The Lemon Tree

My parents have had a dwarf lemon tree for over 50 years. They have kept it in a pot & moved it where ever they went through the years. They raised 5 children, and as we grew that tree was a part of our Christmas tradition. Each year it put a couple lemons out & we took turns picking them for hot lemonade on Christmas Eve. As the years rolled on & we all grew into our own lives some of us had children who continued the tradition of picking the one or two lemons each year. Christmas of 1998 my oldest daughter, Cheyenne, was the one who got to pick it. The next March, 1999, our sweet Cheyenne left us as her physical life came to an end and her spirit made its transition to an eternal life. Christmas of '99, while we were gathered around taking pictures of my niece & nephew picking the abnormally large amount of lemons it produced that year my husband suddenly said out loud "Oh my God! ...there are 9 lemons!"

Cheyenne was the 9th grandchild.   .....we felt a special warmth as she came to spend Christmas with us that year in our deep pain and grief.