...and revived two old souls. Many traditions are tied to our home. Growing up I never had a home for long. By the time I graduated from high school I had moved 11 times, several in the middle of the school year. In 1996 our four children, Betty and I moved to Jackson Tennessee, to 79 Countrywood Dr., and made it our home for 25 years. (It is important to this blog to know that our youngest daughter Sarah Blessing was only 2 when we moved and had only known this as home.)
We began immediately to form traditions. One of the most beloved occurred the weekend after Thanksgiving. We would drive out to a local Christmas tree farm, ride in a wagon pulled by mules, harvest our Christmas tree, drink hot chocolate and return. We decorated the tree, ordered pizza, and settle in for a den floor, evening picnic, and watched a Christmas movie. Our children grew up, married, and had families but we continued the tradition. Two years ago, we sold the home, gave our children most of our things, and moved into a dorm room on Union’s campus. Last year we were so committed to this tradition we pulled it off in Kingston. Found a tree farm, had the family, pizza, and a movie. There were a few differences, no mules, no wagon but all in all the tradition survived and all were snugged in for another year.
2022 has been a bit of a struggle for Betty and me. I am retiring in 2023, we are trying to build a home on the other side of Tennessee, my mom is struggling with ancient life issues, I have a large sculpture commission I am trying to begin that will last 5 years, am trying to prepare for my last solo show at Union and trying to find time to have joint replacement surgery. Add to this the Art Dept. is losing five people I am mostly tasked to oversee the hiring of their replacements and as of this writing, we haven’t filled one. To say we are under a bit of stress would be exact.
Last week we came to Kingston fairly wrung out but settled in to begin our Thanksgiving week. On Sunday it suddenly dawned on us we had left all our Christmas decorations, from the tree stand to the star and everything in between in Jackson. I wanted to lie down in the woods and let winter have its way.
However, Sarah, so tied to the tradition, was having none of it. She leaped into action like a duck hunter on a duck. She baked dough ornaments and had her schoolchildren paint them. She encouraged us. We began to make paper chains from old magazines, and I made a silver star out of cardboard and aluminum foil. She had some old ornaments, a few decorations, several Christmas movies, and arrived yesterday with a fresh dozen Krispy Kreme’s. Sissy and her family joined us and by evening were picnicking and watching It’s a Wonderful Life in front of a beautiful tree in a warm home filled with saved traditions. Sarah had saved Christmas and, in the process, revied two old souls. Merry Christmas!
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| Her school children ornaments. |
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