4 years, 1 month.
Dear Jack,
This year for Christmas, it worked out for our family to spend about 5 days at my parents’ house in Fort Payne, Alabama.
So last Tuesday after I got off work, and after you and Mommy had visited both Primrose and Rainbow daycare facilities as we decide which one to transfer you to once we move into our new house in a month (our closing date is exactly a month from today), we loaded up the 2014 Lexus LX 570 and made our way across the Tennessee state line.
After we settled in that night (December 23rd), I noticed something:
The Christmas tree’s ornaments serve as a 1980s time capsule.
Those ornaments mainly consist of decorations collected during my childhood.
There are crocheted ornaments clearly displaying the year “1987” on them. There is also an array of ornaments I made in school and church, from 1987 to 1991.
In fact, the one from 1987, where I am sitting on (a very lousy looking) Santa, features me wearing a McDonald’s sweat suit.
The irony is very present; never knowing back then that I would eventually become a vegan, nor would I have been able really understand what that word even meant back then.
I also noticed a 25 year-old egg shell ornament. Back in 3rd grade, for Christmas 1989, I had made an ornament in Mrs. Lawrence’s class, where we all brought in an egg, poked it with a needle to drain it, then covered it in sparkles, a sticker, and some glue.
Somewhat miraculously, than 25 year-old egg has never cracked or shattered!
I also laughed when I saw the Star of David made out of tongue depressors. It helps explain why I always sort of assumed we were Jewish.
And don’t forget the bubble lights! It’s amazing those things still work…
The next morning on Christmas Eve (December 24th), your cousin Calla came over and the two of you both got to open one present early.
She got a Play-Doh factory and you got a really cool Lego set that was a tree house; which contained a Lego treasure map and a pizza!
It’s a bit of a blur, but at some point while your Uncle Andrew helped you build the new Lego set, I ended up wearing the top part of a broken sombrero that I think my Great-aunt Jennie had bought for me as a souvenir while visiting Mexico, where her parents were born.
You were pleasantly surprised when you discovered a Brother Bear figurine of the Berentstain Bears (from a McDonald’s Happy Meal); being that you had just watched on the DVD on the drive there in the car, on the Lexus LX’s built-in system.
So I guess it’s safe to say in addition to the Christmas tree’s ornaments serving as a 1980’s time capsule, my overflowing collection of McDonald’s Happy Meal toys helped add to that undeniable sense of nostalgia at your Nonna and Papa’s house.
Just check out that ice cream cone that transforms into a robot!
Love,
Daddy
Family Friendly Daddy Blog 