As we prepared to crawl in bed the butterflies in my stomach seemed to flutter quicker and with more determination. It was Christmas Eve and we had opened the gifts from Momma and Daddy, had a little party of assorted homemade candies, snacks and green punch. It was now time to go to bed and try to sleep amid the ears staining to hear the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.As the house quieted down for the night the stillness seemed to stir restlessness more than induce sleep. Melinda was in her bed across the room and I lay listening to her breathing. “Melinda, are you sleeping?” I whispered just incase Santa was near. “No, I can’t sleep. What time do you think it is?” came her reply. “It has to be almost morning” I assured her, “We have been laying here for hours.” As Melinda crept out of bed she tiptoed into Momma and Daddy’s room to see if we could get up.
Melinda came in and I could tell by the way she threw the covers back and crawled into bed that it wasn’t time to get up. “It’s only 12:15” she said with disgust, “and Santa hasn't come yet.” As I snuggled down deeper in the covers I watched the different shadows on the wall made by the bathroom light.
“Monalea, Monalea I think Santa’s come. I really think I heard him." As I peeked my head out I tried to make sense of her words. I had been asleep, actually asleep on one of the most important nights of the years. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, “Quick go ask Momma if Santa has come.” As Melinda once again crept from the warm bed and made her way into Momma’s room I strained to hear the exchange of words. “It’s only 3:45 and Momma says we can’t get up yet” Melinda said in a fretful voice as she climbed back into bed. She didn’t seem to notice the chill in the air. And then with excitement in her voice she exclaimed, “Do you know what that means?” “It means Santa Clause has come.”
Santa had come; and the living room was now full of toys? My heart skipped a beat. As I lay imagining all the magic alive in that room my mind raced. This was the longest night of my life.
When I awoke next Melinda was standing beside my bed shaking me. “Quick, it’s 5:30 and Momma says we can get up and see what Santa Clause brought.” I threw back the covers, slipped off the bed and she and I raced to the living room where lights twinkled and Christmas magic made things come to life.
As I sank down beside my stocking filled with treasures and nestled my new baby doll close I sat blinking at all the wonder. “Look, I told you I heard Santa Clause” Melinda said as she pointed at the muddy boot print left on the carpet. “Daddy has pointed toe boots and Santa Clause has rounded toe boots.” She was right, as I examined the muddy boot print and Daddies boots left by the front door, they were different. Santa Clause had been here!
