“IT’S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!” declared 7-year-old Isabelle as she hugged me tight, her bright smile making this moment even brighter.
It was Christmas Eve afternoon and a circle of family gathered in our small kitchen for a moment of profound happiness. My second daughter and her husband, John, had minutes earlier arrived from Madison, Wisconsin. Unexpectedly.
I felt overcome by emotion, my heart brimming with the joy of a mother who did not expect her second daughter home for Christmas. And now here Miranda stood aside her dad and her niece and her sobbing mother. I cried tears of happiness that all three of my adult children were here, in their southern Minnesota childhood home, together for Christmas. Amber from nearby Lakeville. Caleb from Boston. And now Miranda from Madison, 4 ½ hours away. Rare are the times we are all together. I hadn’t seen Caleb in a year.
Izzy certainly got it right. This felt like a Christmas miracle. That she could witness her grandma’s unrestrained happiness was a gift, too, for my sweet granddaughter to understand how strong and deep the bonds of family love. I never stop missing my kids, even though the first left for college in 2004, the last in 2012.
And now here we all were, under the same roof again, only because Miranda managed a day off from delivering mail and packages. Christmas Eve morning she was dressed in her postal uniform, had packed her lunch and was about to head out the door for a long day of work when her phone rang. Her supervisor was calling to say she didn’t need to come in. She shared the good news with John and told him, “We’re going to Minnesota!”
Miranda texted her sister and the two agreed to keep her arrival a secret. That explains why, when I suggested to Amber that the grandkids open their gifts soon after arriving at our house, she wanted to wait. I had no clue, none, of the joyful surprise that awaited me.
We were visiting in the living room, the kids playing, when I heard the kitchen door open and then Miranda’s voice. I felt my mouth drop in disbelief. I leapt from my chair and made a beeline straight for my daughter and wrapped her in a vise of a hug. I felt my eyes filling with tears. I was overwhelmed by love, by happiness, by the joy of knowing we would all be together for Christmas.
There’s nothing better. Nothing better than to be with loved ones. I expect, years from now, that we’ll still be talking about the Christmas surprise, the Christmas miracle, as Isabelle framed it. I hope that, years from now long after she’s forgotten the dinosaur sticker book and the LEGO set Grandma and Grandpa gave her, Isabelle remembers that moment in the kitchen. The moment when Grandma wrapped Izzy’s Aunt Miranda in her arms and cried. And the moment when Izzy tucked into my embrace, her face beaming, and loudly declared, “It’s a Christmas miracle!”
© Copyright 2023 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
This made me tear up, the best gift ever! So good for the children to see your reaction as that shows them how important this is and how much it means to you to have family together, worth more than all the gifts under the tree. I’m so happy for you.❤️
Thank you, Beth. Yes, no gift could ever match this sweet time together as a family. Izzy’s statement and reaction were such a joy, too. I hope she remembers this forever, how happy Grandma was when Aunt Miranda arrived unexpectedly.
I absolutely have no doubt that she will and may follow in her grandmother’a footsteps and write a story about it one day.
Time will tell. Isabelle is an avid reader and that’s a start toward writing. At least for me it was.
same
How wonderful, Audrey! I’m so happy for you! ❤
Thank you, Penny. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas, probably with your brother???
I did, thank you. Time with family is the best! 🙂
That’s wonderful to hear, Penny.
post that painting sometime. lov it
Kathy, here’s a link to a post about my father-in-law which includes the threshing painting:
What a wonderful surprise.
Oh, Ann, it was. 🙂
So wonderful to have all your children home. I know this for sure! Christmas is so filled with surprises! This year our son was unable to attend our family gathering due to covid of all things! But we all prayed for him and missed him. Our son in law played the piano, the grandkids ran around the house and we all silently missed him. There will be next year.
I love the painting by your father in law. Blessings on your 2024.
Kathy, thank you for sharing about your Christmas, minus your son. Unfortunately COVID is still very much out there. I can hear the piano and the grandkids as both filled your house with joyful noise.
I have several of Tom’s paintings and love each one, especially a threshing scene from the North Dakota homestead.
Oh Audrey…I’m so happy for you!! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you, Jenny. I cherish family as much as you do. I hope you were able to get all of yours together, including Meredith from afar.
I love this story of your lovely Christmas miracle.
Thank you, Coral. The story was too good not to share with you, my dear readers.
So fun to hear the details! Woo hoo!!
I appreciate your enthusiastic response, dear friend.
…(tears) I am so happy for you!!
Thank you, Henrietta! It was an emotional moment for sure.
I’m crying with happiness for you and your Christmas miracle. A family story to treasure forever.
Indeed it is, a family story to always treasure. Thank you for sharing in my happiness.
They certainly were happy holidays. What a wonderful Christmas present. Thanks for sharing your joy.
In all the despair and challenges in today’s world, I knew I needed to share this small moment of joy from southern Minnesota. 🙂
Merry Christmas! I like the painting and your story.
Thank you, Phil. The painting seemed a good illustration for the story.
Best gift ever! I teared up a bit, too, reading it. Time together is so precious.
This story struck an emotional chord with a lot of readers. Thank you for recognizing the importance of family time together.
So happy for you and yours.
Thank you for sharing in my happiness, Ken.
Christmas Miracle Indeed!!! Ahhh – how exciting to have all of the family under one roof 🙂 You were truly on the nice list and deserved a special gift this year. Happy New Year
After the year I’ve had, I fully agree with you. I needed this, this all of us being together. Happy 2024, Renee!
Love those Christmas miracles! So happy for your family time together.
Likewise, I’m thankful you had that time with your family being together. Yesterday we got another Christmas surprise when Randy’s youngest brother showed up for an impromptu sibling (and spouses) get together. Tom lives in Grand Forks.
The best Christmas present EVER and deserving of exclamation marks!!!
Absolutely deserving of multiple exclamation marks!!!