Guest Blog: All I Want for Christmas by Sweetie

All I want for Christmas is a good night's sleep... for my wife...

 

It’s been this way for years. In December I go to bed thinking my wife will be up shortly. Sometimes I think I’ll stay awake until she comes to bed, so I watch a sappy Christmas movie (usually a romantic comedy.. that she will give me crap for watching... She claims they make me all mushy and sentimental...) But often I fail and fall asleep. Sometimes I make it all the way through and give up and go to sleep. It’s common to wake up at 2, 3, 4 and find the other side of the bed empty... she’s still helping, wrapping, making...

Last night she was up late and then up early this morning, so I thought she would come to bed since she has choir practice in the morning and a performance in the evening. But it’s 2 AM and she’s still up. I guess I should have expected it. My MIL was a late-nighter and I’ve heard stories of her sewing for Christmas way into the morning hours. I also remember one year about 29 years ago. We were living in Logan, but planned to visit home for the holidays (Ephraim and Mt Pleasant, a 3-hour drive). I can’t remember why we changed our minds about when we were going, perhaps a snowstorm was coming or maybe we were just a couple of young kids with our own kids that wanted to be home for the holidays and that meant our mommy and daddy's.. 

Anyway, we sent Santa an email asking him to come early. Bossy and The Beast opened presents and then we headed for home about midnight. We figured we would just crash in my folks' front room. In Mt Pleasant in those days no one locked their house. Anyway, about 3 am we roll in, walk through the door and scare my poor mother to death. She was still up... Seems moms don’t sleep much in December.

I think I'll write Santa a letter asking if the elves can help Sandy a bit. She's so tired.... One of the hardest parts of having young kids later in life is finding the energy to do the young parent stuff. Most of our friends our age our empty-nesters; they probably go to bed. People in their 50s need sleep. It’s just weird that way. But moms and dads with elementary and jr high aged kids; they don’t sleep... at least not in December.

 

Santa, how about it? Can you spare a few elves for my cause?