I guess you've noticed by now that I succumbed to blog overload =). I have never attempted day-to-day posting before, and in the end I found I didn't have what it took... I suppose I'm not a true blogger at heart, and by the time Christmas week arrived, I couldn't tie myself down to the computer any longer.
The past week was truly wonderful. The girls and I, along with some other members of our family, got the chance to go out and do a few more things we really wanted to do out in the community, and then Christmas Eve and forward we reveled in family time. It couldn't have been any sweeter, the perfect way to wind up this season that has meant so much to my heart.
On Christmas night we got the chance to do some reflecting with our family about last year, the mind-boggling things that have happened since, and the dramatic way we have been carried from last December to this one. Last year I was immersed in living through a holiday season with the fresh grief and loss of Poppy pressing in, constantly reminding me of what had been given and so shortly after taken away. We celebrated, completely void of the light-hearted bouyancy usually associated with the season, but with a deeper understanding of the amazing gift God gave by letting go of His only son.
Then fast forward one year later, and the changes from last season to this are striking. Unbelievable even. I really have a hard time fathoming it, but I know we got here, one day at a time, until we reached the point that we were able to give out of the overflow of our hearts; so in contrast to that place we were last year, gratefully accepting the prayers and love and gifts being poured into us by others.
Nothing could have been more meaningful to me this year than getting to meet the incredible people we came across as we looked for ways to give to others, just as so many had given to us. I look back at each thing we got to do with so much thankfulness! Not one thing was done without a huge blessing to our own lives, and nothing can replace the joy in being able to see my girls get to experience the other side of Christmas. I could not have asked for a better 25 days.
So many of you wrote or commented throughout the season, and the things you shared made everything all the richer. I am so blessed by you! Like I said before, I'm really not the blogging type, but you have inspired me to keep sharing this journey, and you have made it so worth it! I pray this Christmas was full of meaning and joy for you, despite the particular spot you find yourself, whether in the valley, on the mountain, or somewhere in between. May God's rich blessings be with you as we look forward to the New Year!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
An Elf from Christmas Past
...and one from Christmas Present
Same outfit, almost same poundage, and a six month age difference =)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Day 20-the recipient
Saturday I was delivered from a potentially nightmarish holiday encounter by an angel in disguise. This angel came in the unlikely form of a Sam's tire department employee, but he appeared on the spot at the exact minute I prayed for help. I'm not kidding... No, the situation wasn't dire, but that didn't stop me from lifting up a little prayer for help in the face of what looked like 45 minutes worth of lines between us and the exit. The short version of the mini-crisis we found ourselves in is this: We went to Sam's for four items on the Saturday before Christmas. One of those four items was an iPod shuffle that I was getting for a Christmas present, but it came with the down side that it required standing in an additional line to pick up the item after we paid for it in the normal check out queue. Nathan and I realized the full impact of this as Adrienne began to cry from hunger at the same time we saw the carts backed up into the store, each looking like it was piled high with quite a few more than four items. It looked very grim.
And it was into this dark scene that the tire department employee appeared by our sides and said in hushed tones "follow me, there's no line at tires." He whisked us right over to the almost deserted department and had us checked out in less than a minute. But it didn't stop there. He instructed us to follow him over to customer service where we were supposed to wait in another long line to receive the shuffle we had just purchased. He had us wait over to the side while he went directly to the employee who was unlocking the electronic merchandise behind the counter. He handed her the receipt, and within a minute had ascertained the info that there were no more shuffles in stock at our Sam's location. Sure it was bad news, but when I thought of how long we would have waited in lines to find that out if not for our wonderful helper, I couldn't help but break into a big smile. I left Sam's feeling like I had witnessed a mini-miracle, but in reality I believe I was just a recipient of someone who was doing his best to take Christmas back in his own way. He didn't have to do any of the things he did for us, but his going over and beyond the call of duty absolutely made my day. It helped drive home the point, it's really the little things that make Christmas special--things that everyone one of us is capable of doing in our own way!
And it was into this dark scene that the tire department employee appeared by our sides and said in hushed tones "follow me, there's no line at tires." He whisked us right over to the almost deserted department and had us checked out in less than a minute. But it didn't stop there. He instructed us to follow him over to customer service where we were supposed to wait in another long line to receive the shuffle we had just purchased. He had us wait over to the side while he went directly to the employee who was unlocking the electronic merchandise behind the counter. He handed her the receipt, and within a minute had ascertained the info that there were no more shuffles in stock at our Sam's location. Sure it was bad news, but when I thought of how long we would have waited in lines to find that out if not for our wonderful helper, I couldn't help but break into a big smile. I left Sam's feeling like I had witnessed a mini-miracle, but in reality I believe I was just a recipient of someone who was doing his best to take Christmas back in his own way. He didn't have to do any of the things he did for us, but his going over and beyond the call of duty absolutely made my day. It helped drive home the point, it's really the little things that make Christmas special--things that everyone one of us is capable of doing in our own way!
Day 19-visiting vivi
On Friday we got the chance to go up to St. Jude again as an entire family to visit Vivi again. Nathan hadn't gotten to meet her the first time we went to the hospital, so he had been looking forward to his chance. Last week when we had seen her, Vivi was outpatient, meaning she was free to go back to her apartment with her parents after her daily regimen of appointments was complete. But for the past several days, Vivi has been moved back to inpatient as a result of her low counts.
St. Jude is a huge place, and we didn't arrive at Vivi's room before first taking an unintentional tour of much of the hospital - leaving me once again blown away at the attention to detail that has gone in to making it a place that is warm and welcoming instead of sterile and cold. Vivi was asleep through all of our visit this time, but she looked so beautiful and peaceful, I loved just getting to see her sleep. Adrienne played to her little heart's content with all of Vivi's wonderful toys while Marianna discovered something she and Vivi have in common-a love for the Disney movie Ratatouille. It was playing when we walked in, and Marianna had no problem making herself comfortable in the recliner and settling in for the movie.
We enjoyed a wonderful visit while both girls played, and once again I left with a heart full of prayers and love for this family. If you haven't gotten a chance to read her story yet, please go visit Vivi's blog and prepare to have your heart snatched by this beautiful baby girl.
I want to share one more thing. I have continued reading A Family Christmas Treasury each day, and I have been especially struck by the days talking about Jesus the Lamb of God. The rich symbolism surrounding Jesus' birth is lost on me so much of the time, but reading through this book has helped illuminate some of it for me. I read about how Bethlehem, a small, seemingly unimportant little place, was actually an area where shepherds raised the spotless, unblemished lambs to be used for sacrifice in Jerusalem. It was no accident that Jesus, the perfect, spotless Lamb of God was born into this place, knowing that He would one day be the ultimate sacrificial lamb. What a beautiful picture of what Jesus did for us. Nothing was accidental, nothing was happenstance. It was all planned from the beginning of time.
St. Jude is a huge place, and we didn't arrive at Vivi's room before first taking an unintentional tour of much of the hospital - leaving me once again blown away at the attention to detail that has gone in to making it a place that is warm and welcoming instead of sterile and cold. Vivi was asleep through all of our visit this time, but she looked so beautiful and peaceful, I loved just getting to see her sleep. Adrienne played to her little heart's content with all of Vivi's wonderful toys while Marianna discovered something she and Vivi have in common-a love for the Disney movie Ratatouille. It was playing when we walked in, and Marianna had no problem making herself comfortable in the recliner and settling in for the movie.
We enjoyed a wonderful visit while both girls played, and once again I left with a heart full of prayers and love for this family. If you haven't gotten a chance to read her story yet, please go visit Vivi's blog and prepare to have your heart snatched by this beautiful baby girl.
I want to share one more thing. I have continued reading A Family Christmas Treasury each day, and I have been especially struck by the days talking about Jesus the Lamb of God. The rich symbolism surrounding Jesus' birth is lost on me so much of the time, but reading through this book has helped illuminate some of it for me. I read about how Bethlehem, a small, seemingly unimportant little place, was actually an area where shepherds raised the spotless, unblemished lambs to be used for sacrifice in Jerusalem. It was no accident that Jesus, the perfect, spotless Lamb of God was born into this place, knowing that He would one day be the ultimate sacrificial lamb. What a beautiful picture of what Jesus did for us. Nothing was accidental, nothing was happenstance. It was all planned from the beginning of time.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Day 18-Patience
A month or two ago we were driving along when I saw something (a wreck I think) that made me exclaim "Whoa!" Marianna immediately responded by shouting, "Hey Buddy, are you going to let us in?!" It was at that moment that I realized a) I talk out loud in the car more than I thought, and b) I'm not the virtue of patience on the road.
It seems like pre-Christmas shopping and traffic are synonymous with lost tempers and thin patience, so I made an early commitment in November not to lose it! And then what do you know, I haven't had the opportunity to make good on the commitment once. I've been surrounded by the most genial shoppers, courteous drivers, and the like that it's been shocking. Definitely a commitment I've been happy not to have to keep because of such happy circumstances. But then finally, last night I had my chance. I was driving around our busy mall area when I found myself behind a guy who didn't understand the fundamentals of traffic flow in a crowded situation. I was about to pass him by and mutter something about his under par driving capabilities when I caught myself and realized how quickly that patience had evaporated. I slowed down, realized how minor a situation it really was, and sat back to enjoy the slower pace.
Yet another one of the little things I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take home for good from this Christmas adventure.
It seems like pre-Christmas shopping and traffic are synonymous with lost tempers and thin patience, so I made an early commitment in November not to lose it! And then what do you know, I haven't had the opportunity to make good on the commitment once. I've been surrounded by the most genial shoppers, courteous drivers, and the like that it's been shocking. Definitely a commitment I've been happy not to have to keep because of such happy circumstances. But then finally, last night I had my chance. I was driving around our busy mall area when I found myself behind a guy who didn't understand the fundamentals of traffic flow in a crowded situation. I was about to pass him by and mutter something about his under par driving capabilities when I caught myself and realized how quickly that patience had evaporated. I slowed down, realized how minor a situation it really was, and sat back to enjoy the slower pace.
Yet another one of the little things I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take home for good from this Christmas adventure.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Day 17-Really Woolly
I was in Lifeway bookstore on Monday when I saw a DVD called Really Woolly, The Gift of Christmas. It was on special for $5.00, and after a quick look I decided to grab it for a present from Adrienne to Marianna. The back cover said it was about discovering the true meaning of Christmas, so I decided we better do an early Christmas present so she could start watching it now as we head into the last week leading up to the 25th.
Marianna tore into it last night, and we weren't disappointed. It's about a little lamb named Jacob who works up to save money to buy himself a nice toy for Christmas. He ends up not having enough money left over to buy presents for his family, so on Christmas Eve he shows up empty handed and embarrassed. His wise and loving grandmother sheep tells him that it's okay because she already has her Christmas present. She then goes into the Christmas story, explaining how Jesus is the best Christmas gift of all time. By the end Jacob learns that the toys he wants aren't the most important thing after all.
A perfect message, wrapped up in a cute little movie that Marianna has definitely enjoyed. It also has some kind of little on-line feature similar to Webkins that we haven't tried out yet. Anyway, I know there's not enough time to order it and get it before Christmas, but if you have a Lifeway in the area, it was certainly worth the $5.00!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
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