I Believe!

So, I used to be somewhat of a Scrooge for Christmas. I don't know why, I just could never get into the holidays. Christmas was my moms favorite holiday and she went crazy decorating the house. She sure has some good ideas and liked to do things a little different, more creative. Her last Christmas with us was in 1995 and her decorations consisted of turquoise, pink & purple. This was a pre-Pinterest before different was cool. I sure wish I still had some of her decorations. I sure do miss her. That is why I'm not quite sure why I didn't hold up her LOVE for Christmas. I think it was because the thought of her wishing she could be with us over the holidays was too hard to think about. I just said forget it. Well, over the years I have gotten much better. Here is why....

A few years ago, my friend Amy unexpectedly brought me over something...a gift. I opened it and it was this beautiful, white glittery ornament that read "believe."  I can't even explain the joy that I felt when I received it. What a kind friend Amy is. It was not more than a couple days...maybe a couple weeks later that I was sitting on my couch in the living room. It was broad daylight and our Christmas tree lights were on and....I heard something. It was the ringing of a bell. It was sort of a fast, dull ringing and it was coming from the tree. I thought it was my dog scratching himself and making the tree move, therefore moving a santa ornament with a bell. I was wrong, Cisco was right next to me. The ringing continued, there was no one around. It had to be the heat blowing from the heater that was moving the tree. What was it? I got up and looked and sure enough it was the santa ornament with a bell hitting against our angel ornament which we named Mema Tish (after my mom). Now really, I know you are thinking that I'm making this up or that I may be a bit crazy. I thought maybe I was too but it lasted long enough for me to question it and actually get up and look. It was real. I burst into tears! I know my mom was with me at that very moment.  I ran downstairs to where my daughter and her friends were playing and I'm sure seemed like a crazy woman. When I told them what happened, Ava ran up to look for herself but of course it had stopped. Instead of disbelief, and seeing tears in my eyes, she gave me a hug! Thank you Amy, for being so thoughtful for with your gesture & gift. Because I believed, I was able to HEAR my mom. It was just what I needed to "believe."

The beautiful "believe" ornament from Amy

Our Angel Mema Tish & the Santa Ornament

We still put these two ornaments together every year hoping to hear the ringing again. It hasn't happened, but it doesn't need to. Hearing my daughter ask "Mom, do you want to put Mema Tish up?" is enough.

Do you believe?