My Christmas Memories

The Gebhard Family Christmas tree

This year I was reluctant to decorate our Christmas tree. I knew that when it came time to open the box filled with our most treasured ornaments I would find the ornaments my mom bought the summer of 2008, before the doctors discovered that the cancer had invaded her brain, before the chemo and radiation, before the birth of my daughter, before the last Christmas we would celebrate as a family in my Capitol Hill home, before the trips to the emergency room, before the extended-stay in the hospital, before the hope for rehabilitation, before the coma, before the funeral.

Anabel's ballerina bear, a gift from my mom

I thought about my mom as I unwrapped the ornaments that she purchased for Anabel that summer. I thought about how much I miss her, and how I would give anything to hear her sweet voice one more time. I was overwhelmed by memories and tears when I saw my daughter’s bright eyes and big smile as she looked at the glowing tree with glistening glass ornaments and treasured keepsakes. Anabel looks just like my mom when she smiles.