With the holidays just around the corner I thought I'd share one of my favorite memories

...plus it's one of Mama Kat's writing prompts for this week.

I don't remember how old we were but my sisters and I were all elementary age, the youngest wasn't in school yet if I remember correctly....but we each had told Santa what we wanted the mostest, and like other kids our age we tried our darndest to stay up and sneak a peak of the jolly ol' guy. Of course we didn't make it up long enough, but were up around 6 am.

I got the coveted Barbie house with elevator. {The link is the closest photo I can find to what I remember my house look like. I do think my elevator was purple, but I know I had the accessories that are in the photo.} I loved that Barbie house. Until the night I was having a bad dream and woke up and thought the elevator was a brown bear. It was a cub mind you but I was terrified, and screaming at the top of my lungs. I remember my mom being pretty scared too, because she had know idea what was wrong.

The middle sister was a Purdue University fan, I think mainly because my dad was a huge Indiana University fan, and growing up in Indiana made the two school huge rivals. Well Middle Sis wanted anything Purdue, which I will say was normally banned from our home. She got her wish and got a Purdue rug for her room and some Purdue pencils and paper I think...just some kind of other little goodies. She was so excited that she got something that she knew dad would just absolutely hate.

Mom took a picture of us when Middle Sis opened her new rug and she had a huge smile on her face! Dad was excited because she was so happy. He even was smiling too.

I think the reason that this memory is so special to me is because the photo is buried with my father in his grave. He will take that memory with him always and so will we. At first I was upset with my sister for placing that photo in his casket on the day of his funeral but I understand better know. I think she was truly happy that Christmas day and knew that dad was too. It was sort of a happy ending for her, and way to help her through his passing. I on the other hand thought, "Dad won't want that Purdue picture in his grave with him". But during a time of loss everyone deals with things differently.

It just makes me realize how important parents are in making special memories for their kids. We may not feel it now, but several years down the road the kids will remember the little things that we have done to make them feel special. Sometimes the small things are the most important.

I hope that you and your family have a happy holiday season this year.

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