Christmas Past

Ella and Drew's first Christmas was something of a blur. Ella had come home only days earlier. I was in a nursing all night and all day haze. We were still reeling from the fact that we had twins, and now they were home! I remember waking up and seeing some strange lights from the living room. I walked out to find a silver tree with blinking iridescent lights. It was the ugliest thing ever to happen to Christmas and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My mother had left it for us before she snuck out to catch a train home for Christmas. She couldn't bear the thought that we didn't have a tree. There are not words to describe how indispensable she was during those first days after they were born when I couldn't say a sentence without crying and the thought of making food was repulsive. She stayed with Drew while Mike and I visited Ella in the NICU everyday. She bought gifts for my in-laws and wrapped them with love. So, Ellla and Drew will never remember their first Christmas, but I will be sure to tell them the story of the ugliest tree and a nonnie full of love.