Just a few reasons I love this time of year:
- Family! We have felt the great joy and love of each of our children and their spouses, most of all - our beautiful, wonderful, magnificent, grand children.
The family pictures are just “pictures of pictures” so not good reproductions, but you get the idea.
Karl’s very unexpected and useful gift to John is a very nice trailer to attach to his quad for hauling things around in the “Poppy Fields”. He (John) immediately got everyone involved loading it into the motor home for his next trip up there. He’s pretty excited about it.
Allow me to share just WHY these grand children are so special to us.
Watching them with their gingerbread houses in Utah – how creative they can be. Can’t you just feel that satisfaction for a job well done?
They were pretty creative in California as well. Wow, they made some amazing decorations…with a little help, as you can see.
Aren’t they beautiful?! And FUN as well. It brings me so much joy to see them having fun. I LOVE these children! (All 34+ of them). The + is for Kevin and Lesa’s little one due in May. I kinda like their parents too. :)
That is why they are all so special to us. They are FUN and fun loving. creative, intelligent, caring, noisy, messy, beautiful, interesting, and they love us as well. So what’s not to love about them?
- I love the weather changes. It becomes cooler and even crisp in the evenings and the trees change colors and leaves fall. We might even get a good rainstorm to add to the cozy feeling of our home with all its fall or Christmas decorations
- And then there are all the beautiful decorations.
Some people go to great lengths in their lighting and decorating. I feel like a little kid. Even when I walked into a Target store and saw all the huge snowflakes, I wanted to express my delight.
Karla and I found the above decorations in the new Family History bldg in SLC. They decorated the gargantuan tree with church history paraphernalia.
- I love it when perfect strangers wish me “Merry Christmas” which seems more and more NOT politically correct.
- I enjoy seeing all the small acts of kindness that seem more prevalent.
- I love the Christmas Spirit, which I believe, is the spirit of Christ; a tiny spark within all mankind.
- I love seeing the delight when someone opens a gift they are excited about.
- I love giving gifts - especially to children, and watching their faces, seeing the happiness a gift brings them.
- I love my family and appreciate them even more at this time of year. One, because they make the huge effort to visit and spend time with us; and two, because I know what a big sacrifice that is to travel in poor weather, with small children and lots of traffic. We are richly blessed!
Those are just a few of the things I love about this time of year.
There are only a few things I don’t like, such as: Feeling torn about to whom I will express affection first with so many loved ones around, and only one me: an insecure me at that. Worrying about loved ones feelings, and wanting each one to know they are my favorite – or at the least, very much loved, honored, respected, and cherished. I have prayed diligently to be able to cut out all the excess worry, shopping, fretting about who to give what, etc. It’s made the difference being able to focus more on what’s really important about Christmas; My God and family being on top of the list.
This is the time of year I begin to ponder and pray about my standing with my Heavenly Father and my Savior, and what improvements, changes, or goals need to be set for the coming year. John and I are both doing this and praying together about it as well.
Oddly enough, seeing the pictures of everyone loading the green trailer in the motorhome made me wish I was there.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it always surprises me to hear that someone I admire could ever feel insecure. It shouldn't since we all feel this way at times, but it's always a shock. I bet you would love the book I'm reading by Eckhart Tolle called The Power of Now.
I love you.
Great post mom! You really put your heart into it. I can feel your love for all of us through the sincere thoughts and words.
ReplyDeleteLove you!