Christmas Time

This year we are going into my fourth, Alan's fifth Christmas away from family at home and into the first real Christmas with our new family, each other. Last year Alan was in Iraq for our 'first Christmas.' I bought a little four foot pre-lit tree and put it up on a little blue bin along with a few ornaments from my childhood and left it at that. It was hard to get in the Christmas mood knowing that Alan was in Iraq, it was our first Christmas being married, we were half a world apart, and my family was across the ocean. Christmas day was spent in tears on the phone with Alan for a while, and my family wishing he was home safe. I hated seeing couples around shopping or doing other 'couple things', it made me feel more alone than ever. My friend that lives downstairs from me was alone with her two children as well, but we hadn't gotten close enough by that time to do more then exchange a half hearted 'Merry Christmas' with each other. Most important, I believe, is that during this and every holiday season, we remember those who's spouses are deployed and those soldiers who are down range fighting for our freedom who don't get to be with their spouses and family this year.

Alan and I put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving. We pulled out my little four foot pre-lit sorry excuse for a tree and he said, 'Are you serious?' Five minutes later we were in the car headed to Wal-Mart to get a tree and all the hooplah that goes with it. We walked out of there with our arms full of stuff and a seven and a half foot tree that almost touches the ceiling in our little apartment on post. This year I am so happy to be spending the Holiday's with my husband. I think we appreciate it more than most, because we know all too well what spending them apart is like.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in all the hustle and bustle of the season, with all the shopping, decorations, and trying to get that someone the 'perfect gift.' We tend to forget about what Christmas is really about, celebrating Jesus Christ and remembering his sacrifices for us. I am trying to just enjoy the time off from work, and the company of my husband. I think I will whip out the Maneheim Steamroller music, sit on the lanai drinking ice water with Alan (hey, its HOT here in Hawaii) and enjoy our time together this Christmas trying not to think that next Christmas he will be in Iraq again...