When asked to recall my favorite holiday memory, vibrant images swirl through my mind and heartwarming feelings fill my heart. As I grow older, the memories of holidays from my youth tend to blend together into one big, bright, glowing slideshow in my head.

I have so many wonderful holidays memories from my youth, but my favorite is much more recent – spending my 2nd First Christmas with my now-husband, Brad. You might be wondering how we had a “2nd First Christmas”…and I will explain.

In the summer of 1987, I turned 16, Brad turned 19, and we started dating. Brad was in college and I was in high school – the same high school from which Brad graduated only one year earlier. So, we weren’t technically “high-school sweethearts”, but you get the idea. He was my first love, and I was his. On Christmas Day 1987, Brad took me home to meet his parents, his two sisters and his brother. That was our First Christmas together.

Flash Forward – to spare you boring details

In 1991, Brad graduates from college, moves out of state and we go our separate ways.

Flash Forward – to spare you even more boring details.

In 2009, thanks to fate (and Facebook), we reconnected, commiserating over our respective failed marriages. I had just separated from my husband, he was going through a divorce. We talked. We met. We had our 2nd First Date. By Thanksgiving, we were living together. On Christmas Day, Brad took me home to meet his family… again.

22 years after that first Christmas, we had our 2nd First Christmas together.

 

Witte’s World 31 Day December Blog Challenge