Dear Santa,
You’ve seen my children through five years of deployments. We have always received a phone call, though brief, from the front lines on Christmas Day. For that, I can never thank you enough.
You’ve brought my husband home unharmed after each deployment. For that, I am forever grateful.
You even heard my wish for a puppy that was easily housebroken. Our darling golden retriever, Sailor, has been dutifully by our side since you delivered him eight years ago.
And this year, this deployment, I have been a very good girl.
I have mowed the lawn every week, just like my husband asked me to.
I’ve gotten the kids to school – on time, and even brought brownies for the bake sale.
I attended every FRG meeting and resisted the urge to throw something when we were told the deployment was extended!
I even let my mother-in-law use all our Skype time last month so she could talk to her darling son – instead of me.
So this Christmas, I’d like the attention squarely focused on me. Please.
I can’t get the tree to stay upright in the stand. The lights are dangling precariously over the edge of the porch and the house looks more like we tossed the leftovers from the garage sale onto the roof than we attempted to decorate for Christmas. You have elves who can handle this, right?
After days that begin when my youngest begins wailing at 4 a.m. and end when my oldest finishes homework around 10 p.m., I need a little TLC. A foot rub, manicure, massage? I don’t expect any special treatment from your staff … a gift card will do.
If you’re in the mood to be extravagant, skip the help with decorating and just fly me to my family’s home in Massachusetts where the tree is up, the cookies are baked and we can all take a breather. Seriously, this is probably your best option. Have you tasted my gingerbread lately? Deployment stress does not help me in the kitchen.
And when my husband does finally return home, I would appreciate the gift of restraint and tact. I’m going to need it when his commander tells us too soon after that return that the unit is preparing to deploy, again. The words I would spew will promptly land me on the top of the naughty list.
And last, I would love a barrel of overflowing support from the average citizen. Is it just me, or do they take our sacrifices and our freedom for granted far too often?
I know I have so much to be thankful for but, Santa, it’s been a rough year. Us girls on the homefront, deserve to be at the top of that nice list. And besides, when the guys do come marching home, think of all the work we’ll save you that year – when our families are whole again, and our hubbies are by our side, there’s not a better present in the world.
Love,
Me
I’m your favorite, right?