To all the people who commented that Jared had been losing weight and I assured them that he hadn’t? Yeah, I was wrong. He’s down to 95lbs. The good news is that Sierra, now 5′2″, is catching up!
I don’t think Christmas has ever been this bittersweet for me before. Kellie picked out all the presents at Amazon the week before she died and they were delivered two days afterwards. Sending back her presents was awful. And wrapping all the gifts that she picked for me and the kids out was one of those things that makes you smile while you’re crying. I tried my best to wrap everything with as much care as she would have.
Decorating the tree was kind of a nightmare. Luckily, Jared helped out and demanded my attention the whole time so that I wouldn’t think about the fact that picking out the ornaments this year was one of the last things Kellie did. And the tree is lovely, but it would have been better with her here to add more lights and more ornaments, and to do a better job of spreading out the fake branches.
I couldn’t find all of the usual decorations we put out, and I’m not making any Christmas cookies. I was going to make fudge for the kids, but I forgot the ingredients when I went to the grocery store, and that’s probably for the best. All I really want for Christmas is to lay around and tell my kids that I love them.
Sierra just called to say that she’s on her way home from her dad’s house, so she and Jared and I will be spending it together. I’m so glad to have her back. I would have given up anything to have my kids here for Christmas.
I hope that each and every one of you that read this has a wonderful Christmas. I wish you all the best and hope that you’ll remember to appreciate every single moment of this happy occasion, and to hug everyone just a little closer while you’ve got them around.
Sierra had her Birthday last week, but she had a big party with her friends over the weekend. From Saturday afternoon until Sunday afternoon, there were 6 girls between the ages of 9 and 11 in my house, and I realized something.
Little girls are wonderful. They’re like precious little gifts. They’re cute and sweet and honest and wonderful. Zank Eaven for them and what-not.
Women too, are wonderful. They’re beautiful and elusive and exciting all at the same time. And more than that, they naturally have a deep understanding of compassion that men have to work hard to learn. Sometimes I think that they’re the only thing keeping this world from going completely off the rails.
Otto von Bismarck once wrote that “Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.” And let me tell you, seeing the process by which little girls are turned into women is downright horrifying. I saw things this weekend that would curdle a lesser man’s blood. I saw the most popular girl in school burp her ABCs. I heard the words, “Let’s play Truth or Dare again.” I can’t describe to you the kind of fear that puts in a father’s heart.
So for the record: girls good, women good, tweens take years off your life.