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Sonya Leigh Anderson

November


Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash


I confess. It’s November tenth and all day long I’ve been decorating the house for Christmas. It’s against my better judgment and breaking my own rules, but I’ve done it nonetheless. And here’s why.


To start it’s snowing. A lot. Measuring by my deck I’d say ten inches so far and more coming. And the best way I know to make the most of snow is to make it about Christmas. Snow looks best with glitter and lights.


But truth be told this isn’t the first November with snow, yet never before have I done what I did today. So the real reason I’ve dipped early into holiday décor is I’m still holding out hope we’ll be spending December just north of the equator. All sun and no snow, and so why not. I’m enjoying it now while I can.


Last November Felipe and Jimmy were here in Minnesota and there was no snow. The Camp of Dreams kids hoped it would come, but just to be ornery the weather held out until a day or so after they left before dumping the first of our endless winter.


We have a picture of the boys at the camp, standing in front of a Christmas tree. It’s decorated with homemade crafts, and I was with Felipe when he painted a snowflake, meticulous and exquisite. A work of art. That was a year ago. The picture of the boys has been sitting in a frame on our piano ever since. We compare the faces on Skype to the ones in the frame and we mark the passing of time.


Last year our Anderson Christmas fell on December twenty-second, Felipe’s fifteenth birthday. We had a cake and candles, and all of us circled the table and we prayed for two new sons. Already another birthday approaches, and we hold out hope. Maybe we’ll celebrate sixteen together.


So today I make the most of snow in November, hoping for sun in December. I put up trees and lights (but no ornaments just yet), and I wonder if the holiday décor will welcome them home. And I pray it again like I’ve prayed before – Please, God, let us be together for Christmas.

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