First Christmas

On the eve of our first Christmas without Ryan, I thought I would share with you the story of our first Christmas together...it should make you laugh. :)

Ryan and I had been married for almost 6 months when we had our first Christmas together. Ryan wanted to make sure that it was really special for me, so he went shopping with my best friend, Val. She had come into town to visit a few weeks before Christmas. I was busy with a bridal shower for a friend, so they had the perfect opportunity to head to the mall without me.

In Ryan's mind, it could get no better than taking my best friend shopping with him for my Christmas present, she knew me better than anyone. The immediately headed for my favorite store and Ryan saw an outfit in the window that he liked. It was nothing like I normally wore, but it was on the mannequin, so how could it be wrong? He asked Val her opinion (and not wanting to disappoint him) she told him it was nice, that I would like it.

When Christmas morning came, we were so excited to be spending our first Christmas together. We had a fire going in the fireplace, the Christmas lights on the tree were on, I think there was even some Christmas music playing. We sat on the floor to open our gifts, Ryan with a pile of about 5 things in front of him, and me with one lonely box. (We had set a budget, so I got him a lot of different small things, but all things that I thought he would enjoy.) He opened his gifts up first with a smile on his face.

Then it was my turn. Ryan was giddy, he was sure that he had gotten the perfect gift. I opened my present and saw that the box was from a store that I loved. Perfect. This was going to be so good! Then I opened the box. Inside lay a "Pepto-Bismol" pink shirt and a pair of eggplant colored plants. I think I tried to smile and be gracious, but Ryan could tell immediately that I was not overwhelmingly pleased. I think I even asked him if they weren't meant to be worn together; his response was "they were displayed together on the mannequin." I being the ever gracious gift receiver (ha ha) decided to try on the clothes. Not so much...the shirt was not flattering and the pants were floods! I was near tears and Ryan was so disappointed.

I know that I did not laugh about my gift that day, but as time passed, it became a joke between Ryan and I, and Val too. We laughed about it every Christmas there after.

I miss Ryan today. I wonder what he would have chosen for me this year (he probably would have let me pick it out myself, just to be safe). I am thankful for our memories together, that still make me laugh!