Letters To Santa.

We decorated the Christmas tree last night.

Each year the tree fills with ornaments hung a little bit higher.

This particular ornament, the letters to Santa ornament, we have had for years now.

Every year the letters are different.

One Christmas a letter was tucked inside asking Santa if he was real, and to sign on the line because he will really know if it is Santa's signature or not.

That letter was written by Spencer years and years ago.

Another Christmas there were letters asking for a new baby doll, or a barbie car.



This year, after tucking our kids in bed, I took a peek at the letters to Santa.

They didn't ask for a new baby doll.

This year the letters were different.





I think Katie is still at the point of hoping that her Daddy doesn't have to go.

I think Natalie is at the same place I am. She knows that he has to go, and there is no amount of wishing or hoping that can change it. She has accepted it.

I did get a good laugh out of Natalie's "a non crappy phone", it is her year to get a cell phone for Christmas (the Christmas before starting middle school). Spencer has insisted that she has to start out with a crappy cell phone like he had to. Natalie insists that she is more responsible than Spencer and she has been asking us for a "non crappy cell phone".

Jerome and I have had this little sailor in his cracker jacks ornament since our third year of marriage.

It has always been a favorite ornament.

This year Spencer handed it to Jerome to hang up on the tree, Jerome turned with the ornament, looked at me and said, "You know, we need to find a new ornament like this now....one in a Chief's uniform".



Dear Santa,
Please keep my husband safe while he is deployed. Please let the time apart go by quickly. Please help him return home soon.
Love,
a proud wife of a wonderful husband who is getting ready to serve his country, again

81. the Christmas tree ornaments being hung only on the top half of the tree by our kids.
82. looking at our Christmas album full of pictures from years past with my family
83. hearing the stories our kids remember from each Christmas
84. watching Jerome and our kids give Molly an early Christmas present, a bone that is almost as big as she is
85. watching Spencer put the star on our tree, standing flat footed and reaching the top just fine
86. Katie reminding me that we need to put the snow on our tree still
87. our girls asking to sleep in the floor near the Christmas tree
88. putting pictures with Santa in frames on our mantel
89. reading our girls letters to Santa
90. tucking our kids in bed