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106 Dec. 24 Sunday - 12:30 P.M. Oh my dearest darling: I'm so excited - I practically bounced all the way home! Your pyjamas arrived this morning, and right in time for Christmas - Wendy and I didn't get downtown til 11:30 and there beside your letter written on Tuesday was a package slip. The auxiliary Christmas package office (4 blocks from the regular P.O.) was open just til noon today - so we hurried over and there was your package plus a Christmas package of fruit from Mrs. May - could scarcely believe my eyes - you do order the nicest things darling - Tonight I shall wear the bottoms of the new pair with the tops of the ones I have and then mail the whole suit to you on Tuesday - What fun. And as if that weren't enough - you came to me last night in a gloriously luscious dream. I can feel it yet. Will be sure to put the paper in the scrapbook. Finally got the words to the trolley song. Hope you will be able to see the picture - I hope to see it when it comes around. The other song has a nice melody. Loved hearing about Wendy's eyelash - your explanations were perfect. I'm sure now you will be home sooner than we expect and that Wendy was just too happy to be with you to let go. Hope you go the lock of hair [pg 2] alright - it's such fun to anticipate your thoughts. I felt so good - that I bought the makings for Christmas dinner tomorrow. Wendy will be beside me and we shall have a real feast - sherry - jar of R and R chicken, new potatoes, creamed onions - Birdseye peaches. Helen will be here New Year's day - and I think we'll take Wendy to Pine Inn for dinner and then a walk to the beach to say hi to you and Charley - More later my darling one 2:45 Darling: The florist brought me just a little while ago a dozen of the most beautiful long stemmed deep pink roses - your anniversary flowers. I have them in a glass vase on the table in front of me. Took a picture of them using our trunk as background. Don't know if any of the pictures on this roll will come out - will be disappointing if they don't. Honey, I don't feel lost or unhappy as I thought I would being with you and all the pleasant reminders I have about to remind me that your thoughts are ever with us. I have the two past Christmases to look back upon as well as our Christmas of the future to look forward to. Wendy is delighted with the poinsettia, and looks up at it and smiles and again at your picture beside it. She hasn't seen the roses yet, because she is napping outside - am anxious to see her reaction when she wakes up - she's had good sleeps and eats today, and will be ready for our little party this evening. [pg 3] 3:15 Wendy is just up from her nap - hair going every which way and gnawing on a piece of zwieback - looking up at the roses - When I let her smell one - she went m-m-m. They are so lovely, and make the room smell so sweet. 3:45 Wendy has a tooth! I just discovered it - a special present to her daddy dear. It's the lower left front - probably the one beside it will appear in a few days. 6:15 Dearly beloved - Were you right along with us? At 5 minutes to six I wrapped Wendy in the pink shawl Mrs. Wilson gave her and brought her high chair up to the tree - lit the red candles and the tree lights. We thought real hard of you (I was wearing my red [Lanz?] dress and some of the [Tulled?] you gave me last Christmas.) At six promptly I gave Wendy a present and started to open your anniversary gift - the tray set is lovely - I'll save it til you can bring me a tray sometime when I have a cold - The lapel pin is beautiful I've never seen anything quite like it. It will be wonderful on the greeting you suit, I'm already planning. I unstuck the Christmas seals on Wendy's package she opened it herself - she gave the dolly a big smile and took her to bed. I opened two other presents - the [Jammi Thuber?] which looks like lots of fun and the charm for my bracelet. Such [pg 4] nice presents sweety - I wish I could give you a kiss and hug for each one. I'm trying to picture you opening the stockings and other trifles - and I'll be waiting eagerly for a letter telling me all about it. 9:45 Have just finished rereading the second batch of 25 letters - so glad I thought to do it at this particular time. Opened a few more presents - but the pile around the tree has hardly been dented - there were embroidered pot holders, dishtowel from Muz - matches with our name (silver lettering on green ‘The Johnstons’) from Jean, a lovely pink appliquéd slip from Doug and a bottle of Elizabeth Ardens perfume ‘Cupids Breath’ - [smells?] good but has started to leak so I shall have to use it right away - except for the last, I'm keeping everything til you come home. Sort of feel as if I was getting a Hope Chest and [?] together. I started reading Thurber before supper, and couldn't stop - it's wonderful - we'll have to red it together some evening. Sweety I love using the cigarette case, and the lighter still works perfectly. Have been looking at your presents again - I do love the pin so much - the charm I'm going to have put on the bracelet as is - it will be more interesting if everything is not gold. How bout a piece of metal or wood from the island or is that taboo? Today has gone amazingly fast. I fed [pg 5] little sweetie at 8:30 then we both went back to sleep til 10:30. Then Mummy took a bath with Wendy as spectator, sitting on her little seat, and taking it all in with great glee. Marge just called - she and Chuck want to go to midnight mass and can't find anyone to stay with Pat. I volunteered of course, and now I won't get to bed til 2 A.M.! And I was thinking of going to bed in a few minutes - Oh well - I don't really mind - if I can just stay awake. Will leave this open for a note later on. 10:45 After a kitten nap am feeling wide awake so I just had to open two more presents from you - first the coral - it is coral isn't it? Which I shall keep on the desk, and then Walla walla wahu - I just love him and his delicious middle. He will sit on my dresser always and his spicey goodness I'll save for you. Is he giving you good psychic reports? He is priceless and I'm just delighted. Soon I will warm a blanket over the register and wrap little sweetie up and take her across the way. Then I'll be able to sleep til Marge and Chuck get home without having to run back and forth. Are you having the same beautiful full moon we are? 10:45 A.M. A very happy Anniversary darling: Wendy and I have just finished breakfast. I gave her the pink teddy bear [pg 6] and I've never seen her so excited. At 8:30 when little sweetie had her breakfast we opened a few more presents - Muz made her a darling white dotted swiss dress with red [?ing], and sent a pink baby dress that Jean had worn. For me there was some white lilac soap, a cunning apron and two pairs of stockings. The rest of your presents are for after lunch - also still have all of M and F's, Paul's and few small ones and a package from [Broduax?] from Muz. Almost forgot - Peg gave Wendy a precious pink dress - think I'll have Wendy wear it for her picture. We didn't get to bed til 2 A.M. When the Mulligans got home - Wendy was wide awake and smiling. Chuck was really taken with her - held and cuddled her and didn't want to give her up. She responds beautifully and is very friendly. Chuck carried her home for me and on the way said that he certainly had to hand it to me living like this. I surprized myself by saying it wasn't too bad when you got used to it! To that chuck said that means you’re really growing up and can face things - And that darling is my unexpected Anniversary gift to you - and well worth staying up til 2 A.M. for- Chuck asked if there was anything he could do - I gave him a message to bring you if he gets down to the Marianas while you are still there - To come home very, very soon. When I finally got to bed in your pyjamas I was so excited thinking about being [pg 7] in a pair that you had worn recently I couldn't get to sleep - We'll have to do it often - and, I'll help you out with the postage - it's worth every cent. Downtown now darling for the mail - will write lots more later. Wendy and I send you a bear hug and lots of kisses to our most wonderful daddy, and my most precious husband Bobby
