Warm Sweater Moments

I remember thinking that I could never find my most favorite gift to be a ragged construction paper card printed with a child's handwriting, or one of many creations teachers concoct from paint and a child's hand print. I remember my mother however, always getting a little wet around the eyes whenever she opened one of these gifts.

I would like to think that I have taken after my mother in many things, and this Christmas I have to say, it was even in the red Christmas ball, turned to 5 little snowmen from the painted hand print of Landon's hand, and the painstaking hand painted poinsettia banner presented to me by Parker that I got it. It caught me first in the throat and somehow made its way up to the corner of my eye, not a tear, but a little welling of emotion. Far more than the gift, it was the pure love that was given in these gifts. Landon had tried for days to give me the gift he had made at school, and put me and his desire to present me with his gift before that of even opening his Santa gifts. Parker too, so proud of her gift, wrapped in Parker style in the most sparkly green bag available, an extension of herself, of her desire to please and to be recognized for her work. In that moment, I got it, the real spirit of Christmas, it truly was in the giving. I wish somehow that I could have bottled up that moment. The kids with their warm little arms around my neck telling me how the loved me, and not doing it with motives for their own gain.

Our Christmas this year was simple. The kids and I gave a portion of what we did have for gifts to a family in the community, not so unlike many other people in our community. What my family did was not unique, but it was for us a very poignant moment. A recognition that for in all that we may not have, we have an awful lot. The kids chose to gift items to kids of their own age. It I think made it all the more real to them that we are our brothers keeper. Parker got a coat and Landon a sweatshirt for their family members. They could have chosen toys, but both expressed worry that they didn't want for the children to be cold, and deducted that children's wants in the way of toys would probably be more easily chosen, and worried that their needs may not be met. For my own children, Parker received a guitar, and bedazzler. Landon a small drum pad and a remote control. There expressions of gratitude....priceless. They were filled so full of gratitude and joy(and I now have a blue denim purse bedazzled with a butterfly as evidence of their love.) As a mother this made me pretty proud of who my children are becoming, especially when just a few days earlier Landon had told me that "no five year old kid, likes to get clothes for Christmas." Landon did get some clothes, and while I will admit may not have been his Christmas day highlight, was very gracious as he received a new pair of slacks, dress shirt and tie from his Grandma. He took extra care to embrace her (and in what is a great feat for Landon) looked at her for 2 seconds and said thank you. My Parker is getting so big. With guitar in hand, she quickly personalized it with butterfly stickers, then set to work to pen us a new song. Strumming the guitar not yet tuned, and with no guitar experience, but her voice, composing improvised lyrics of what a great Christmas this was, "her best Christmas for more than the Christmas trees or toys, Christmas is love with her family." I second that thought. This year truly was our best Christmas. Mike and I didn't exchange gifts per say, and yet I received from him a penned letter that was the best gift I could have received along with the Taylor Swift CD (which he begged forgiveness for breaking of our no gift rule making the exception that it didn't cost too much.) The CD was "Fearless", a theme by which we have had to try and live by this past year with the opening of the restaurant and now the daunting task of making it a successful business.