And more Christmases

The next three Christmases were so different, and amazingly wonderful in their own ways.  In late 1980 we had sold our little home in Alexandria and made a huge profit on it.  When we bought it we only paid $33,000 for it and then they started planning the Metro system, including a proposed Metro station in our neighborhood.  That made the property value skyrocket and we almost doubled our investment. 

Christmas 1980 found me living in the bedroom of a family member’s home while John was back in San Antonio attending OTS, Officer’s Training School.   John did come home for Christmas and went back to school the day after the family Christmas party.  I joined him for his commissioning and then we traveled to one school after another.  First was Biloxi where we had another efficiency apartment right on the Gulf.  The apartment was small, but the Gulf and beach were right there.  Peanut (our dog) and I spent little time inside.  We visited family on the way north to our new assignment, John’s Dad and family in Charleston SC, lots in Delaware, my Grandmother and Ray in New Jersey, and finally Aunt Sheryl and Gram in Kingston on our way to Plattsburgh. 

It was a whole new lifestyle for us as officers and a whole new life too… I came the realization that I was pregnant on Thanksgiving Day 1981 and it was confirmed the next day… after 12 years of trying we’d finally got it right, LOL!   What a joyous Christmas it was (despite the morning sickness) and we were happy to share our good news with the family at Christmas. 

The following year we planned ahead of time to share our baby with the rest of the family on Christmas.  Sadly they got to see him earlier in the month when we went home for John’s Grandmother’s funeral.  However we still went back for Christmas, visited everyone on the way south, Aunt Sheryl in Kingston, my Grandmother and Ray in NJ, lots of family in Delaware, then to NC to visit John’s brother and wife and their brand new baby boy. 

While visiting them Jonathon rolled for the first time, right off the bed and onto the cement floor… so he had a black eye for his first Christmas and when John’s Dad and family met him for the first time.