This is my Christmas.
I woke up at 2:00am Christmas morning so I could have a video call with my family at 5:30pm Christmas Eve. I get myself ready and make the video call. Before the video comes in I hear my niece shout "Aunt Sara's calling!" As soon as the video is on, I see Lexi and she says "There you are! I missed you!" Awwww how sweet! We talked for a little bit and she showed me the present that I got for her. She told me it was Christmas and Santa was coming tonight. Harry brought Mason-Man over and he was so happy! What a bubbly little man. He loved banging and screaming "dadadadadad!!" All smiles! It was great to see and hear. The rest of the family was there as well. Christmas wishes were given to Ann, Amy, Mark, Nancy, Mom, and Dad. I think Mom even got a picture of all of us together! Well together with the computer, but a nice way to remember this weird Christmas.
I was there when Lexi opened her doll house from Grandma and Poppy. I was there when Mom opened her family memories CD and started to cry. I was there when Ann tried to get into the gift that Mark had covered in tape. I was there when Mark tried to get into the gift that Ann had covered in tape. I was there when Amy got all her gift cards so she can get what she wants for Christmas. I was there when Dad got a car starter for "my" car (now I'll have an automatic starter when I return:). I was there to see all the clothes that Mason-Man and Lexi got. I was there to hear Lexi exclaim that she got "a big toilet!" when she saw the Sit-N-Spin from Amy. And I was there to see the family frame that Amy had made for Mark and Nancy.
It was just like I was there, except I wasn't. On the outside everything was fine, but on the inside my heart was breaking. I wanted to be able to hold my niece and nephew and be there for Mason-Man's first Christmas. I wanted to be able to hug my mom so she wouldn't cry. I wanted to be able to laugh with my family as Mark and Ann were opening their tape covered gifts. I felt like I was going to cry, but I didn't. I wasn't going to ruin this special holiday. I wanted to remember this as a fun, weird, different, and special way to celebrate Christmas 2010.
I am so thankful that I was able to "be there" for Christmas and that the connection was wonderful. Skype didn't shut down once on my end and it usually does during a conversation. So, that is how I celebrated Chrismas and I can't wait to see pictures!
عيد اليلاد الجيد (Eid Aleelad Aljeed - Merry Christmas)
I think I know how you feel -- I Skyped with my family on Christmas too, and it was both really cool to be there and see everybody, but also really hard because you're NOT there physically. At least computers exist; imagine if we couldn't even do that! Hang on, you'll be home for Christmas soon!
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