Christmas morning is especially hard as it was Hayden’s favorite day of the year, as it is for all children. It is why we bought the house in New York and why we chose the cruise this year. It is just too painful to be home on such a special day and have one of your children absent.

This year I took some presents with me on the boat and the children opened them on Christmas morning. The rest were here. At dinner on the Eve of Christmas was “fancy dress” as L & S called it in the restaurant. So we dressed fancy. Don handed me a little package which had been signed by the three of them. Before I tell you what it is there’s a little story to tell.

When Hayden was five years old we were reading Winnie the Pooh. There’s a part of the story where Pooh says to his best friend “If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I would never have to live a day without you.” I read it to him as part of the story but Hayden stopped me and said, “Mom, that’s me.” I had already gone on to another part of the book and said, unknowingly, “what’s you Hayden?”. He said that part about living to be one day less than you Mom, that’s me cuz’ I would never want to live here without you.” I held him close and promised him that would never happen.

I had completely forgotten that story, never thought of it again.

One day this fall I was at the little gift shop next to where Lincoln and Sierra do their math tutoring after school. Just looking around this shop which specializes in unique gifts. I look up on the wall and there was a picture frame, quite large, on the wall and around the picture was those words from Winnie the Pooh. The memory of that special time with Hayden came back in a flood, and my promise to him, and my realization that, unfortunately, the promise I made to him had come true – he would never have to live one day on this world without me. How I wish I would have been wrong.

By the time Don arrived the tears were flowing from my eyes. I told him why and thought no more of it.

Don, being Don, returned to the shop to get the frame for me for Christmas. The big one was gone but they had a little handpainted plaque which is desk size. He got that, the three of them inscribed it, and they gave it to me on Christmas Eve. It will always be treasured.

Don has given me a lot of nice gifts the last 10 years but this one is the best. It touches my heart, my mother’s heart, the very heart I didn’t even know I had until I was 36 years old, in ways I cannot describe. Still can’t describe. So Don, thanks for this, it means the world to me. And Hayden … thanks for the memory.

Well its a long travel day but we are glad to be on shore. The Oasis is spectacular and has something for everyone. Even made the final table at the ship’s $100 tournament but went out 6th when my flopped set of Kings got outrun by a flush. Happens. It was fun.

We have decided we are definitely contenders for more cruising but probably the Mediterranean. I’ve been all over the islands and most don’t have much to brag about. Don was less than impressed which wasn’t a surprise as most are dirty and the locals hyper-aggressive.

Headed to home sweet home.

There’s a reason why the largest, most luxurious cruise ship has been so dubbed. Oasis of the Seas is quite the spot with something for everyone. We are having quite the time.

Trying hard to get all of the work stuff done so the trip is free and clear. Had a great meeting last night with my good friend Tony Fazio and a new deal he is involved with, think it could be exciting all the way around. Always good to see old friends too. Told the group if he was in .. I was in .. more meetings the first of the year to see where to go.

Sierra sent me an email the other day while I was playing saying her friend Bailey told her elves would bring her presents if she left them a note. When I came in the front door that night there was a note from Sis to the elves asking for pajamas. There was an orange placed on top of the note. The next morning I told her I bet the elves had gotten busy at Bailey s house and for her to leave another note. She carefully crafted another note asking for pajamas and when she got up this morning her note had been replaced by new pajamas.

I see all this as I went to put the coffee on this morning. When I pass by the front door again the pajamas had been replaced by a hurriedly scribbled note by Lincoln which said “Dear Elves, since you brought my sister some pajamas will you bring me some Bat shoes?”. Since there is no such thing as bat shoes I’m not sure what the elves are going to do.

Played Bellagio’s $lk rebuy yesterday. With only 210 players if I tell you the add on’s and rebuy’s exceeded $750,000 it will tell you how wild a day it was. I could hold my own in my play but awful hard to play $l0,000 in chips against $90,000 in chips with add ons and rebuys … made it through 2/3’s of the field and left with a reminder of why I don’t like rebuy events.