Holiday HighLights

• Surprise Surprise - On facebook before Christmas, I complained that Greg keeps figuring out my surprise gifts for him. One he found accidentally, three he spoiled, one he ended up buying for himself before Christmas - so frustrating. By the time Christmas morning rolled around I had only one trick left up my sleeve. Greg had asked for a car radio because his "new" used Corolla didn't have a working one. So he knew I was getting him a stereo of some kind. No surprise there. But what he didn't know was that I arranged to have it installed by a neighbor. After the installation, my neighbor gave me the original radio box back that had been replaced. I decided to pull a prank on Greg. I wrapped that radio up in a box full of packing peanuts. After all the presents were opened, I saved that one as the grand finale. He knew what it was going to be, so I hammed it up. As he cut the tape off the box seams I said, "I got it used on ebay, so I really hope all the pieces you need are there. " He kept a stoic face as he pushed away the peanuts. "There's no faceplate," he commented. "You're kidding!? I can't believe it." But I'm not a very good liar. Beneath the peanuts I had hid his car keys. I grabbed them out and exclaimed, "Just kidding!" with a HUGE smile on my face. We ran out in the snow together with our pajamas and sandals on. He was thrilled. And I was relieved to have had one surprise be just that - a surprise.


• Paycheck for Santa - Evan "weeuh weeuh weeuh want[ed] a Teo Twax for Kissus." {Translation - really wanted a Geo Trax for Christmas} He made this request last month and daily since then. When the wish was originally made we unfortunately had to tell him that Santa wouldn't have enough money to bring him a Geo Trax. He was saddened, but seemed to understand. It's an answer he's become accustomed to hearing lately. But after finding a good deal on ebay, Santa and Mrs. Claus became very anxious and excited every time Evan mentioned his one Christmas request. The night before Christmas he asked, "Does Santa have enough money for a GeoTrax yet?" We gave a shrug in response. Then he pulled out the 15 coins he had collected throughout the day and put them on the counter. "Is this enough money for Santa?" So precious. The next morning, Santa left him a note thanking him for the money but asking Evan to put it in his mission bank instead. It was a very touching moment for us to witness Evan's sensitivity and generosity. Of course, the underlying irony of it all is that by helping Santa he was helping himself. But "helping" nonetheless, reflects a glimmer of the Christmas spirit.


• Great and Spacious - Santa granted me my wish this Christmas as well. I got an additional wall of shelves in my pantry. Now I love opening the pantry door and just staring at the space and order reflecting before my eyes. So great!


• Bedroom reclamation - a major highlight was the reclaiming of our bedroom. We finally got a toddler bed for Zion and moved Taryn into the baby crib. The sisters are sharing a room and Greg and I no longer have a stow away in ours.
  
• In Excelsis Deo! - By far the greatest part of Christmas day was one that was least expected. Tara and I practiced singing "Mary's Lullaby", with Greg accompanying on the guitar, to sing for my grandparents on speaker phone. Singing is something we love doing together. Afterward, it was suggested that we walk next door to Grandma Gloria's house. I don't know Grandma Gloria. But she is an elderly woman confined to her bed, all alone in her big house.

Singing for the elderly is something I grew up doing through years of Christmas caroling at nursing homes and choir service projects. To me, it was always a little creepy; a good creepy. But it has been years since I was a caroling youth.

We gave a knock on the door and then let ourselves in. We followed her welcoming voice to the back bedroom where she lay on her bed. She looked beautiful. Though lying in a simple nightgown beneath blankets, her face was dolled up with rosy cheeks and pink lips. So cheery and inviting. Weak and frail, yet a snapshot of Grandma perfection.

After an introduction and an exchange of pleasantries, we began our performance. It was magical. I watched her eyes glow and gloss. After each verse, she would begin to say how lovely it was, but then we would start to sing again and cut her compliment short. By the time the final chord was strummed, I was beaming. Tears filled her eyes and with a broken voice she said, "Thank you, thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." And though the words of gratitude were escaping her lips, I couldn't help but want to echo them back.

We were the ones there to perform an act of service. But she was the one serving me. {Again, that's one of the funny things about service}. She reminded me what Christmas is all about. At that moment it was about lifting each other's spirits. We did it through a verse of song and she did it with her lovely rosy cheeks and grateful praises.

It was real Christmas Magic