Holiday wish come true

Genies have their limits, fairy godmothers set midnight deadlines, but Santa, Santa knows no bounds - he delivers, literally. And Lee Garnand knew that only St. Nick could deliver what his mother has always wanted for Christmas.

Last Christmas, Lee's mother - Odessan Aliene Herrold - said she didn't think she'd get to see her kids together again for Christmas.

"I felt sad for her because she's very family-oriented, and her kids mean everything to her," Lee said. "So that was our driving force behind this idea: to remove this piece of unhappiness for her."

It had been more than 20 years since their last Christmas together because Jimmie Garnand, Lee's brother, is a truck driver from Brownwood and Saundra Colbourne, Lee's sister, lives in Leamington Spa, England.

"We never had it coordinated to where everyone could be home," Lee said. "One or two of us was always around for Christmas but not all three. I wanted to give her something that would mean the world to her."

When Lee approached Saundra, she was excited but had some concerns.

"It was a really good idea," she said. "Logistically, I didn't know how it would work, but just the thought was exciting."

But at a Christmas Eve lunch at the Way Out West Steakhouse in Odessa, Santa paid Aliene a special visit, toting along her son and daughter and reuniting the family again.

"It seems like Christmas again. It just wasn't Christmas without the family together," Aliene said. "When you're children all go their different ways, it's hard to get them together again.

"There just aren't words to describe the feeling," she added. "Of course, I'm going to expect it every year now."

Jimmie said being with the family again is exciting.

"It's been very good," he said. "The idea was unusual, and I was interested to see how it would work, but it has and it's very good."