A Quiet Christmas, 2015 Style

It's Christmas, 2015 and Tammy and I are quietly enjoying the day at home with her mother and our pups. Rachel is still in the Dominican Republic with Tony and some friends. I think she'll be back in Rochester on Sunday and we'll get together with her the following weekend. From the limited contact we've had with her, it sounds like they're all enjoying themselves.

This was our first Christmas without my mom and more than once I caught myself wanting to reach for the phone to call her. For years she would sometimes suggest that this would be her last Christmas or birthday or last whatever-the-occasion-may-be because she didn't expect to live much longer.

She was finally right.

Tammy and I have moved away from lavishing one another with Christmas gifts but we did exchange a few. I prefer it this way. She surprised me with a metal John Deere sign for our my garage because somewhere along the way I became a proud John Deere guy when it comes to my mowers.

I've been missing our trips to the Mall of America to kill a winter evening especially while they've got their holiday decorations out. Yeah, I know, I'm weird but then I'm happy to be different. I drove out there earlier in the week and strolled around but it wasn't the same without Tammy by my side. I put in two laps before leaving for home.

We took Elaine to Burnsville Center the next night, not quite sure how she'd respond to being out that late in her day. She did really well, watching all of the people and taking in all there was to see. Our time away satisfied the fix I was unable to achieve the previous night on my own.

We brought her with us to Hosanna and their Christmas Eve services yesterday afternoon. We seem to be having more success with her in public places lately and I think part of that is because she doesn't have as much anxiety being around strangers the way she did when she first came to live with us last spring. I think it's all part of the progression of her Alzheimer's.

We attended an early (1:30) service hoping to beat the crowds. So much for that idea. Hosanna was as crowded as I've ever seen it. It was nice to be back again as it's been more than 3 years since I was there apart from my mom's funeral and memorial service last month. The lead pastor I'd had a falling out with retired in November and I'm warming up to the idea of going back. I don't suppose their opposition toward same-sex couples has changed much but I'm happy to be that fish that swims in a different direction. Plus, at yesterday's service, I was seated next to one of the camera operators and it reminded me that that's still a desire of mine—to help out with the audiovisual staff.

I don't sense that I'll ever be all in again when it comes to organized religion and I'm more than fine with that.

Time to publish this and see if Tammy is up for some Mario Kart. We gave a Wii U to each other for Christmas and opened it last week. It's a lot of fun and just the sort of winter's night pastime we need. Plus, it's especially fun because I'm faster than she is. :)

Comments

John A Hill said…
Merry Christmas, my brother!
December 25, 2015 at 7:04 PM
Kevin Gilmore said…
Thank you, John. I hope you're having an enjoyable Christmas as well. Wishes for a happy and healthy 2016!
December 25, 2015 at 7:06 PM
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