Thanks, Tal, Andy, everyone. I really appreciate everyone here, and I wish we could all meet, have a DB'er jamboree.
Christmas Eve was pretty good with my S's. The boys and I went to a mid-afternoon Christmas service for children at our church. Both S6 and S3 were sort of bored and fidgety compared to previous times. But then I noticed a lot of the other children in the congregation were very much the same way for some reason.
Last night, after I dropped the boys off at the house, I went back to my apartment. I tried to work out in the gym, do some laundry and cleaning, and then showered and got ready to leave out. W had left a voicemail that she had left the garage door open as planned, and that she would be up very late doing Nursing paperwork.
So about 10 PM I headed back to the house with the car loaded with a bicycle and other gifts. I tried to phone ahead several times to let the W know I was on my way, and to let her know I had not labeled the gifts I had already gift-wrapped, so it would be hard to know which gift was for who. But I never got a hold of W.
I dropped the gifts off in the garage, checking to see if she left the door into the house itself was unlocked -- it was locked alright. I have a key, but decided that the sound of the door being unlocked would set our dog off. I didn't need or want to do that, as it might wake the whole household.
I drove away with my heart in my throat, and gave one last try on the mobile phone as I got to the end of our street. Nothing. Oh, well, let W try to figure it out on her own. I then decided to put it out of my mind and continue on to the 11 PM Christmas Communion service back at our church.
I can't tell you how comforting the Christmas service was -- it was packed, surprisingly. It was very heart-warming, even though part of me was still wishing my bride had been with me.
When the service was over, I noted that W had left another voicemail while I had been in the service. She had gotten my earlier message and was indeed a little confused as to which present belonged to who. It was now after midnight, Christmas Morning, but I took a chance that she was still up doing her paperwork, since her message was left only about a half hour earlier. I called her, but apparently she had fallen asleep and I woke her. Still, she thanked me for calling back and for then giving her a description of the presents so she could identify the intended recipients for each. She had tried to stay awake to get her paperwork out of the way, but she was too sleepy -- and she knew our sons, being early risers, would be up before the crack of dawn, especially on Christmas Day.
I then told W I'd let her go back to sleep, and then she replied, "Okay, good night. I'll see you tomorrow."
Absent-mindedly, I replied the same, "Good Night. See you tomorrow." And then we hung up -- and only in that instant did it strike me, tomorrow! W had actually indicated that I was expected to be there in the morning. Up until those last words, she had made no indication whatsoever that I was in any way welcome to show up on Christmas. But her words just then were the first real indication she was not intending to shut me out entirely.
Shocked/relieved I started to call W right back to ask, "Really? What time?" But I decided it made no sense to wake her again.
I got up at 7 AM. W left a message around 7:20 AM, saying that our S's were, miraculously, still asleep, but that I could come over as soon as I was able -- but she would videotape the present opening if they got started before I arrived in any event. Again, confirmation of a small Christmas miracle.
So I got to spend a few hours this morning with my S's. And while they did wake up and opened their gifts in short haste right before I got there, the two of them were thrilled to be able to show me what all they had received. It was very wonderful, and I was very thankful to be able to share a little time with them. MIL fixed a light breakfast which I shared in. And MIL and W even thanked me for the gifts that the boys had gotten for them.
But some time before noon, it became evident that I was beginning to overstay my welcome. My W apologized that neither her or MIL had planned to prepare a Christmas dinner for lunch -- MIL's ham was intended for this evening. So I got the hint and made my exit. I guess I was there for nearly four hours, which is not bad considering I was prepared for nothing at all.
I know the whole point of me being there this morning was purely for the sake of my S's. I have no illusions about that. But I will take what I can get, and I am so thankful that the Lord made it possible for me to have a little time today with what is left of my family.
To everyone here, I hope that your Christmas was indeed merry and may your holidays bright.
