If only in my dreams...

If only in my dreams…

In 1943, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” became one of America's most popular Christmas songs. The idea of being home for Christmas originated in World War I when soldiers at first thought that the war would be quick and they would return by Christmastime. This inevitably did not happen, hence the line "if only in my dreams". (wikipedia)

I’ve heard several stories about people probably not being “home for Christmas” this year. Several older children have said that all they want for Christmas is for their family to be together. The large Air Force base near town brings in many stories of folks who have just moved here and they won’t be heading home for Christmas. The oil boom has many men working far from home and away from their families. There was a nice young man who brought his children in for pictures and noticing his accent I asked if he was from here. It turns out he came from Arkansas to find work in the oil fields but that didn’t work out for him, but he was staying because there wasn’t any work back home either.

But the visit that really touched my heart was when 2 children came for pictures with their dad. They both were well prepared and had typed out their Christmas list. The first child had about 12 items listed as did the second boy and I had time to read through both lists with the boys and visited with them about their choices. Then I noticed, that near the bottom of one of the neatly typed list, two little words had been penciled in “mom hom”. I wasn’t sure what toy this referred to and as I tried to phonetically sound out the words, dad leaned over and said “Mom home”, he continued “their mom is in Kuwait and she won’t be home for Christmas”. If only in my dreams…