A New Christmas

What was it like this year? It has been different. Sad that Jeremy wasn't there Christmas Eve to read T'was the Night Before Christmas and that he wasn't there Christmas morning to greet me with his smile and enthusiasm for the the day ahead with friends, food and good cheer. Christmas always meant the three of us putting the turkey feast together to be shared with numerous family and friends over the years. We always had a large breakfast usually prepared by Jeremy and Owen prior to getting comfortable in the living room to listen to Christmas music, open gifts and sip on a warm beverage. Phone calls were received and phone calls were made. There was usuallly a walk. In the days of Richmond it would mean a stroll on the dyke and in Halfmoon Bay, we would walk down to Sargeants Bay. Anyone who would drop by would help us with the holiday jigsaw puzzle while munching on nibblies and sipping a drink. Jeremy loved my Nuts and Bolts and Christmas baking. He could pour a mean Ceasar or make a great hot chocolate laced with something that would warm your tummy. I have so many stories of Christmas with Jeremy. How he would always think I needed to add more salt or butter to whatever was on the stove, or how I would find him with his head in the refrigerator looking for a hunk of turkey or how he insisted that there should be garlic in the Christmas dinner mashed potatoes (I don't think he ever won that one) or how when he was little, he would come into our bedroom, too early, Christmas morning with his Christmas Stocking and climb into the middle of the bed and open and play with the surprises he found in the stocking. In the last several years, after a few days of feasting, Jeremy would pack his Christmas gifts, his clean laundry, tins of baked goods, left overs, and Nuts and Bolts into his 4 X 4 and head back to Vancouver. The past two years he headed back to Ruxton and last year Sarah was with him. There are so many good memories.

This year was A New Christmas. Owen and I had a quiet Christmas Eve. We purchased dinner at a great Health Food Market in Sedona. Mushroom strudel, chicken parmesan and a very good brussel sprout and almond dish and a tray of sweets. We did the preparation for a salad and appies for dinner Christmas Day in Mesa. We had our dinner late and talked about Jeremy; sharing each of our most memorable stories of Jer from his pre-school years, his grade school years, his teens, etc. Before bed, we watched the video clip of Jeremy reading T'was the Night Before Christmas from 2007.

We rose early Christmas Day and packed up the car to drive 2.5 hours to Mesa to spend Christmas Day with my Uncle Jack, his wife, Pat and their youngest daughter Stacey and her family. It's another story, but I only met my Uncle Jack 10 years ago and although we have only seen each other twice, we have been in touch regularly. He was quick to invite us to be with his family on Christmas Day and we were just as quick to accept. Owen had never met Uncle Jack and neither of us had met the cousins (Jack's 3 kids). It was a lovely day. Stacey, her husband, Tom and their two boys, Zack (9) and Nathan (7) welcomed us into their beautiful home. Tom's folks were there too, Dale and Carol. As well as my cousin Scott. At 50, he is the oldest of the 3 kids. We spent the night at Jack and Pat's and the next morning (they don't celebrate Boxing Day in the U.S.), Saturday, we went out for breakfast with Jack's other daughter, my cousin Pam, and her daughter Nisha. It was lovely.

The Yaeger family made our Christmas something new and special.

The weather couldn't have been better. It was warm (in the 60's) and sunny. The homes in Mesa were decorated for the season; complete with Santa hats for the cacti.

We were home in Sedona in time for a late afternoon hike around the Big Park Trail at Bell Rock.

Photo 1) Jeremy and Sarah Christmas 2008

Photo 2) Nadine, cousin Pam, cousin Nisha (Pam's daughter), Uncle Jack and Aunt Pat

Photo 3) Zack, Nathan, Tom and cousin Stacey

Photo 4) cousin Stacey, Nadine, cousin Scott, Uncle Jack, Aunt Pat and Owen