Christmas images from Niles Home
Early morning - hot chocolate - quick breakfast, 20 children running up the stairs. The four-year old, "Wait for me!" caught up in an older boy's arms and carried upstairs, giggling and looking for evidence of a visit from Santa...
Clearly Santa has come, big bags of gifts, one for each child. Smiles and laughs as wild paper tearing begins. "Look what I got!" "See my train!" Trying on clothes, putting batteries in MP3's and remote control cars, spraying on new cologne...
Sadness, too. Christmas at Niles is bittersweet. Amidst the fun, the excitement, a sense of emptiness - a phone that doesn't ring, a visitor that doesn't come. Missing friends, brothers and sisters, cousins. Missing the Christmas that you are supposed to have when you are a kid...
The biggest yell, the happiest grins - our two youngest boys, pulling cowboy hats and vests from a bag, "Santa remembered!" More than one difficult time and crying episode has been smoothed over by the promise that Santa might bring cowboy hats. Finally, they were here, hats and vests, too!
A good morning, lots of wished for presents - XBox and Wii, clothes and games. Gift cards are a double gift - getting to choose what you want and a special shopping trip for later in the week...
Christmas dinner at Papa Lew's restaurant, a long-time Niles Home tradition, followed by games and music and Christmas snacks...
Finally, too early for the kids, just in time for tired staff - bedtime comes. Teeth brushed, new robes and slippers, lights out...
One last picture - two little boys, reluctantly placing their hats by the bed, but snuggling into their covers, cowboy vests buttoned over their pajamas.
Merry Christmas, and thank you from Niles Home!