From our Family to Yours...

?'Twas the night before Christmas,

When all through the house

A caregiver was scurrying,

Caring for her dear spouse

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His stockings were placed

Upon his feet with great care

In hopes he felt well enough to step

out for some fresh air

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Their children were scattered,

All snug in their beds

Around this great country,

Not a care in their heads

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And the caregiver who worked nights,

'Cause the funds they did tap

Had just settled down for a five-minute nap

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When in the next room, there arose such a clatter,

She sprang from her bed to see what did splatter.

Away past the bed sheets she had thrown in the trash,

Tore open a new set and hoped these would last

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The weight on her breast was of one who did know

That, by the luster of daybreak

Her sorrow would grow

When, what in any other year

Would be a thing quite so dear

That time when her family would visit

From far and from near

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With no one to hold her, since her loved one took sick

She felt that the holidays were just a mean trick

More rapid than eagles her friends they did flee

When they could no longer travel or even take tea

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No Cohens! no Schwartzs! no Millers! no Dicksons

No, Olivets, no Lutids, no Donners and Micksons

For a while they gave support, for a while did they call

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away to the mall!

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As new restaurants that before were easy to try,

When her loved one was too sick, away did they fly

So now with the holidays, the family will do

with the sleigh full of presents, and bad advice too

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And then, in a twinkling eye, I heard in the drive

Aunt Nancy and Chloe and all my in-laws arrive.

As I had in my hand, a bedpan disposal bound

I turned very quickly and tripped over the hound

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My man was a mess from his head to his toes

And his clothes were soiled and not easy on the nose

A bundle of nerves, I shout out very loud

Words, which to this day, do not make me feel proud

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He lay there so quiet, not saying a thing

When suddenly his laughter filled our home

Like a fresh breath of spring

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He doubled over with glee making such a roil

That he slapped a bad knee through

the all too grim soil

As his eyes twinkled through all the great mess,

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For a moment this old dear

Forgot the pain of this past year

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On a normal night, the pain of his stump

Would make him tighten his teeth,

But tonight, for a moment, his laughter

Caused such uncommon relief

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That the joy of it encircled his head like a wreath;

As he lay on the bed he shook his round belly,

For all the world, not unlike a big bowl of jelly

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He was lying there laughing, like a jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

When, all of a sudden, the door burst opened

wide as can be

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And what did I see, the Cohens, the Schwartzs

and Aunt Nancy all looking at me

With nary a word as they made up the bed

Then they all straightened up and got us both fed

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They all had not known the support that I needed

But once they saw they could help,

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They learned and succeeded

In sharing the heart, the soul, and the care

That I always was sure was really right there

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I hadn’t spoken a word of the great strain

and the work

So, I thought they had all turned into one major jerk

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After knowing what help each could give if I did ask

I never again had to shoulder the entire task

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We had time to play and to sing and to wet a whistle

Until away they all flew like the down of a thistle

But I heard my loved ones, as they drove out of sight

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!

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And, we're coming back, next Friday eve

To take you out for a bite."

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