threelilprincesses.com

How one little boy’s wish changed my Christmas

Birthday girl

Birthday girlTHERE was a post half written on a little tiny notepad as I cooked homemade pizza with Princess Ella for dinner tonight. In between cutting up the sweet potato, zucchini, mushrooms and eggplant, I jotted down thoughts quickly before Ella’s incessant need to tell me the same knock knock joke repeatedly ruined my train of thought. That, or her baby sister waking.

It started off with how the big guns know too well we’ve all got our purse strings loosened a little more than usual at the moment. You see, three big companies filled our letter box this week with rather large bills, each with a due date of, yes you guessed it, December 24. Merry Christmas to us and a frugal New Year.

However, that all went out the window at 7pm tonight. My outlook on Christmas, on life, changed when I read a Letter to Santa in The Advocate Newspaper. The letter was from eight-year-old Staci. Tears are still falling as I write this. Those bills? They’re irrelevant. Suddenly, I just want my little girl to talk my ear off – bad jokes or not.

I’ll leave you with an extract from that letter. Merry Christmas to you all and, please, make sure you hug your babies just a little tighter tonight.

Dear Santa,

My name is Staci … and I am eight years old … I wish I could be one of your elves, because my wish for Christmas is to have my baby brother back. He died in July of HLH. If we could have Joey back, Dad and Mum wouldn’t be sad anymore. Please take a gift to heaven for Joey. He loves teddy bears and cows and trucks.

Thank you very much.

Love Staci

*UPDATE*: I’ve since discovered little Staci is actually a boy, not a girl, and so have changed the title accordingly. Also, on December 16, The Advocate did an inspiring interview with Staci and his family.

Comments

39 responses to “How one little boy’s wish changed my Christmas”

  1. natasha andrews Avatar
    natasha andrews

    Aww crap…I’m crying now too…that poor little girl and her poor family. Just breaks your heart dosen’t it?

    1. Kel Avatar

      It sure does, Natasha. Certainly puts life into perspective. It was the little nudge I needed to help me appreciate all that I’ve got. x

  2. Kym - Mumma's Mini Mes Avatar

    Oh Kel, that is heart breaking. You just want to reach out and give her a cuddle and then go and grab the kids and do the same.

    1. Kel Avatar

      I know, doesn’t it, Kym. That poor little girl. x

  3. miss.cinders Avatar

    They are aren’t they. If only every cent we owned could grant her wish 🙁

    1. Kel Avatar

      So true. Life just isn’t fair sometimes. x

  4. Miss Pink Avatar

    Oh gosh.
    I never have words in these situations, just an ache.

    1. Kel Avatar

      Know exactly what you mean, Miss Pink. x

  5. Lifeasmummymax Avatar

    I have tears in my eyes. Sometimes we dont realise how lucky we are. So heartbreaking.

    1. Kel Avatar

      I’ve read it about 10 times now and it still makes me cry. Powerful stuff from a girl so young. Amazing that it’s taken an eight-year-old girl to make me appreciate my life more. x

  6. Elisha Avatar
    Elisha

    Thats just heartbreaking

    1. Kel Avatar

      I know, Elisha. The poor little thing. She lives close to where I grew up, so this one has really hit home for me. x

  7. Caz Avatar

    Well that just puts things into perspective doesn’t it. Much to be grateful for this Christmas – and really it has nothing to do with presents or food!! Thanks for sharing kel.

    1. Kel Avatar

      You’re so right, Caz. Funny how all those things that seemed so important, now feel totally insignificant. Think the universe knew I needed a bit of perspective yesterday. x

  8. Sonia @ Life Love and Hiccups Avatar

    Ohhh I have tears running down my face and I have no words….. I am going to hug my kids one more time before they go to sleep. xxx

    1. Kel Avatar

      I know what you mean, Sonia. Sounds like the best thing you could do. Have given my girls an extra squeeze this morning. x

  9. Debbie @ Aspiring Mum Avatar

    Life really is too precious. What a sweet little girl too – so heartbreaking.

    1. Kel Avatar

      I can’t even comprehend what that little girl is going through, Debbie. The poor thing. x

  10. Veronica @ Mixed Gems Avatar

    Heartbreaking. Very, very heartbreaking.

    1. Kel Avatar

      Incredible words from an eight-year-old girl. It chokes me up every time I read it. x

  11. Cheryle Avatar
    Cheryle

    Maya Has asked a few times for her Step Dad to come home , or more recently a rocket ship to hevan – nothing prepares you for the moment , and suddenly there’s never a better time to tell them you love them . Staci’s letter left a humbling feeling upon me also amongst all the I wants of other children also Published . Merry Christmas to your Family x

    1. Kel Avatar

      Oh, Cheryle. My heart aches for poor Maya – and for you. I know that anniversary is looming for you too.
      Strangely, after reading Staci’s letter, I didn’t even bother reading any of the others. It didn’t feel right. x

  12. Suzy Avatar

    My son asked for the same thing the year his little brother died. It broke my heart double knowing I couldn’t grant his wish.

    1. Kel Avatar

      Oh, Suzy. I can’t even begin to know what your son, or you for that matter, are going through at this time of year. Wishing I could grant his wish and change his world for him. x

  13. Melie van Smidt Avatar

    Goodness, this is so sad and heartbreaking. Poor little angel. Devastating!

    1. Kel Avatar

      I know. I’ve read it about 10 times now and it chokes me up every time. x

  14. Barb Pippos Avatar
    Barb Pippos

    All snotty and bad case of panda eyes already, and it’s only 9am. Thanks for sharing Kellie. Sometimes we all need a little reminder of what’s really important and how good we really have it x

    1. Kel Avatar

      For sure, Barb. It was the little nudge I needed yesterday to make me appreciate everything I’ve got. x

  15. Lisa Wood Avatar

    Hi Kel,

    Well that just puts everything back into place….life is really for the living, and nothing is more important then spending it with loved ones. So grateful that we have each other – so wish I could grant that little girls wish xxx

    1. Kel Avatar

      Hey Lisa,
      It turned out to be a little boy and he was featured on the front page of the newspaper today. Incredibly inspiring story. I’ve left a link to the story above. His, and his parent’s, outlook on life is quite inspiring. x

  16. Romina Garcia (@Martyrhood) Avatar

    Tears. Many of them. Puts everything into perspective doesn’t it 🙁

    1. Kel Avatar

      Certainly does, Romina. Definitely looking at life a little differently today. x

  17. Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo Avatar

    *ouch*

    So beautifully heartbreaking.

    1. Kel Avatar

      Giving me a new outlook on Christmas, that’s for sure, Kelley. x

  18. MummyK Avatar

    oh god, so sad and so honest. breaks my heart.

    1. Kel Avatar

      Doesn’t it. The honesty blows me away. Definitely a Letter to Santa that stood out from the rest. x

  19. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    Made me cry only because it makes me think of my baby brother who died 21 days after he was born. This will be our second Christmas without him. My daughter will never know her uncle who would be only a few months older than her.

    1. Kel Avatar

      Oh Laura, I’m so sorry to hear that. Christmas can be such a tough time remembering those we’ve lost. Take care of yourself. x

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.