Now, we're at the end of December, and the year, and I have to say I'm finding myself breathing a lot of sighs of relief to see it pass. It's been a tough year. But, it's also been a year of great excitement too.
We're on the heels of Christmas, and looking forward to the New Year around here. We had a nice Christmas weekend together, and were happy...so happy to spend it at home. We got a large amount of snow dumped on us last week, so it was a white Christmas, but also a very sunny Christmas.
We each got some special gifts, and were just genuinely happy to be together and everyone healthy.
On Christmas Eve, I got a package in the mail from my mom. She told me to wait and open it with my sister when she came over for our big meal together that evening. When we finally got it opened from the incredible tape job on the box, we found a treasure inside.
My Aunt Nancy's Christmas cookies! We dug right in and each pulled up a piece of home.
Just look at our happy faces! And oh yeah, we have this ridiculous way of buying the same clothes and wearing them on the same day thinking we're mighty stylish in our own right...only to find the other one had the same idea. Out of all the choices, we also both pulled up the bell shaped cookie with blue sugar sprinkles. . . because they taste the best.
We had a great meal together and fun opening gifts to each other. Christmas morning, I was excited to open my couple of gifts from Steve. I had asked for a few things, and he got them all for me. But, he told me he had a surprise that I would never guess. Of course, I told him to bring it to me right away in bed, but he said he couldn't put it on the bed. I told him I didn't want another dog, or a bird, or a llama. So if it wasn't an old truck, he should bring it in to the bedroom so I didn't need to get up out of the warm covers just yet.
He told me it wasn't going on the bed, so I just had to wait. I hurried around and got Max's food and medicine made so we could get the gift opening going. The kids opened their gifts, and I opened mine, and Steve then went out to the garage to get my surprise. I really had no idea what to expect, so when he brought this in, I was so surprised.
It must look like nothing much to most people, but to me it rendered me speechless. I looked at him and tried to fight back the tears that are always on the verge from missing family, and feelings of disappointment for not being able to travel around this time of year. But, it was no use. When I had to explain to those in the room who had no idea of why I would be so thrilled to have a rusty old pot in the middle of my living room floor, the tears couldn't be held in any longer.
It was my Grandmama's pot. She always had flowers in it, in her front yard. And when she died, I asked if I could have it. I haven't really been back for long visits since she passed away, and have told my mom through the years that she can't get rid of it, because it was mine. To my mom, it was just an old pot that wouldn't ever keep anything alive. To me, it's Summertime with Grandmama. It's watering her many flowers after we eat dinner. It's moss beneath my feet. It's big pink peonies. It's another piece of her with me.
When Steve was back in Oklahoma last week while Abbey was visiting her mom, he went to my mom's house and got it. He stuck a label on it, and FedExed that 66 pound iron pot here for my Christmas surprise.
I'll get it sandblasted and we'll get it powder-coated since it's got some rust on it, but I can not wait until Spring when I can plant flowers in it. I think Grandmama would think it's silly and strange that I would want that "ugly ol' thing", and I guess it's funny the things we latch on to. It just means the world to me that it's here. And not really something I can easily explain. I'll just keep it in my heart and know that I have a pretty wonderful husband who knows just how much it would mean without having to come up with the words.
