Three Momentous Christmases--Part Three...

...The One Where We Had Moved to North Carolina

This photo was taken on our first Christmas back home after we moved to North Carolina.

The year we moved to North Carolina--1982--was a year of adventure for us. We fell in love with this beautiful state almost at once. But it was also a year of missing-you heartache--for us, and for our families in Michigan. Nowadays, most of our travel between the two states happens during the summer. But that first Christmas, there was no way we were not going home. I was working parttime, Meagan was in preschool and Greg was working hard and not making much money. I mention that only so you will understand when I tell you that, rather than buying a tree that year, he went into some woods on a neighbor's lot in the dark of night and chopped one down.

The day before Christmas Eve, we loaded the car after supper, planning to drive as far as we could get that night, and then continuing what was left of the 14-hour trip the next morning. After Meagan and I were in the car, Greg slipped back in and set up "Santa" under the tree to surprise Meagan when we got back. The only present I remember was a white stuffed kitten in a basket.

The weather was good, and our hearts were light as we drove through the mountains. I loved seeing the three white crosses that appeared from time to time on the side of a wooded slope. We're used to seeing them now, but they held a special meaning that night so close to Christmas.

Our time at home went by too fast. The happiness I felt at being reunited with the people I loved so much was almost too much to bear. Our hearts all started getting heavy as time to depart drew near.

As we loaded the car, Toby, our springer spaniel, decided to take one last dip in the pond. So we headed back to our new home with tears in our eyes and our noses full of wet dog. I'm not going to lie. That was a tough trip. We'd met some nice people--some we'd even call friends--but we knew that no one would really notice if we never returned. But of course we did, and life got better and better. We are very happy here now.

Remember that white kitten in a basket that I mentioned earlier? When we got home late at night and turned on the lights, it took a few minutes for us to realize that it was covered with little bugs. Apparently, they'd been nesting in the tree that Greg had cut down, and decided to come out and party all over Meagan's Christmas presents while we were away.

Three memorable Christmases. All Christmases are memorable, really. I hope everyone of you has memories that make you smile, even if they make you cry, and that you will always feel joy when you bring them out at Christmas.