The BEST Christmas Gift EVER!

There was a question posed on a BRATs web page that asked us what our favorite Christmas gift of all time was.  Others spoke of bicycles and plane models and dolls.

I could answer that with one word (and I did): Daddy.

Let me explain.  In early 1986, Daddy was nearing his end of duty at Great Lakes RTC.  He was scheduled to go to Orlando for some mandatory training.  My parents had included my brother on the decision on whether or not we as a family joined him.  Why?  Because he was doing so well in school.  My parents taught us that when you make a promise, you keep it, no matter what.  They promised him that if he was doing well in school, come his senior year, Dad would live as a deployed bachelor. (I honestly, at 0749 can not recall what the actual title my mom used!!  If someone knows, feel free to correct me...but he was in Florida and we were in Illinois and the Navy still treated us as though he was still in Illinois...hard to explain, but BRATs sorta get it?!?!?!?!) 

Years later, I got to make the decision with my school, even though I was doing poorly, mine was because Daddy missed all but a year…close to…of my high school.  So totally different reasons!

My brother chose to stay and Dad went off to school.  While Daddy was there for my first day (which, oddly, I DON’T remember), he was in Florida for the rest of it.

There was never a doubt in my mind, come Christmas, that Daddy would be home.  He always found a way.  We were one of the lucky families.  But, I didn’t expect him to be there as soon as he was.

Living in Illinois, just a little under 5 hours from where Daddy grew up in Michigan, we would try to spend as much time there as possible.  We made every effort over the years to spend Christmas or Thanksgiving there.  I loved it.  Snow.  Sledding.  Gramma’s pies.

This year was no exception.  Mom, Brother, and I piled into our car, which was loaded with gifts.  I don’t remember  much about that drive, to be honest.

Even more so, I don’t remember much about that Christmas.  If it wasn’t for photos, I wouldn’t recall even one gift.

That’s because every other gift was eclipsed.

I had retreated to my Gramma’s room and was reading a John Denver song book.  Don’t ask because I don’t know why I had such a fascination with Gramma’s song books.  I just did.  And, they could ONLY be read in the dim light of her room.  (What type of child was I!?)

As I read the words to “Rocky Mountain High”, I heard my nickname.  That voice.  That tone.  I dropped the book as I looked up.  That smile.

I don’t remember a time when I moved so fast!  Even though I was 14, I leaped into Daddy’s arms.  “You’re the best gift ever!”

He hugged me tightly and said “Being here with family is the best gift ever.”

He handed me something…a gift from one of the ladies I knew and loved growing up, but don’t recall.  My mind says earrings, but don’t remember.

Military children know that holidays are rarely spent on the actual holidays. We get used to Mommy or Daddy being gone on those important days.  There are some of us who, despite knowing our parent would be home, were still overjoyed when we saw them.

Like I said: It never crossed my mind that Daddy wouldn’t be there.  I just never expected him to be there as soon as he was.  We were spending the week, up to New Year’s there.  And so was Daddy.

It was literally within the hour of us arriving, Auntie came in, having just picked Daddy up from the airport.

No matter how many Christmas gifts we get that are totally amazing, many of us can agree that having a deployed parent home on that day is the best gift ever.

Though, my Jim McMahon book was a very close second.