I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed we won’t be making it back to Kansas City for the holidays. I can’t really remember the last time I wasn’t with my family for Christmas (Nina’s my family now!). I guess I shouldn’t complain though. I’ve already been back home twice in the last five months for friends’ weddings. Not to mention, Nina’s family is coming into town so it’s not like I won’t be surrounded by loved ones.
Regardless, my super awesome parents mailed Nina and I our stockings. Now that Nina and I are married, she has officially reached “Stocking Status”. Stocking Status, as it turns out, is just below “Face on Lamblefamily Banner” but above “Black Friday at Roundrock” on the hierarchy of Lamble family honors.
Nina was justifiably ecstatic to receive the stocking in the mail. But I practically had to slap her hands away from emptying the stocking. She was surprised by my immediate and visceral reaction so I was forced to relive some emotional pain and explain myself.
You see, many years ago my older sister would wake my brothers and me up on Christmas morning. We would sneak downstairs and bask in wide-eyed amazement at all the magic Santa had performed overnight. Then we would tiptoe back up stairs and casually wake our parents up for the happiest morning of the year. Well, one year, our eyes got a little too big and my sister suggested we quickly take a peek at the contents of our stockings. Not a heart beat later, our dad walked in on us with the contents of all our stockings dumped and spread out across the floor. After having us shamefully refill our stockings he declared that Christmas was canceled secondary to a mother’s broken heart. We profusely apologized to our mother, promised to be good for the rest of our lives and to never again look in our stockings early. They eventually relented but the wound is still raw. And that, Nina, is why we never open our stockings early.
That being said, I can’t wait to see the look on Nina’s face as she empties her stocking and sifts through the three musketeers, an orange, and the half a pound of shelled mix nuts to find the single Reese’s Peanut Butter cup.
Truly Dad and I don’t remember and I’m sure your little mind blew it right out of proportion. Sorry we mixed it up this year, no orange, no mixed nuts, no three musketeers and there might be two Reese’s this year. Maybe if you have been good.
I definitely remember peeking, but I do not remember ever getting caught. (i was very sneaky.) I am sure Dad didn’t really care… He was just trying to guilt us into making us be good for the rest of the day.
I don’t remember any such incident, Nina. He’s making it up. Don’t fall for it.
I would expect denials out of Mom and Dad, but Rachel!? You don’t remember? Or maybe they have just paid you off. I’m sure Aaron or Seth can corroborate my story.