Christmas past

Okay, let me just say, I love Christmas. I have always loved Christmas. There is something wonderful and full of glory about this season, Christ.

Through the years we accumulate so much stuff...recently in Kansas I helped my sisters clean out the house and we found the aluminum Christmas tree, and Patty and I came to an agreement. One year at her house one at mine...now she took it home the question is will I enjoy it in her home? But back to past....

We had always had a traditional short needle tree. But this year our brother had been in an accident, caught between a parked car and a go-carts spinning front wheel, his leg was torn open and broken in multiple places in the fall. He was still in the hospital at Thanksgiving. At Christmas, we knew our present was to be Mike at home for Christmas day. We had gone to bed without the usual trappings of Christmas, no tree, no presents, just the hope that Mom and Dad would be able to bring Mike home for the day. Grandma was making the turkey and all the fixings, and she would bring them down to our home (just a block away) for lunch. When we got up on Christmas morning there was the aluminum tree and presents. Mom and Dad had left already to go pick Mike up...family friends made the day magical for all of us..and Mike made it home for most of the day...and finally came home soon after the New Year.

But this is a side track to this issue of past. When we moved to Haiti, I gave away the few items I had begun to collect for Christmas, except the duck, pig, and goose candelabra. When we moved home to the US from Haiti, I gave away most of the Christmas ornaments (keeping the ones that Jack and I had painted. Jack's first "song" was to hum Jingle Bell Rock), the wonderful churches with tissue paper "stained glass" windows that were highlighted by a flickering candle.

When Jack was 16/17 he stated that we needed a more adult tree. Something that was not the handmade ornaments we had made through the years...and so without much encouragement I accommodated his wishes. And began to use the homemade ornaments as part of the package wrappings for family and friends.

Now I find myself working at cleaning out...adjusting, changing, and the front closet will become smaller with return chases located in it for the geothermal system...so I think many ornaments will now be recycled onto wreaths. At least one for my front door. others for friends...and simplify life.

Being thankful

My daughter does a Friday post of reasons to be thankful. So I thought I would take a stab...

I am thankful for wanting and getting the opportunity to meet my husband.
I am thankful for grandsons!
I am thankful for the grandson's parents.
For the opportunity to "live in the woods and mountains"
For a job
For good friends who are loving in spite of political and or religious differences
Of faith filled friends.
Of unexpected opportunities...like our furry friends.