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“I will get ready as fast as I can,” she<br />
said.<br />
The pups told her they would be waiting.<br />
They were wondering if they could really<br />
bring back Christmas to New York City.<br />
When they got to NYC, it looked like any<br />
ordinary city on any day. The pups looked<br />
at each other and knew it was going to<br />
be a big challenge to bring Christmas to<br />
the city.<br />
“OK, guys, let’s get started,” Icicle said.<br />
Snowflake had wrapped presents and<br />
was ready to start sneaking into houses to<br />
deliver them. Ginger went to the ice skating<br />
rink to find the Zamboni. She cleaned the<br />
ice. The ice was finally shiny, smooth and<br />
white. It was ready for skating.<br />
Jingle put up the colorful ornaments,<br />
beautiful stars, angels and lights on the<br />
tree. Jingle got scared because someone<br />
was watching her. Luckily, it was just Mrs.<br />
Claus. Icicle snuck into Carlos’ Bakery and<br />
baked delicious Christmas cookies for the<br />
whole city. After all of their work was done,<br />
New York City looked phenomenal.<br />
After a good night’s sleep, it was finally<br />
morning. The smell of freshly baked cookies<br />
was in the air. The pups could see<br />
through windows that kids and families<br />
were opening presents. Ice skaters were<br />
circling around the rink. The large tree at<br />
Rockefeller Center was shining brightly for<br />
all to see. The pups could hear laughing<br />
and cheering all over the city.<br />
“It sounds so nice,” Ginger said.<br />
“High-four!” Jingle said. “We did our<br />
job. We accomplished our Christmas mission<br />
in the city.”<br />
New York City celebrated Christmas,<br />
and there was a happily ever after.<br />
Honorable Mention<br />
A Christmas Surprise<br />
by Jessica Bravo<br />
Gotha<br />
Christmas day is probably my favorite<br />
time of year. I get to see my family members<br />
and loved ones. Unfortunately, this won’t<br />
be one those years for me. My husband<br />
of six years was deployed to Afghanistan<br />
eight months ago, and this year, I was told<br />
that he won’t be back until Jan. 18, 2017,<br />
meaning he will miss Christmas and New<br />
Year’s. Sure, this is very depressing for me<br />
and his family, too, but as long as he is<br />
looked at as a hero in our kids’ eyes, I will<br />
pull through.<br />
We have twins who are already 6 years<br />
old, and they look up to their father, saying<br />
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 15, 2016 - January 4, 2017 x 39<br />
how much of a hero he is to them and how<br />
much they miss him. What breaks my heart<br />
is that they always ask me if he is making<br />
the country proud, and I always respond<br />
with, “Of course!”<br />
Today was Christmas Eve, and I went<br />
out with my kids, shopping for last-minute<br />
gifts for the family when they come over<br />
tomorrow for our annual Christmas party.<br />
I was looking through the aisles when my<br />
little girl, Emily, pulled my hand to get my<br />
attention.<br />
“What is it, Emily?” I asked.<br />
She responded by pointing one of her little<br />
fingers at a sign that said: Santa Claus.<br />
“Do you want to go and see Santa?” I<br />
asked her.<br />
She nodded her head while jumping up<br />
and down in excitement.<br />
“Do you wan to go, too, Katherine?” I<br />
asked her twin sister.<br />
She replied in the same manner as her<br />
sister.<br />
“OK then, let’s go!” I said as we walked<br />
over to where Santa was and stood in line.<br />
The line was short, and the kids got more<br />
excited as we inched closer.<br />
“Now, what do you little girls want for<br />
Christmas?” Santa asked them as soon as<br />
they sat on his lap.<br />
“Daddy!” they said at the same time.<br />
Hearing that broke my heart, and it<br />
seemed to do the same to the people<br />
around us.<br />
“I want Daddy to come home from war,”<br />
Emily said.<br />
“He has been gone for so long, and I<br />
want him to come back home. Can you<br />
make that happen?” Katherine asked with<br />
her hands neatly placed on her lap.<br />
“Oh, well, I will try my best, OK?” Santa<br />
said flustered.<br />
I looked around and saw everyone with<br />
a sad face plastered on and pitying the<br />
girls. Every time I hear them ask when their<br />
father is coming home or whenever I hear<br />
them say they want their father to come<br />
back, I just want to break down and cry,<br />
but I know I have to be strong for them.<br />
“OK, girls, help mommy with the gifts,”<br />
I told them.<br />
As soon as I walked into the house from<br />
shopping, something felt very off. Our alarm<br />
system didn’t go off, and I remembered that<br />
I had put it on before we left the house. I<br />
put down the gifts and told the girls to go<br />
to their room. I grabbed the closest thing to<br />
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