Pocketful of Rainbows

The month has gone by in a blur and for that I am grateful. The holidays are difficult for me. It is hard to find the joy mentioned in songs and Christmas cards. The added stress of shopping and meeting deadlines only magnifies the situation. Logic tells me that it is there if only I will look. So the search continues.
I knew that Rick would not be able to come home. This was his first Christmas without his family. We sent Kaylee’s Christmas present to her new home. We sure do miss her. I know Rick does too. He is going to try to come home next year. I would love to have all my children under one roof again.
Michael had been planning to come home ever since he graduated Basic Training. I had the date and flight time memorized and noted in the calendar "just in case". I had been counting the days until Saturday the 19th of December.
On Wednesday the 16th Michael asked me, out of the blue, what my favorite Elvis song was. When I asked "Why?" all I got was, "Oh it is just a little side project". So I told him. The whole conversation promptly went into my brain and disappeared into the "void".
Friday evening I was in my office when Lauren, Alex and Lauren’s best friend Megan came in and started talking to me about their trip to the mall. I was only half listening to them while I worked on the computer. Suddenly I hear "Pocketful of Rainbows" by Elvis blasting at full volume from the living room.
The first thought I had was that Michael had sent a clip to Sam for me and wasn’t that sweet of him? This was followed by "That little nitwit is going to bust my speakers!". I ran out of the bedroom with no other thought than to get Sam to turn down the volume.
My mind is slow at times. I vaguely noted that Sam was sitting in the recliner and was definitely NOT sitting at the computer. I started to really let him have it when it registered that I was the center of attention. Suddenly the computer chair spun around and it took a few seconds for me to realize that MICHAEL was sitting there grinning at me like we were playing poker and he had all the aces.
I grabbed him and hugged him as tight as I could. I noticed that everyone was laughing. It seems that Lauren and Sam had known about this for MONTHS. It is probably the only time in her life that she has kept a really juicy secret. I don’t know how she did it.
On closer examination half the town must have been in on this little "secret" and NO one said a word to me. It was one of the best gifts I have ever received.
When I asked Michael about the song he said, "Well I knew the volume would definitely get you out of the office and that the choice of song would soften the blow". He was right. The song will forever be tied to the memory of seeing him sitting there, smiling at me. I now know the full meaning of "I’ve got a pocketful of rainbows, and a heart full of love".