This is the Hooper family (my Mom's parents). My Grandma and Grandpa Hooper always have us over on Christmas day. This is her holiday, as I always say. She loves to have us over and spend time with us before they head off to Texas the next day (the car always packed full ready to go). Every year is spent just like the last. Grandpa makes his perfect prime rib and Grandma always spends the holiday season shopping for the perfect gifts and making sure she has every one's 'sock' is filled to the brim of our enormous stockings. Grandma always lets us open our 'socks' before we eat. After we eat it is a quick clean up of the kitchen. If you choose to wash the dishes you are a brave sole. The 'Christmas' china is was given to my grandma from her mother, only coming out on this special holiday. Once the gifts have been opened, youngest to oldest of course, the men pack up the cars. But no one leaves, just heads to another room to visit. There is nothing more traditional in my life than this! The only thing that has changed over the years is the location where we open our gifts. Now in the basement, I protested several times, but it was easier for Grandma and Grandpa, so I bit my lip.
The picture above was taken just this year. We never usually pose for pictures, but this year was different. The last family picture we all took is hanging in my grandparents dining room. A classic one at that...we decided it was time to update the family portrait. My sister and I have added husbands and children to the mix, not to mention a better hair styles!!!
This year's Christmas gathering was different in many other ways besides just a picture. If any of us had to share a 'lesson learned' from this past year it probably would be not to take a day for granted. Several things happened in our family to support this old life lesson. Time goes too quickly and we need to treasure each day that we are give.
This year we lost my grandpa's sister to a long battle with breast cancer, my grandpa's very healthy nephew to lung cancer (diagnosed and passed on in just 5 weeks) and a very close family friend died unexpectedly. We experienced the new life of Parker start out with illness, complications, surgery, and her first month of like in the NICU. During Parker's stay in the hospital I learned of Grandma's diagnosis: Stage 4 breast cancer. The prognosis not sounding too good, she started weekly chemo treatments right way.
This Christmas was different, the car was not packed headed for warmer weather. Grandma was not able to shop the way she loves to do or make Christmas dinner without help. Each one of us know how special this day is to her. Even though we know things were different for us all this year, it was still her day and nothing was different!!
Cameron was not the only one with a part in the play. Parker was casted as baby Jesus. She played her roll very well; falling asleep just before her entrance and resting comfortable the entire scene. Here is a picture of 'baby Jesus' being held by Mary (Sydney Smith).
Morgan and I decided that we would still go out to help Dad polish off the fresh snow from the driveway. Morgan is still in summer mode as she walks to the garage and grabs the little John Deere push mower...close enough. Even though we got outside for a few minutes, we still spent more time getting dressed. Better luck next snow fall!!!
