Sunrise, Sunset

It's Christmas day evening.  I'm feeling rather nostalgic.  Today was great.  It was better than that, it was wonderful.   After presents and a nap Darren went to play ping-pong with some guys.  The kids were all playing quietly in their rooms, and Luke fell asleep on my chest.   I was looking for a Christmas movie to play in the background while I cleaned up.  In the pile of Christmas movies I found a DVD of old family videos.  I put it in and started watching. 
I was enthralled.  I sat down and couldn't take my eyes off of the TV.  I watched the DeBry Christmas party from when I was 14.  My dad went around and talked to everyone there.  Nana looked so young.  I saw my aunt Pat, and uncle Bob who have both passed away since.  I saw all my cousins and aunts and uncles.  I watched films of Christmas's at my house, Easter, birthdays, pets, Laura dating Gordon.  I saw Christina, Laura, and Marilyn all pregnant with the first grandchildren. 

 As I sat and watched I was just so overwhelmed with love for my family.  My dear sweet mom and dad and all the hard work they went to raising us kids.  I felt so much love for each one of my brothers and sisters.  I thought about our house and how great my childhood was.  The fire in the fireplace.  My fathers kind, loving words to us.  My mom and dad's love for each other.  In one scene my dad recorded my mom asleep.  You could tell my dad thought she was so beautiful sleeping there.  She was always so embarrassed in front of the camera so she didn't like being recorded. But he could record her asleep.  He could show us all how beautiful she was.  I was amazed at how beautiful my mom was.  I never noticed that as a child.  I was amazed at how kind all my brothers and sisters were to each other.   We all love each other so much now- but really it's been there all along.  I noticed how much work my mom and dad went to for holidays and birthdays.  My mom always did so much to make our house beautiful and fun. My dad always appreciated and supported her.  I felt blown away by how good my childhood was. As a child, I never once heard my parents fight.  They always were so kind and loving to each other. 

We had a warm, cozy, safe house full of people who love each other and take care of each other. What more could someone ask for in life but to create the same environment for their own children?  I noticed how much I am like my mother, but could improve in so many ways.  I noticed how kind and soft my dad always spoke to us.  How his words to my mom were always like he was talking to the love of his life.  She was always working hard making things beautiful.  In one scene it's Christmas eve and my mom is wrapping a present.   She had 7 children and Christmas was no small task.  She lovingly put out an array of beautifully arranged gifts out for each one of us.  She would never go to bed Christmas Eve.  She would stay up all night making sure everything was beautiful and perfect.  Christmas morning would always be magical.  It was always over the top.   A Christmas tree full of beautiful decorations.  Music playing softly in the background, and a fire in the fireplace. After presents my mom would lay down in front of the fire and sleep all Christmas day.  She went to so much trouble for each one of us.  How could I help but be filled with love as I watched her?  How can I learn to be more like her?   Thank you mom and dad for all the wonderful memories you created for us kids.  We had a wonderful childhood.

At the end was a movie someone had made from home videos from when my dad was a child.  It blew me away to see my dad about 9 years old- the same age as my son.  He was hopping up and down on one leg.  He was the cutest kid.  There were his brothers and sisters: Jim, Paul, Pat, Mary and Mark.  Running around and looking so cute.  There was a scene of Nana sitting on Opa's lap, probably in their 30's or 40's.  Looking so young, vibrant, and in love.  I couldn't keep the tears back as the song came to the chorus, "sunrise, sunset"  My dad always says that.  And now I find myself saying it to my kids, watching them grow older.  I wish we could just stop time.  We can't.  So I do the only thing I can do , and that is to try to soak in every moment with them.  And make their childhood as magical as possible.

 Jim Nabors – Sunrise Sunset Lyrics
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older
When, did, they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be so tall?
Wasn't it yesterday when they, were, small?

Sunrise, sunset, Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze
Sunrise, sunset, Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears

Now is the little boy a bride groom?
Now is the little girl a bride?
Under the canopy I see them
Side, by, side
Bless the gold ring around her finger
Share the sweet wine and bread per glass
Soon the whole circle will have come, to, pass

Sunrise, sunset, Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze
Sunrise, sunset, Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness, and, tears
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk3rS8Yh-SI