Christmas is upon us yet again. And yet again, as we go through the house decorating and tree trimming and card sending and gift buying and wrapping rituals of the season, we continue to feel Kylene's absence in everything we do. It is hard to trim the tree, for instance, without memories of Kylene flooding back, as this was one of her most favorite holiday activities.

This is not a bad thing, of course. Such times shall live in our hearts forever. But they are bittersweet. And as we hang the dated bulb we bought back in 1983 shortly after Kylene's birth, featuring the words "Baby's First Christmas" and a picture of a giggling baby girl, at first the pangs strike deep. But then we remember the struggles we went through that first December to keep her frail body alive, and spending Christmas with her in the hospital. We were told when Kylene was born that the odds were not good that she would even survive. Yet she did. She survived, and fought, and turned an original prognosis of a few years into over twenty-three. She did that through perseverance and courage, and keeping her outlook positive.

We wish we had as much courage as she.

Merry Christmas, darling. You were the greatest gift we could ever receive. We love you forever.

 
~ Mom & Dad