Saturday, December 01, 2007

So many things...

There have been so many things lately that I want to record. But I am such a bad journaler. Always have been as evidenced by this blog that has not been updated in almost (gasp!) 3 months. I so desparately want to remember day to day things that happen yet they are so easily forgotten. I know I need to write them down but how to find the time to do it?? I've really got to figure that out. In that vain, I'm going to do a post every day in December...called Daily December. Hopefully with a photo attached. I have no photo for today, but I'll post one for tomorrow.

Anyway, the most recent thing I never want to forget happened last night. We were having dinner with neighbors. A few of us were still sitting around after dinner chatting and Jordan and her friend Madison were talking in the background. All of a sudden I hear these words come out of Jordan's mouth: "Santa isn't real." Now, Jordan is 10 and at an age where she is certainly questioning the likelyhood of Santa. But Madison is only 8, same age as Jackson, and most likely still believes in Santa. And my daughter just told her that he is not real. I turned and gave her a look that would freeze you-know-where over. I took her outside and marched her straight home to her room. All the while she was sobbing and saying she was sorry. Jim and I took her up to her room all the while saying we just couldn't believe that she didn't think santa was real and how could she tell Madison such a thing and on and on. We walked out of her room and she was just crying and crying. Jim and I stopped and looked at each other. We really didn't know what to do. Here we were making her feel so bad about something that she was actually right about. We walked back into her room and point blank asked her, "Do you believe in Santa? If you don't, it's okay, but we just want to know." She said, "No, I really don't. I stopped believing last year." As Jim and I were trying to explain the whole thing about Santa, she looked at us and asked, "Why did you guys lie to me?" Jim and I both lost it at that point. How do you answer that question? At that precise moment, I understood those parents who say, "I've told my child from the very beginning there's no santa. I don't want to lie to them." I always thought those people were crazy and depriving their kids of great holiday magic. But at that moment I understood.

Anyway, she's 10 and no longer believes in Santa. Life is going by too fast. And that's my post for December 1st.

4 comments:

Kaity Mackenzie said...

That's hard. I remember finding out Santa wasn't real... I was about Jordan's age. I was starting to notice that Mom and Dad never bought the same presents as Santa even though I gave them the same list. I thought there would be duplicates it Santa was real! I knew it was a big deal to keep it secret though so I kept my mouth shut. I never really looked at it like my parent's were lying to me though. Don't worry, Jordan will be okay... it's something every kid goes through!

Speaking of Jordan, I was thinking that maybe she and I could spend a day together while you guys are up here. (Maybe at the mall or something?) Would that be okay with you guys?

I'm glad that you are back to writing! You will have to post more often because I will want to know what's happening in Texas while I am in London! :)

Tom Fuja said...

Something tells me that you won't need to re-read your blog entry to remember this particular event in ten years. Sobbing children and feeling like shit - believe me, these are the memories that linger... :)

Brandy said...

Duuuuude, what a story. Had to actually read that one out loud to Jason because we have been surveying people like mad trying to figure out where we are going with our Santa plan. Poor Jordan though, that sucks. We're afraid that Dylan will be the kid to emphatically yell from the top of the jungle gym to all the kids that Santa isn't real in pre-K, so we are torn. Give her a hug from Dylan, he loves her (then give one to Jensen so she doesn't get jealous)

Anonymous said...

Great work.