The Christmas Gift

    I remember the Christmas like it was yesterday. The year was 1982.  I was the first grandchild to get married and the first to have  children.  I had moved away from my southern roots two years earlier.  My husband's military duty was over and we had settled  near his family in Illinois. 

    This year was special.  It didn't have anything to do with presents and bows.  It was the joy of coming home for Christmas.  My son Greg was 4 years old.  Bradley was 11 months old.  He was born January the 17th 1982.  My family was excited we were coming home for Christmas.  They were also excited to see little Bradley for the first time.  Meanwhile, my parents knew I was expecting another child. They had not shared that news with the rest of the family.  

    My daughter Amanda was born December the 16th, 1982.  We drove back to NC for Christmas on the 20th of December.  You should have seen everyone's face when we entered my grandparent's home on Christmas day with Greg, Bradley, and  Amanda. My grandmother thought Amanda was a doll.  My grandma said, "WELL SHE IS REAL!  WHOSE CHILD ARE YOU KEEPING ON CHRISTMAS DAY?"  My mother said,  She was her Christmas present.  I can still see my grandmother looking at me, and my three brothers, one at a time for answers.  Finally it was told, Amanda was mine.  She said, 'YOU KNOW NOT! WE WERE EXPECTING YOU TO BRING US ONE BABY AND YOU BROUGHT US TWO BABIES!" They were amazed and surprised that my little bundle of joy was kept from them.  Those were cherished memories and the best Christmas!

    Two Thousand years ago another child was born.  He was the light of his mother's eye and the gift to the world.