~~My Bestest Christmas~~

I've had many wonderful Christmas Holidays. As a youngster and being an only child, I remember going to my Grandmother's home on Christmas Eve for a huge family dinner. She came from Poland, so it was called "Wigilia" (pronounced Veeleeya). All my aunts, uncles, and cousins came from far away, and it was so much fun to spend time with them. There was an enormous feast with hay in the center of the long table, to hold the "Oplatek" (pronounced Opwatek). Everyone there took a piece of the wafer, and each person would break a piece of ours and we of theirs and wish them a wonderful new year! I kept this tradition alive in my family. We first gather in a circle with hands clasped, and I say Grace, before we pass the wafer to each other. Since our granddaughter Melissa died at age 16, it's very hard for me to finish without my voice breaking. Our family circle is no longer complete.

But, God was good to us. On October 13, 1992, at 8:13pm, our youngest granddaughter Ashlee was born. She weighed only 1 lb. 4 oz. and was 12 1/2 inches long!! She was 15 weeks premature!! I didn't really think she'd be with us the next day...I'm ashamed to say I didn't feel the Faith that I should have that night after seeing her, with all the tubes and equipment hooked to her tiny body!! But in the next 101 days in NICU, my Faith was to take a tremendous and everlasting turn!!!!

~~She is truly our miracle.~~

We walked in on Thanksgiving Day to find that she had pneumonia!! But being the little fighter she was... she soon conquered that. I didn't get to hold her until December 14th!!! And on Christmas Day, Grandpa and I made the 45 mile trip (as we had almost every day), and surprised the staff by donning our Mr & Mrs. Santa Claus outfits and hats. We had even stopped on the way and bought a stuffed animal with a tiny Santa hat we could put on Ashlee!!!

I have to say this was my most memorable Christmas!!!

Our Christmas Miracle!!

(In her Cabbage Patch Doll Nightie)

Angel Hugz,

Gram