Not Alone

I love Christmas. I love the spirit of the season, I love the lights, I love the decorations and I love the look of wonder and joy in my children's eyes.
Kevin has never been away for Christmas. Now there has been many a year when he has been gone up until a few days before and he has come home just in time to enjoy the benefits of my labor. Uuuggghhh. My labor consists of a slight remodel to make Christmas come alive at home. We haul out 3-4 Christmas trees, string lights in the front and in the windows, hang stockings on the mantle, place poinsettias on the steps and each room gets pictures, trinkets, music boxes, snow globes or some other Christmas goody. Needless to say it's a process. It's a process I would rather not do alone. Even if he arrives just in time to say "Merry Christmas!" he's always taken the time to be there for at least part of the process. This year it's just me.
My father came to the house to help get the 20 or so boxes out of the attic. They lined the halls upstairs for days until my children could take it no longer. I was trying to unpack a box when they realized it was time to do the decorating.
My precious, precious boy began trying to bring boxes down by himself. Tara joined in the effort. Together they worked as a team and began to do what I had avoided for days. I had no desire to begin the labor of Christmas alone. I should have realized I was not by myself. Even when the boxes were too heavy for their combined efforts, they didn't let that stop them. They opened the boxes and began carrying stuff down one thing at a time till every box was empty. Each item they carried was like a treasure and they ooohhhed and aaaahhhed over every little thing and they took the time to show Trey all the little magical things they cherished. Watching them brought back some of that magic I feared might not be there this year.
Tyler turns the key on the back of the music boxes and just listens to the songs. He said to me, with his little chin quivering and tears in his eyes "Mom, Christmas songs make me happy. Will Daddy have Christmas songs over there?" Tara was debating which tree she liked the most when she stopped to ask if Daddy had a tree in Iraq. My answer to both "I hope so."
So the house is mostly decorated and we have begun to enjoy the season. I am not alone and neither is Kevin. He is with us in everything we do. My hope is that he and the guys will find a little magic in the season too. Even if it's just a Christmas song or a few lights in a palm tree. We miss you!!