Hello, Texas

In a couple more hours will be hitting the road to Houston, to stay with my stepmother for Christmas.

Sadly I have to be back by Monday evening, because they scheduled me to work that night. Even though my area is completely caught up on production and parts are scarce. Bummer!

This’ll be AJ’s first real Christmas that he has any awareness of, and the first time he gets to see his meemaw (my stepmother). Hopefully by summer we can travel in the opposite direction so he can go see his Grammie Jo (my mother). Needless to say, he’s going to make out like a bandit this Christmas, at least, as much as a two year old can.

In the meantime niece Stevie will be house-sitting our place with kids Bea and L’il Buddha, as well as her boyfriend. We benefit by having someone watching our place while we’re gone, and she benefits by getting away from her family and actually spending Christmas morning with just her own, with an actual Christmas tree and decorations.

Wonder why I italicized that last sentence? Because there is no Christmas tree, and no decorations, at her mother’s house.

Yep, you heard that right.

My SIL, like last year, “wasn’t in the Christmas mood”, and never bothered to decorate the house with even a cheap tree and a few ornaments. Even though there are three kids under the age of ten in her home. Yes, they’re getting a few gifts, but it’s not the same without the rest of the Christmas trimmings.

And it’s not like they’re poor and can’t afford it. Her and her husband easily make over twice what I bring home. We’re quite literally one missed paycheck away from destitution, yet we made sure there is at least a small tree and some basic decorations. Nothing extravagant, but they were enough to get squeals of pleasure from AJ, and wide-eyed wonderment from the other kids whenever they visited.

I would be more sympathetic if there were no young’uns in the house. But as a parent, no matter how you feel about it, you owe the little ones something about the Christmas spirit (assuming, of course, your faith and beliefs celebrate the holiday). Let them feel and experience the magic, even if you can’t. We made sure that our kids always had a Christmas, no matter how down and out we were, and that it looked like Christmas. And we’ll make sure that AJ will always have the experience as he grows.

A few nights ago, JJ asked us if he could come to Houston with us so he could have a Christmas. We had to tell him that it wasn’t possible for a multitude of reasons, including logistical and personal. But both Yes Dear & I found ourselves almost wishing that we could. We do have tentative plans to allow him to stay with us for New Year’s, and we may entertain the possibility of including him on a family vacation sometime in the near future, just so he can have a few happy memories for himself.

Poor kid.

Sorry, I just realized that I posted a bit of a downer, without intending to. I guess it’s just been bothering me a bit and decided to come out here. Oh well, that’s why I’m here. Anyway, at least we can ensure that some family members and their kids can spend a merry Christmas morning with abundant joy and an absence of dysfunction, even if for only a day.

Internet access will be limited and sporadic in Houston (my stepmother has a wired desktop, but no router), but I’ll try to check back at least on Christmas Day. In the meantime, I wish everyone the best wherever their holiday travels may take them, or in their own homes, and keep happy and safe.

And I’ll leave you with a little parting music. Not Christmas music (yet), but something appropriately lifted from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack.