This entry is part of a blog hop and is a bit late going up but I have a good excuse: my mother was in the hospital and I remained with her for the 2 days. Since coming home, I'm doing breathing treatments every 4 hours round the clock. So I figure that's a pretty darn good excuse.When faced with what to write, I was undecided. All I could really think about was that I was very grateful that my mother is with me for yet another Christmas. You see, 9 years ago, she was given 6 months. Stage 4 lung cancer. She has beaten the cancer. One of only 2% to pass the 5 year mark. But a Thankful or Grateful post is more of a Thanksgiving blog. So I decided on Christmas Wishes.
When this season rolls around, we are asked: "What do you want for Christmas?" And like everyone else, I sure have a list of wants and needs. But when it comes right down to it, I have what I want. I have my family. I have my mother for another Christmas.
At the heart of Christmas, buried beneath the commercialism and brightly wrapped packages and the anticipation of tearing into those lovely wrappings, is Family. Who do we share that morning with, the day with but Family.
We gather to celebrate the day and what it means to each family. We eat, visit, laugh, gather around beautiful trees with music in the background and share traditions and of course, those lovely gifts. But the greatest gift we share and receive this day is the love of Family.
I remember the first Christmas my mother was with me. I brought her to my home end of January, knew how close I'd come to losing her Christmas the month before when she was not with me. That year, it was day by day. Each day a blessing, each doctor visit a sigh of relief but when that first Christmas came, it was joyous. I still had my mother with us. And each year is a stolen year for she was not supposed to have survived 6 months, let alone nearly 9 years.
And every year that passes I am grateful to have that one so important part of Christmas to share: Family. My husband, my children, and my mother. So when asked what I want for Christmas, I have a list for my kids and my children but in my heart, I have what I want. Another year with each of them and another stolen year with my mother.
So what is Christmas to you. Who are you most grateful to share this holiday with?
Also, don't forget to follow the blog hop to many more wonderful sites, each with gift-givaways as well.
All who leave a comment will be entered into a contest to win a Frilly scarf made by me like the one to the right. Color will be different as this one isn't knitted up as of yet. There will also be a free E-pub copy of White Dawn. Now that you've read my blog, go blog hopping and visit these other great sites and enter to win more great prizes.
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Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way taking care of my Grandma. Just one more Christmas was often my prayer. She beat so many odds and proved so many doctors wrong, until there was a last Christmas. You know, there is not one moment that I spent taking care of her, talking with her, or just holding her hand that I regret.
So I'm glad you have this Christmas with your mom and I pray you have many, many more. Enjoy each moment. Each day is a blessing.
Christmas to me is all about family, and spending time with the ones you love. I am most grateful for my son even now he is a teenager he still wants to spend time with his mom.
ReplyDeletevampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com
Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season.I am very grateful for my large and loving family
ReplyDeleteflanagan@mebtel.net
What I would love for christmas is for my mum to wish me Happy Christmas aloud / talk rather than on her automated speech reader.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a truly amazing story of the survival of your mother with her cancer and a great testamony for surviving through the odds. Your mother is a remarkable woman and a fighter.
ReplyDeleteI am like you in what christmas means to me. It's not about the tree, the presents, the lights. Its about the love for family and that we share our time together. Also it is Jesus birthday and as a tradition we always read the bible about his birth to the grandkids hoping one day they will continue the story and be thankful we are together.
I am far from being a true and faithful christian but I still hold on to my christian values of love, giving, and kindness towards others.
Merry Christmas
Ronda Tutt
mrsqueentutt@yahoo.com
We had a close call with my brother just before Thanksgiving. He had a seizure & was rushed to ICU where the doctors struggled for 4 days to get his blood pressure & blood sugar both in the normal range at the same time. He is back home now & I'm very grateful to be able to spend another Christmas with him.
ReplyDeletedrainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com
Wow, I came here to see if anyone had come by and found all these wonderful comments and stories that echo my own. I will comment to each one of you in the next couple days. Right now I am sneaking in a few minutes of socializing time
ReplyDeleteBless you all!
Susan
What a great post. It's amazing how miracles can hit us when u least expect it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays!!!!
KimmyL
klmc_37@yahoo.com
Prayers and thoughts are with you. This year I will be thankful to visit with our extended family. Both of our sons will be with their girlfriends' families. We will travel back home and mostly be with Hub's family. His dad is not in good health either and we will be thankful to have both Mom and Dad, as well as all five brothers together this year. Lost my mom and dad several years ago. lisagk(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI think having the day to share with someone. For me I'm looking forward to watching my other half open her gifts this year.
ReplyDeleteIts not the cost of what you spend as a lot of things don't cost a fortune. One of her gifts this year will be a Christmas breakfast, a run bath and a toasty dressing gown to wear afterwards. Yeah it might seem strange but its nice to be pampered.
wish you all the best on this season, happy to read your inspiring post.we all cherish the good thing that would happen from each our lives.want to share to you as well some good gifts and i do hope that you would like it as well.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to you all in this season. Enjoyed reading your wonderful post. Have a wonderful holiday season.
ReplyDeleteskpetal at hotmail dot com
I am thankful that I am around for the holidays! I had a bone marrow transplant (for leukemia) on Dec. 21st, 1998. This time of the year always brings back those memories and makes me grateful for my life.
ReplyDeleteHo, Ho, Ho...
Catherine
@capefearlibn
catherinelee100[at]gmail[.]com
I love this time of year. Also sad. It's six years without my parents. I miss them so much. It makes me thankful I have siblings that I love so much.
ReplyDeleteThank you and Happy Holidays!
Mary
mary_reiss @ hotmail.com
Christmas is about spending time with friends and family. It feels good to surround yourself with the people you truly care about.
ReplyDeletehelldog3 at aol.com
I am most thankful to spend this Christmas with my brand new daughter in law, who is SO homesick (her family is in Ohio, and we are in Washington State). 24 years ago, I was in her exact same position, so I am SO glad to be able to be with her and spend time just spoiling her rotten, having had no daughters of my own, I just adore her!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for such a wonderful and generous giveaway opportunity!
Happy Holidays!
Gena Robertson
robertsongena@hotmail.com
Hope you will be feeling better by Christmas. My Mom (86) hasn't been well either, so I am also thankful she is still here this Christmas.
ReplyDeletemcv111@hotmail.com
Like you I am most grateful to be able to spend the holidays with my family. We came so close to not all being here this year that we need to treasure every day we have with them. Back in May an EF5 tornado hit my hometown of Joplin Missouri and myself and my oldest daughter lost virtually everything. By the grace of God we were spared. My oldest and her family rode it out in the downstairs hallway under the stairs in their apartment building, there apartment was all but gone. I rode it out in a hall closet in my apartment and the hallway was the only area left with a ceiling. Everything else was pretty much gone. It took them a while to help me out, but I made it. So this year we know what to be grateful for. We may have lost all our things, my 40 year book collection, holiday decorations and stuff, and so did my daughter. She lost her collection of NICU stuff from her daughter's 4 month stay in the NICU after her birth at 23 weeks. She also had to have major surgery about 7 weeks ago to reconstruct her throat because there was a lot of scar tissue from her being intubated after birth. She is doing well though and we hope she gets the trach and stomach tube out soon. She is 2 1/2. This whole long-winded story is just to let everyone know, don't take anything for granted. You never know when it could be taken away. I have always told my daughters I love them every day when I get off the phone with them and right after I dived in my closet the evening the tornado hit my phone rang and it was my youngest daughter who was in a neighboring town. I told her we were getting hit, my windows were blowing out and right before we lost cell phone towers I yelled at her that I loved her, I really thought it would be the last time I got to tell her that. So make sure and tell the ones you love that you love them every day, just in case. I hope everyone has a joyous and safe holiday season.
ReplyDeleteseriousreader at live dot com
Christmas to me is all about making the memories for my kids to treasure. The decorating the tree, baking the Christmas cookies and of course Christmas morning and discovering what Santa has left under the tree. Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteMargaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
I am most thankful to spend time with my family, especially my nieces & nephews. Without my family, the day would be like any other on the calendar.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful holiday.
June M.
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Christmas for me is about family, this year and last I've been separated from my family but I'm thankful that my b/f has been there for me and he's the one that will be there with me this year as well. Not able to take vacation time during this time of year so I can't get home to see my family and neither can he. We'll make the best of it and enjoy spending the time with each other.
ReplyDeletepypercharmed@yahoo.com
Wow! I am blown away by all the stories of survival and strength and edurance. There are so many great comments above. I love reading them all as you all are so inspiring.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best holiday season of all.
Susan
im most grateful and thankful to spend time with my family. we sometimes fight but the holidays always bring us together. i love our family time. ;) thank you for the wonderful giveaway! happy holidays!
ReplyDeleteemail subscriber
gfc- shadow_kohler
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
I am most grateful for the Love of My Life, our daughter and son. My health hasn't been the greatest lately, so I am thankful to have the time with my family.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays to all!!
thewildtwo {@} sbcglobal {DOT} net
The winner of a copy of White Dawn is Linda Henderson. Email me at susan@susanedwards.com where you'd like me to email your copy of White Dawn!
ReplyDeleteCongrats and thanks to everyone for taking the time to follow the blog hop!