SINCE this is a PINK SATURDAY SPECIAL EDITION,
"A FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MEMORY..."
I decided to post mine early..
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PINK SATURDAY, with BEVERLY as our host, is such a delightful day.
She suggested we do a
She suggested we do a
HOLIDAY MEMORY
today for Pink Saturday....
and it didn't even have to be PINK...
RED is close enough....
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WONDERFUL...!!
You know how much I love RED...
**
THE Christmas I remember the most vividlyis the one when I was 7 years old....
***
My mother and dad divorced that year and she and I moved pretty far away from him...***
This was to be the first Christmas without being with my daddy.I never spent another Christmas with him...
but I DID spend time with him every summer until I married.
**
I'll never forget the gifts he sent me....in the mail.I wasn't used to THAT ! ...
...but having the wise and very sweet mother that I had,
she made it a fun time for a little girl of 7...
**
She took me to the big post office downtown and helped me carry 3 boxes...
and they were ALL for me !....and ALL from my daddy.
**
When we got home, we took off all the brown mailing paper
and my dad had wrapped each gift in brightly colored paper..without bows.
Mother found 3 pretty bows, put them on the packages and let me place each one
under our pretty little Christmas tree.
**
Christmas morning, Santa came and I also had the 3 gifts from Dad..
The year was 1944...candy and gum were hard to get at that time...a time of WW2.
When I opened one present, it was a WHOLE box of JUICY FRUIT chewing gum...
I was stunned...A WHOLE BOX !
I just couldn't believe it...
My daddy must have had some "pull" with somebody...somewhere !
**
The second present....a WHOLE box of HERSHEY BARS...
I can STILL remember the excitement I felt...
You've heard "like a kid in a candy store" ?....well, believe me when I say...
I was that kid !
Here the government was sending all the sugar they could get together and sending it overseas..and I was sitting here with a WHOLE box of candy....o, my!
Such a Christmas gift has not left such an impression on me as this one has.
*
The third gift was a beautiful little Mexican senorita doll...
I still have the doll and would have taken a photo of her but she's in a trunk
in our attic and too hard to get down.
**
Because BOTH my parents loved me so much,they each made that first HARD Christmas more of a GOOD memory than a BAD one.
They both were very wise in their way of handling such a traumatic time in my life...I never,
NOT EVEN ONCE, heard either one of them say anything BAD about the other...
I think this is so important for a little child...
having their home broken apart is bad enough without having to handle hearing bad things about a person that child loves....
My mother was only 27 yrs old at this time and so wise for her age. She gave some thought to ME...
how this would affect THE REST OF MY LIFE....
and for this, I WILL ALWAYS BE THANKFUL.
Thankful to the both of them !
*
Sooo, my Christmas memory, that is as strong right now as ever,
IS A BLESSED ONE....
Thankful to the both of them !
*
Sooo, my Christmas memory, that is as strong right now as ever,
IS A BLESSED ONE....
ALL BECAUSE 2 PEOPLE LOVED ME THAT MUCH....
Please remember to pray for the additional thirty thousand soldiers our country is sending to Afghanistan, as well as the ones that are already there.
I am posting a yellow ribbon on my sidebar to help remind me to keep them and their families in my prayers.
You are so welcome to take this picture to YOUR sidebar ! Please do !
66 comments:
Ah, BJ. Of course they loved their precious little daughter. They must be smiling now because that same sweet daughter is honoring the love she had for them.
Thank you for sharing this special memory. Happy Pink Saturday, my dear BJ.
Love this...don't forget to drop by and add this to the list of Holiday Homes at "Home 4 the Holiday"...this is a perfect entry.
Have a great weekend.
BJ,
This is a sweet story that made me get tears in my eyes. There was a big moral to your story and I think you are blessed to have had parents like that. It's a shame we so rarely see it now.
Wonderful post, my sweet friend.
xoxo
Jane
What a precious story BJ. My parents divorced when I was 3 and my story wasn't as happy. I hope that others going through divorce will see this story and realize how important it is to not alienate the child from the other parent. I am so glad your Christmases were happy ones:>)
What a wonderful memory! How blessed you were to have such wise parents.
We should all remember the military and their families. Thanks for the reminder.
What a sweet story! I felt the joy of the gifts right along with you! I love Juicy Fruit gum. My Mama always had that for us kids in Church:) sweet sweet gum and memories! Great Parents you had, dear BJ, Great Parents! Thanks for sharing these memories from your heart! Love to all!
Oh BJ...
Happy Pink Saturday sweetie.
That is the most beautiful story. I love it. What a wonderful writing this is. I can see you and your Moma carrying the packages to the house, and I can just see your little face as you opened the big box of gum, the big box of candy bars and your precious doll. So very beautiful sweetie. Thank you so much for sharing with me today.
Stop by and say hi. I love it when you do.
Country hugs sweetie...Sherry
What a wonderful story and how lucky you were to have parents who were wise enough to put you first. Sad to say, many parents today don't do that and the child suffers.
Sue
You had great parents, most kids aren't as lucky when there is divorce. Thank you for sharing your precious memories.
BJ..that was just the sweetest story..It was the perfect way to kick off our special pink Saturday. Thank you for sharing all that sweetness!! Happy Pinks & Reds too!
xo Tami
This is such a beautiful memory, BJ. It brought tears to my eyes.
My parents were divorced when I was 12. Daddy was in Texas and we moved to Missouri. The most brilliant memory I have after the divorce and before, if daddy was away (he was in the air force) is receiving telegrams, from Daddy, on my birthday and other special days. I always thought that was the neatest thing to have someone deliver a telegram, just for me, from Daddy. Wish I had some of those messages. I guess telegrams are a thing of the past!
The lessons I learned, as a child of divorce, were invaluable, when my own first marriage ended.
what a lovely story...very wise parents indeed! You were blessed to have such a wonderful Mom & Dad!
Thank you so much for sharing! I know how proud your parents are of you, wise parents to boot!
BJ, those are such sweet memories, thank you for sharing part of your heart with us. Isn't it amazing what a difference it makes in the life of a child when they know without a doubt that they are loved?
What a wonderful story you have to tell of such a difficult moment. Your parents sound like truly special people. Not many adults take such care with their children's hearts and souls when they get divorced. I'm glad that was not your experience. Happy Pink Saturday and Happy Holidays BJ!
Such sweet, sweet memories to cherish forever! How blessed to have parents as you did!
Merry Christmas B.J.!
Hugs,
Maryjane
What a wonderful story and to remember it so vividly. It had to have meant so much to you. I see the love for chocolate started very young. Ha!
Thanks for sharing. I loved the story.
What a lovely and very special Christmas that was for you, BJ. I can just imagine how excited you must have been when you picked up your boxes at the post office! And then the amazement when you finally got to open them and saw what your Daddy had collected for you. He sounds like a special guy,your mom a wonderful and wise woman. I got a little tearful, I will admit it!! Thanks for sharing such a personal and warm memory.
I'll have my (much wordier!!) story up tomorrow, hope you'll stop by for a visit.
Have a nice weekend.
XO
Heidi - Heart and Home
I loved your wonderful story and memories of your past childhood memories, loved the tree and the wonderful Christmas pillows, I sure need some new ones...Phyllis
This is such a sweet story about your mama and daddy! Loved the photos also:)
Hello BJ,
Oh my what a sweet story. I have tears in my eyes. My parents divorced too when I was 14. Not such happy memories for me though. Thanks for sharing your story. :)
Hugs,
Debbie
Oh girl I just am sitting here with tears running down my face....what a wonderful love story...I wish more divorce parents would think to put the kids first...Mine were divorce when I was 5 girl so I know the pain of losing my Daddy...that was in 1948...but hold every thing they remarried each other in 1975 ha ha!! and stayed together until they died in 05-07 sighs...May you have a wonderful weekend my dear friend....hugs and smiles Gl♥ria
What a lovely story of your 7 year old Christmas, BJ. Two loving parents are certainly a blessing. Also, your decorations are gorgeous!
Hi BJ, I am still posting my pink but came over for a minute. Your story about your daddy is wonderful. I always called my dad daddy all of my life. You know there are so many people that do not have memories of a wonderful childhood. I grew up in the same loving kind of home. We were blessed and I know our children have that same love. Lucky, lucky us.
I better get posting. This week has been so busy with decorating and so many activities. All I can say is ...whats new? Laughing. We do lead the busiest life. I am always playing catchup with visiting my dear blogging friends. Sigh.
Love you, and thank you for sharing your precious story.
Jeanne
BJ ~ What a beautiful story! I wish that more divorced couples could talk nicely about their ex's. It's such a shame the impressions they leave on a child.
Happy Pink Saturday!
Your father took the time and made the effort for you and you were truly blessed with that. So many children have to live with the knowledge that one parent couldn't care less and that is certainly a crime. Thanks for the lovely story.
Hi BJ, well, you brought tears to my eyes while reading your dear post. I wish many many more kids were as fortunate. I do pray for our service people every single day, as my grandson is one of them. I get sick to my stomach when watching some of the news stories of our young men and women. God Bless Them.
Love Ya,
Chris
Hi!
Thanks for sharing this beautiful story with us!!!
Happy pink saturday!
A story both sweet and sad....you had wise and wonderful parents and you know how they loved you...the best gift of all!
Jil
Hi BJ
What a heartwarming story! Your parents gave you more than just good gifts that Christmas. I will post that ribbon on my sidebar. The troops really need our prayers.
Hugs, Rhondi
BJ!!! I love your Christmas memory! Your parents were so much like my own parents and the times were so much the same! A whole box of Hershey Bars! That would have been such an amazing Christmas surprise!!! Thanks for sharing this wonderful Pink Saturday Christmas Memory! Have a wonderful day! Hugs, Coralie
Oh BJ...I love it...what sweet memories...and a true testimony to Mother knows best!God Bless you...and your memories!
Hi BJ,
A very sweet post honouring your parents. Thank you for sharing a heart-touching story and your lovely photos. Happy Pink Saturday.
Blessings,
Sandi
On this first Saturday of December ♥Jappy Pink Saturday♥. I was away for a while and sure missed running around the blogs arnd seeing all of the goodies everyone was sharing.
Thanks for the memory...
It was a blessing for you to make my morning so much fun. Hoping that you and those you care about spend a wonderful weekend making memories that will last a lifetime☺
What a sweet memory! I will never look at a chocolate bar again without thinking of your story. My parents divorced when I was young and I remember lots of Christmases that were very different all of a sudden.
Happy PS.
Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge
Charmed giveaway!
What a great post... and it is heart warming to see the picture on the sidebar of you surrounded in family. Just loved this!
Lee
Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest!
Thank you so much for sharing. Love the pics! Also, thank you for the yellow ribbon. My step-son is currently awaiting his deployment orders... but luckily will get to come home for the holidays first.
Blessed be! :-)
I love all those Christmas pillows to snuggle up with. A lovley Christmas memory. A whole box of chocolates .... I am drooling. Nice to hear you had loving parents that made that Christmas good for you. Pink Blessings!
Gwen
BJ, Thank you for sharing such wonderful christmas memories with us! I am so glad for you that your parents made it something special to remember. Often times that is not the case. Glad those memories are still with you to share and I am sure your children will have even happier ones to share with their children! Bless you!
Oh, BJ, I'm in tears at your beautiful memory. What a truly wonderful gift your parents gave you. Very, very special!
I will definitely take your soldier button and put it on my blog. It is perfect! And, more importantly I am also praying for all of our military and the support personnel.
My nephew is a private contractor for a defense company. He works with the military and was an active duty Marine a few years ago. He is supposed to deploy to Afghanistan later this month.
This is a beautiful post. To see two people take the high road like this is rare, and look at the positive results. It's no wonder you're such a sweetheart! Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. I loved your photos too.
Blessings,
Marcia
Happy Pink Saturday. What a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing! My parents divorced when I was 2, my daddy always gave me a pkg of Juicy Fruit gum when he came to see me. I truly understand how excited you must have been to get a whole box!
BJ, I loved your memories, and shared in that excitement when you opened the box of hershey bars. My husband once brought home a huge jar of lindt chocolates (like really huge) that he won at a golf outing. Over the years, he has gone to plenty and won plenty of stuff, but the jar of chocolates sticks out in all of our minds as the very best. We all took our time and shared and made it last for months.
What comes to mind as I read all of our memories is that our families loved us. Clearly that is what was important.
♥, Susan
What a treasure memory is. I know your parents were sprecial people because we get to see the woman their daughter has become. Their true gift to you was never the gifts under the tree. BJ, this was a lovely remembrance. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Have a wonderful day.
What a great memory to share. You were blessed to have such wise parents!
Hugs,
Jacalyn
Beautiful memory that years will never fade. Thanks for sharing with us. Wish we were all as wise today as your folks. Happy Pink Saturday, Mollye
BJ, this is such a moving story! Thank you for sharing this, dear one.
My mother and her first husband were divorced, and it wasn't an amicable divorce. Then she married my dad when my sister was small. Daddy was like the father that everyone (including my mother) had hoped my sister's father would be to her.
Her own dad never remembered her at Christmas or her birthday. She had to overcome a lot about that (and I'm sure it still hurts), but because my father was such a loving person, I think is one reason she knows how to love. We did have a lot of love as children.
She has a wonderful family, children and grandchildren, but my heart (which is almost 20 years her junior) still hurts for that little girl she was who waited for the calls, the cards, and the gifts that might or might not come.
I'm SO happy that your own father knew the importance of being a dad. I'm glad mine did, too. For my sisters' sakes and mine! :-) I'm also glad that you had a very wise mother.
Happy Pink Saturday...
XO,
Sheila
What a sweet, sweet post for Pink Saturday. And, yes, how your Mom and Dad loved you throughout their difficult time.
I love your pictures too. I came over to see you from Beverly's and I think I'll stay awhile and look around. I'm going to sign up to follow you and I hope that you will come and see me too.
bj, just a beautiful story. You were a lucky little girl.
Happy Pink Saturday.
Carol
BJ, what a sweet Christmas post, and I agree that your Mama was a wise young woman. She raised a wonderful daughter, too! I can say so because I've met you in person, right?!
JUST precious and would you look at how many comments!! I feel like I am visiting a ROCK STAR! :)
Gorgeous pinks and all Christmas!
bj, everything is lovely, warm and so inviting!
You didn't make me laugh this time..but you certainly made me swoon!
Also, thank you for your kind words. I think I am feeling a wee insecure lately...LOL
I have the "I can't's" I guess.
Many hugs,
Mona
p.s. I also wanted to comment on your story..as it really touched my heart. What wonderful parents you must have had. They did not allow their troubled relationship touch you, and that is so rare! Look how warm and caring you turned out, bj.
They did good! They did VERY good!
Hugs,
Hi BJ! What a wonderful memory. I never would have thought that you were old enough to have mem0ries from
WW2! I'm shocked!
I'm hoping that you have a wonderful Merry Christmas!
~Liz
BJ Pink came from Red so you are on Target! lol Sweet sweet story, thank you for sharing. Happy Pink Saturday Grace
BJ, what a wonderful, beautiful post and a lovely memory to share with us. You're right... both of your parents were very wise. I don't think either of them could have done a better job of making that first Christmas special for you instead of hurtful. To your 7-year-old self, that whole box of Hersheys and the whole box of Juicy Fruit must have been even better than the beautiful doll!
Justine :o )
What a precious story and entirely heart-touching. Thank you for sharing this. <3
BJ,
Thank you for visiting my blog and for becoming a follower. I love the fact that we both love the movie Dirty Dancing, and ain't it a shame we lost Patrick Swazye.
About that silver button. Well, I went back to her site and tried to copy it again, and it just won't let me. I'll work on it.
In the meantime her blog is
www.thegypsyfish.blogspot.com
She is hosting and I found out about it from Sassy Mini Dolls.
Hope you join in, sounds like fun.
BJ, thank you. I'm so goofey, duh!
I should have known how to do that.
Thanks so much! Now, everyone can click on the pic and live happily ever after!
Your a sweetie, and I'm so glad that we are going to get to know each other.
Hi BJ, I purchased those candles at walmart a couple of years ago, very inexpensive, I loved them and bought a few...I too love the peppermint...at the dollar tree they have the really large stick candy canes, you know the ones that curl up at the just large fat peppermint sticks, 2 for one dollar, my kitchen window is full of large decanter jars full of candy canes big and small, I should do a post, maybe monday, have fun with the peppermint and use what ever you like, whats mine is yours.....
Happy Pinks, bj! I so enjoyed reading about your holiday memory. Kudos to both your parents for putting your feeling and needs first.
Thanks you for sharing!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Tina
Hi BJ...me again, just got back from wallmart and I saw the candy cane candles there just like mine in many sizes, there were over by the christmas dishes, not by the candles, anyway I am in ca. hope they have them there, hope this helps...
Amen - one parent should never talk bad about the other - we have always followed this with my grandson's mother (he lives with my son). Your story is so sweet and "sweet" lol both. Thanks for sharing. Nancy
BJ-
What a beautiful memory that you shared with all of us.
I felt like I was right there.
Thank you,
Laura
That is a wonderful memory. If only all parents of children of divorce could be so wise. Thanks for sharing. Happy PS on Sunday!
I am so glad you had wise parents. Today that does not seem to happen! Great memories!
Happy PINK/Red Sat!
Lorena
Bj, I've got goosebumps just reading this tonight!! What a wonderful Christmas memory even in the midst of what could have been a miserable time for you. No wonder you turned out so awesome ~ Just look at where you came from!!!
Love,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents
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