AFTER-MAS

I got a text the day before Christmas Eve...
"How about you come to see the kids
before New Years?
Motel room on me...
My Christmas 2 you guys."
-X

A snow ball of events began to roll toward
"After-mas"
Bear had to work both Christmas Eve and Day,
so her family celebration was postponed to the day
after Christmas.
It was short notice for getting a room,
but X works for a man who has a motel
and other rental properties, so he was able to pull it off.
A surprise attack was set into motion.

First things first...
Christmas Day we were off to the man's daughter's
for their family celebration...
and felt much more comfortable than I had the previous year.
Less of the odd wheel feeling...
reminding myself that the man would soon
face my family's traditions, stories and jokes that would
be as unfamiliar to him as his family's were to me.
It was a nice evening, happily devoid of missing my kids.

I should have been tired with all the running around
and prep for the trip...
but sleep was not my friend.
A groggy and befuddled me
hugged Roxy good-bye and strapped myself into the truck.

Our room, as it turned out was the cutest
little log cabin that I have ever seen...
a private suite, a mini house.
We quickly unpacked and hid inside.
DP'sH is a small town and word travels at the speed of light.
We didn't want our secret to get out to the kids.

Text:
"The market sold the ham I paid for!
Delay to go to the town to the left and find another one.
Will text you when we get to Bear's."

What is Christmas without some sort of snafu?

The man and I watched Boo drive right past our truck
to X's trailer kitty corner across from us...
as they loaded up goodies and Boo drove X away.
He never suspected a thing.
Ha!

When the coast was clear, we set out
up river at an easy pace to give them time to find another ham.
As we began our ascent up the last big hill...
the text came saying they were there and to give X
a 3 minute warning.
When our truck turned into the driveway...
all my children were assembled on Bear's porch.
Their faces transformed into joy as the surprise of "us" arrived...
and mobbed us with big hugs and babbling.

We are a physical and loud group of people!
The mob quickly moved into the house.
Christmas chaos had begun.
We laughed, chatted, cooked, opened gifts
and enjoyed stuffing ourselves.


Happy and somewhat sad, when the evening ended,
the process reversed
and after many more hugs and affection
we returned to our quiet little cabin.
The man and I sat on the porch sipping some cheer.

We watched the night with its 

ghostly fog drizzle the mist that is often seen there.

It was an odd feeling to be back in DP's H.
Knowing that I used to live there,
and now it felt so different, yet very much the same.
Boo, Sukey and X drove past us to unload X.
This time we waved.
They came over for more conversation...
before they all had to leave.

I recall clearly going to the bed room
and starting to lay down.
But my cheek did not even have time to feel the pillow
before I was fast asleep.
It was as Bear declared earlier that evening

"The best Christmas we have had in years!"