But this year will be another one away from home, my third if memory serves. The first Christmas here I cried quite a lot and frankly just wanted the holiday season to finish quickly. The second time my husband’s grandmother had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer, so the season understandably wasn’t the same. Now for Christmas 2008 we’ve got our new addition to the family and we need to create our own little memories. Baby’s a bit too little to drag on a plane anyway (though I know other moms have done it), and I suppose we do need a quiet Christmas this year. (See our eclectic Christmas tree with huge Ikea balls.)
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Even if I’m not going back this year, my mind retraces the memories of my past trips back to the US for Christmas since I’ve been in France. Arriving at that first US airport, usually Detroit or Philadelphia and the euphoria of hearing English all around me. Browsing the celebrity mags and realizing I don’t recognize half of the starlets. Indulging in a Taco Bell soft shell taco as we wait four hours for our connecting flight. Finally seeing the family as we arrive in my hometown late at night. The house lit up with those delicate white lights. Trips to the CVS drug store and Wal-Mart for stocking stuffers, listening to all my shows in English and realizing the French voices are way off! Driving around the winter landscapes of Alabama listening to cool tunes in my sister’s car…
I’ll just have to keep those memories nice and warm for the next time. And wherever you all are for Christmas, I hope you have a lovely one.
5 comments:
Merry Christmas to you and the little family too...now that you are a mom, you'll have to start your own family traditions for BB.
Want me to bring you back anything in particular?
I should start sending you Melissa's magazines when she is done with them and bootleg copies of tv shows.
On that note, what are you trying to watch?
Merry Christmas from San Francisco! Wishing you all the best for the new year. Lots of fun, joy, and fantastic times in the New Year. We're breaking tradition this xmas by having a dungeness crab dinner instead of turkey, goose, or a ham. New traditions are fun to start. Keep warm!
I miss them too!!!!! It's really lonely sometimes but at least you have someone precious to build memories around and how fun is that going to be!!!! She's just going to be more fun every year.
Love,
Sunny
On the other side of the pond, we also have fond memories of rushing to the airport in anticipation of your arrival, or yours and Remi's joint arrival--usually coming in at around 10:30 P.M., bleary eyed, but still precious for our eyes.
We would crush in an as many experiences and treats and casseroles as you would allow (as long as you weren't catching the obligatory "Just Home for the Holidays' Cold.")
There will be many years to come where we will repeat this joyful scene, and don't be offended if we rush for Juliette first (just kidding--we love all of you).
In the meantime, it is good for you and your own little family to build some local memories. Life is forever changed now with a child to celebrate them with. You will fall into her world of wonder.
Love, Mum
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