Jocie Reporting the Christmas News from Hollyhill

Jocie Reporting from Hollyhill – the News of Christmas

I love it when I get a new notebook for Christmas. All those blank pages just waiting for me to fill them with words. My favorite thing to do. But right now I don’t know where to start. So many good things to write about. So many Christmas blessings. But I’ll put the point of my pen on the paper and see what spills out of it. Here goes.

This is the best Christmas ever. I know. I’ve been saying that every year. At least the last few years and I did think they were best. Well, not the Christmas after Mama Mae died. That one was the worst. The one when I was eight. Lots worse than the one after DeeDee left with Tabitha. Although that one wasn’t so good either.

I missed Mama Mae. Mama Mae was Christmas. I guess when Mama Mae died, so did Santa Claus. At least for me. But another Christmas came around and another and now I’m old enough to know Christmas is more than what’s under the tree. More even than who’s sitting around the tree with you. Although, boy, am I glad this year for who’s sitting around the tree with me. Especially Wes. After that tree fell on him back in July this could have been another worst Christmas ever like the one after Mama Mae died. A person just can’t keep from missing people they’ve lost at Christmas.

I said a prayer for Miss Sally today when I woke up since she lost Mr. Harvey last September. But she told us at Sunday school last week not to worry about her or be too sad about Mr. Harvey. That he would surely have the best Christmas a Christian could ever have up in heaven this year. I wonder do the angels sing up in heaven every year the way they did on that first Christmas when Jesus was born? Of course, Miss Sally won’t really have time to be too sad since she’ll be having Christmas with the Hearndons. The twins and Cassidy will keep her more than busy. Eli and Elise are sweet as they can be, but they’d try to climb the tree if you didn’t watch them.

But back to my best Christmas ever. Last year there was just me and Dad and Aunt Love and Wes. That was good, but we’ve almost doubled our number this year with Tabitha here and baby Stephen Lee and Leigh.

I’m so happy I’m about to burst. Of course I’m not as happy as Leigh. Christmas

I’m glad some things change. I’m glad we have more people around our Christmas tree. I’m glad Dad and Leigh look so happy. I’m glad Wes is still telling me Jupiter stories. I’m glad Tabitha and Stephen Lee are here. I’m glad Aunt Love’s smiling more. I’m glad Zeb curls up on my feet to keep me warm when I sleep out on the back porch.

But I’m glad some things don’t change. Like the Lord. Like people loving other people a little extra at Christmastime. Like Dad and Wes loving me a little extra all the time. Like the Lord blessing people even when they don’t know what blessings they need.

Happy birthday, Jesus!

P.S. I skipped over a little. Well, actually a lot. But if you want to see the rest of my best Christmas ever, you can grab that book. Summer of Joy, to find out more.  So much happened before Christmas and plenty more after Christmas with all the snow and people showing up that nobody expected to ever show up. One of them right in the middle of a snowstorm and another at the worst possible time ever.