new year too Debz :D

Lesa said...

Debz,
This is so sweet. I know you must be missing your dad.
I lost mine last month and it has been hard enough on me an my little ones, but being six must be just horrible. That is the age Wendy is now, and she so misses her Papaw.

I just love her little red dress!! Was this made for her? The purple one is lovely too. Some one has lovely clothes to pick from.

Kim said...

I am sooo HAPPY for you my friend..
what an AMAZING Christmas you had..
love the tradition ..
Hugs..
have a great New Years..
Love ya..

Madeleine said...

What a lovely story.

I think we should all grow up in an atmosphere like that. But alas...

I so enjoyed the pictures though!

You got yourself some cuties, there.

Have a good and joyfilled New Year.

Madeleine said...

Oh! and I'm sorry about your dad. Though it was many years ago, I imagine daddy is still in a little girl's heart even when she is not a little girl anymore.

My niece is 17 and her daddy died when she was 4. I remember her life growing up, and I know she still misses him. Not that her life is not happy and full, just different because of it.

And I posted my last comment on the wrong username. duh. lol

a Tonggu Momma said...

You (or should I say she?) had me at "bye, Mommy's Daddy." This ever-practical, non-emotional quirky nerd is now tearing up.

Elisa...life as we know it. said...

So great to get caught up with you, I haven't been around checking blogs for ages.
Wishing you all a great 2010!

geminirn said...

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL! HAPPY NEWYEAR FROM ACROSS THE WATERS MY FRIEND!