The Hallmark card company is notorious for its holiday commercials that have always made me cry. (Folders Coffee has got a few, too!) As I have mentioned in a few of my blogs, my boys love to tease their Mom when any of these ads come on because I am such a “softy.” Hallmark is famous for the sentimental story-lines with their ads during the Christmas season, so I get plenty of Kleenex ready and prepare myself for a lot of teasing from the guys.
I suppose these commercials hit their mark with me even more because we have celebrated Christmas the past two years without TJ at home. I think I began praying back in June that somehow he would be able to be home this year. Once again, TJ just wasn’t sure that he would be granted the leave time.
On Monday, December 12th, TJ texted wanting to know if we would be at home watching the football game. I replied that we’d be at home and then asked him, “why?” He replied, “Need to call and talk about Christmas.” I didn’t know if I should get excited that he might have good news about getting to come home or if I should prepare myself for the disappointing news that he had not been granted leave time. My emotions just didn’t know which way to go, so I worked at trying to forget that he would be calling.
With supper finished, we sat down to watch the second half of the football game. The St. Louis Rams were playing the Seattle Seahawks, but it had been a long day and neither of these teams were MY team. I just wasn’t as interested as I normally am with football and once again my mind had returned to TJ’s promised phone call. What kind of news would his call bring?
It was in the third quarter when my phone went off. TJ was texting wanting to know what the score was. I was a bit baffled with his text because I had assumed he’d be watching it himself. But, I responded with the score figuring he may have been called back to the armory. A few minutes later Joe looked at me and said, “Did I hear a car door?” And then a second text arrived from TJ, “Well, are you going to open the door so I can come and watch it with you?”
I had my hands full with a crochet project and said to Joe, “Get the door! Open the door!” The doorbell had not rung, nor had anyone knocked on the door and so he did not understand why he needed to open the door. [I suppose if I’d told him what TJ’s text said it would have helped.] I grab what was in my lap and threw to the side as I jumped up to race to the front door. By now Sadie, our dog, was jumping around the room not really sure what the excitement was about but wanting to make sure that she didn’t miss out on it.
The front door is only a few feet away from where I’d been sitting but it was one of those moments that happened in ultra-slow motion and I just couldn’t get to the door fast enough. I opened the door and there he stood! That crazy kid of ours with that silly grin on his face – he was home for Christmas!
I threw my arms around him making sure that my Christmas miracle was really here. I found out later that his brother knew about this surprise homecoming and had been told not to tell us because TJ wanted it to be “a Hallmark moment.” And, yes, I needed my Kleenex for it!
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| TJ checks out one of his gifts on Christmas morning. |
When he stood there in our doorway, the two weeks granted us more time with TJ than I had ever hoped for. But, once again the time has flown by way too fast! He left yesterday, stopping to visit a friend who completed their service with the Air Force this past year. After that visit, he was on his way back to base. This morning we received a text from him – his drive was over, he was back safely, and he was dead tired.
The Hallmark commercials will always tug at my heart with their sentimental story-line and I will still need to reach for my Kleenex. However, now they will always be the reminder of our own “Hallmark moment" with TJ! Tease me if you want, I’ll just smile and say another prayer of thanks for our Christmas with TJ!
