Christmas was no different to Lynda than any other day when she was little. She didn't understand about Santa bringing gifts or that the real reason for Christmas was because a baby was born in Bethlehem. She wasn't thrilled that there were so many Kodak moments and being away from her home environment was very difficult for her. It meant that someone had to hold her to keep the tree decorated and upright at Grandmother Anderson's and it meant that she often went for long periods of time without sleeping. We were all exhausted in spite of the moments that melted our hearts. Holidays for children with autism and other special needs are not always the Christmas Card holiday that typical families experience. Sure all kids get wound up thinking about Santa coming and wanting to open the presents under the tree. They get a little hyper with all of the candy they consume but children with autism at Christmas would make typical kids look like they're in slow motion.
These are the memories that are intertwined with my Christmas memories with Lynda because my parents loved Lynda more than a perfect holiday. They understood that after a few years with Lynda and her trusty side-kick, Kevin it was a labor of love to bring them to Booneville for Christmas without Lynda's special room. So for many years until the kids were grown they spent Christmas Eve night with us and the kids opened their gifts from Santa in Oxford. My memories of Lynda's Christmas holidays include the sacrifices my parents made to allow Lynda to have the best environment possible to enjoy Christmas in her own way.
And that was the key to Christmas with Lynda. Her Christmas fun had to be designed around her interests and her special needs. In doing that we had lots of those Kodak moments and she melted our hearts with her hugs and squeals of delight when we guessed right about something we thought she might enjoy. I miss those days when my kids were little. Kevin has grown up and has a wife and two children of his own. Kristopher lives in Denver and we'll skype with him Christmas morning. Kelly and Kristen are married and each have two children. And this Christmas, Lynda is in Paradise where everything is perfect, including her.
I am blessed beyond measure with warm memories of Christmases past as well as the opportunity to continue to layer more Christmas memories over those begun with Lynda's first Christmas with us in 1975. Now there are six grandchildren and our grown children are creating warm traditions for them and in my memories...there will always be Christmases with Lynda that I carry in my heart.
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