Elgin family celebrates Christmas together for the first time in 8 years

When the Rev. Oscar Carrasco and his wife Joyce heard the phrase "I'll be home for Christmas" four separate times, they couldn't believe their ears.

For the first time since 2001, the Elgin couple will have their four children, six grandchildren and their daughter- and son-in-law home for the holidays.

Bringing the full family under one roof is no easy feat, said Joyce, a retired University of Chicago Lab School teacher.

Her eldest child, Sam, a 35-year-old Marine Corps. major, has served three combat tours in Iraq. Sam, his wife Melody and their five children arrived Friday from Camp Williams, Utah.

Susanna, 31, who lives in Georgia with her husband and baby daughter, are expected to come in at 11 a.m. Christmas Day, Joyce said.

Sara, 28, a judge advocate general for the Air Force, flew in Tuesday from Ramstein, Germany.

Sheila, 26, a graduate theater student at Harvard University, arrived Sunday.

"It's emotional," Joyce said of her children's homecoming, "mainly because our son was in Iraq on three combat tours. It's wonderful to have them all here."

The family spent much of Wednesday afternoon playing outside in the snow on the home's ample lawn.

Sheila, Sara and the grandchildren built snowmen together and played pantomime games from the outside windows.

Sam and Oscar took on shoveling duty.

Christmas Eve, the family was to attend a 7 p.m. service at Roselle United Methodist Church, where Oscar, superintendent of the United Methodist Church's Elgin District, will preach.

Later in the evening, Sara, Sheila and Susanna were to write and perform plays for the family.

"We entertain ourselves without the television," Sam said.

Christmas Day comes with several more traditions.

Early in the morning, presents will be laid out under the tree. The Carrascos will eat breakfast and join in prayer before opening gifts.

"The whole process can take about three hours if we really get going," Sheila said.

Family members, cognizant of the fact that this may be their only Christmas together for several years, are determined to treasure the days together.

"I'm conscious," Oscar said, "how blessed I am with my wife to have all of our children with us. So many families are not able to be together - separated by war and other difficulties."