It’s been five years since I moved back to Cleveland
Five Merry Christmases we’ve celebrated
Family traditions enfolded around us
Harking back to customs we had established.
And now we look forward to Christmas number six.
Surely as chaos came before creation
In the beginning of our wondrous earth
Misfortune now leads us to a new beginning
And new ways to gather in the wake of a loss
As a changed family.
In July my son’s wife was beset by a stroke.
I grieved to consider possible life changes
We crumbled collectively as we observed
Her tenuous balance and sometimes speech slurred.
And then undaunted she began to fight back.
With physical therapy and strong will unbridled
She remounted the horse of everyday living
Continued profession as real estate broker
While husband took on the role of her chauffeur
They created a new way of life.
Their sons learned new roles.
Oldest began his first year of college
Texted Mom daily keeping her in the loop
Younger son revealed talents hidden
Skills of repairing things technological.
This sixth Christmas requires a new plan.
My daughter-in-law was always designer
Of feast and festivities, gorgeous works of art
Gift to the rest of us from her creative soul.
We want to give back.
I offered to host in my small apartment
Potluck Christmas dinner in my less-is-more way.
Family were willing but we hit a roadblock
Daughter-in-law wanted Christmas as always
To welcome her son after first semester away.
We are glad to affirm her as our holiday hostess
Cooking her favorite dishes, decorating her home
And now there’s a change. She accepts our pot luck contributions
Sharing a new model for Christmas this year.
Chaos is lovely before Silent Night.
Written in response to Daily Prompt: Miraculous
poetrybyheart.me 
I suppose it is times like these we find out just how flexible we can be. Love is a marvelous thing, to make us do marvelous things.
Happy Christmas!
Yes to love! One of the unexpected outcomes is that the rest of us have had to communicate with each other in a way we didn’t when we were mere guests at Christmas dinner. It is fun.
How wonderful to see the family gather ’round in support of your courageously strong daughter-in-law. That is true spirit.
I wish you and yours a most Happy Christmas, Ina.
Lotsa love to You, Dale xoxo
Thanks, Dale. She is pretty amazing. Much love to you. ❤
She sounds like my kind of gal… 💟💟
Oh yes! You both love to cook and are terrific at it.
Well there ya go. Plus we are resilient faced with difficult situations – though hers is way more difficult, as far as I’m concerned…
Here’s to two resilient women, Dale!
🥂
Ah, this is wonderful, Viv. It says so much about your Daughter-in-law but also about you. Have a happy and wonderful Christmas. Here’s to new beginnings again.
Thank you, Janet. Yes, we can continue to look forward to the wonders of new beginnings. Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to you.
may God’s hand rest gently upon her shoulder
Thank you, Paul. The real miracle is how Linda did so much of her rehab herself because of her deficient health insurance plan. I believe that God has sustained her in her journey so far. God’s blessings on you for your caring words.
I’m glad to hear your daughter-in-law is recovering well Ina and wishing you a Happy Christmas.
Thank you , Andrea. She put on her classic Christmas family dinner, with help, yesterday. Her healing is slow and steady.
The worst often brings out the best. God bless and keep you and yours well.
Here is wishing the sixth Christmas brings pleasant joys.
Thanks for your kind words, Eric. My sixth Christmas was very special and wonderful. It brought a new meaning of family to me. Best wishes for 2018.
And here I am in the middle of writing what might turn out to be a big complaint-fest about how slow my recovery from hip replacement has been and what I’ve learned as a result. I will still finish it. One of the major lessons I’ve learned is that I am not as patient as I thought I was!
One of the things that this period of limited health and mobility has confirmed for me was that I have always taken a similar role as your DIL in being the planner of family get-togethers. Also, unlike your family, that if I don’t do it, nobody else will, at least for the present! That’s OK, though, since, again like your DIL, of whom I am in awe as you described her, it makes it easier to ask for help and to lower my own too high expectations of myself.
So happy to hear that you and your family were in a position to step up and in (without too much difficulty). Hope that my family will do the same someday. Fortunately I don’t expect it from my own kids till they’re more settled in their lives, like with homes and kids of their own. Guess I’ll give it another five to ten years, then.
I hope your recovery is progressing even if slowly. My DIL didn’t ask for help but she did allow it. She has not lowered her expectations of herself. We brought food and I made little flower arrangements in tiny vases that she wanted as part of her table decorations. She and my son have been hosting our family Christmas for years. I bet your children will be settled in due time,