Believe......

Believe in what your heart is saying
Hear the melody that's playing
There's no time to waste
There's so much to celebrate
Believe in what you feel inside
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe

~Believe-Josh Groban~

~The Polar Express~

Heather loved school and she loved her teachers. She took everything that they said to be the absolute truth and would do anything to please them. She was thrilled that her 2nd grade teacher was Mrs. Berglund-Carla. Heather loved the fact that she was having her 1st baby and thought the sun and moon were hung by her teacher. As the year went on and Christmas got close, Mrs. Berglund told the class she was going to read them her all time, most favorite Christmas book in the whole world;
The Polar Express.

Heather~Christmas 1995~2nd grade

Heather~the best Christmas present ever

It took several years after Heather was in 2nd grade in 1995-1996 for Hollywood to decide to make a movie about this most beloved book. In 2003, Heather began to see trailers for the movie and she was going to see this movie no matter what. Our family movie for Thanksgiving 2004 was The Polar Express. Heather fell in love with the movie. She loved everything about The Polar Express. One of Heather's most beloved birthday gifts came that same year as Hallmark had a bell called "The 1st gift of Christmas." It was always under her tree every single year. Now it is under the tree I have in my bedroom that is decorated with Heather's ornaments.

For Christmas 2004, I got Heather The Polar Express book. After all these years she never had a copy of the book she loved so much. I also found a bookmark that was a copy of the ticket for the train. She loved the bookmark so much that she put the bow on the plastic and never ever used it. I also found a Hallmark ornament that you pull the string and it lights up and the train goes around in a circle. It is quite the ornament. I bought one for myself after Christmas so Heather and I both had one. In going through her things I found her ornament. I could think of no better place for this to go than to Mrs. Berglund who got the whole thing started in the first place.

The next birthday (2005) was the year that Hallmark came out with a cookie plate and the hot chocolate cup and saucer from the movie. Of course I picked these up right away for Heather. Again she loved these items. She had them out every year. She really wanted to find 11 more of the cookie plates. She wanted to make them her dish set for Christmas. We never could find enough of these plates to fill her dream. I also got her the Hallmark ornament of the polar Express for that year as well.

Two more of Heather's Polar Express ornaments

 In 2005 The Polar Express came out in IMAX. As one of our movie nights before Christmas we took an extended family member with us to see the movie at the IMAX. A great time was had by all. Heather was always thinking of gifts for others. In her shopping she found "The 1st gift of Christmas". During our extended family Christmas Eve get together, Heather had to make sure that this person got the 1st gift of Christmas. This was the year that Bill's mom had died in October and Heather was doing everything possible to make it a great holiday for everyone.

Jenn and Heather with 3D glasses on

Here in Arizona we have a train that runs from Williams to "Christmas Town" called "The Polar Express." It runs 2 times a night, almost every night from Thanksgiving to the 1st of the year. It is suppose to be like the magical trip in the book. You get hot chocolate and cookies. Santa boards the train and everyone gets the 1st gift of Christmas. We were never able to do this with Heather and I regret this very much. She would love it so much. We probably would have done it for Christmas 2009, but Heather had other plans that year. So, next year the Coombe Family will be spending Christmas Eve riding The Polar Express. Yes, actually on Christmas Eve. We will then stay at the lodge up there and have a great, special time...with Heather there as well.

If you have not read The Polar Express or seen the movie you need to. It will become a holiday classic for your family as well. I also have the soundtrack. One of the most favorite songs is Josh Groban's "Believe." Heather bought the piano music to play and every Christmas we could hear her playing this song. Please take a listen to the song that I am sure you have heard before, but maybe it will mean something a little different now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn0_I_GDGpg&feature=related