Christmas 'n Crafts

Homemade Christmas gifts this year? Really? By the time my day is done I, too, am done. All my grand ideas have gone have remained as such: Grand Ideas. I've even yet to schedule in canning my yummy pepper jelly and there's not a jar of homemade salsa in the pantry!

Fortunately, my daughter has been busy since the beginning of 2012 making Christmas gifts for each of our family members. So if my name is added to her gift tag, you'll each know why!

A Moment of Reflection

A moment of reflection - that is, if I can sit still long enough...

I love this particular moment during this time of year. It's when all is quiet; the children are silently occupied and chores have been momentarily set aside to take time to reflect on this season of Christmas.

After a busy month filled with many hiccups and much preparation, Christmas finally began last Thursday morning with the coming of my oldest sister. The quiety day with Kvonne quickly spilled into a plentiful week filled with more family, food, gifts and play. And as overly stimulating as this past week has been, it has been so pleasant! The year-long mental then finally month-long physical preparations made for Christmas at Chez Cuds have all been so worthwhile!

With half the family here, a simple yet special anniversary dinner was enjoyed, which included passing around a pretty basket of homemade salt-dough ornaments. As each person dropped their ornament back in the basket later in the meal, we each took turns telling the grandparents why their marriage relationship is important to us. Or a compliment to make it simple for the rather confused children! It was quite lovely and quite a nice way to recognize their 44th anniversary. The evening topped off so nicely with the arrival of the rest of the family.

On Saturday, after much play and laughter and already lots of food we all bundled up to go Christmas Caroling on our street prior to leaving for the Christmas Eve Service. Oh how pleasant that was! Little gifts were left on some doorsteps after we sang and on our quiet street we noticed at least one person came out onto their porch to see. I have been wanting to do this the past two years, and am so thankful that this was finally the year!

And now, as I sit here computer and tea at hand, I get to sit back and reflect on the images of family dancing in my mind and the memories of conversations around pots of tea and coffee and Christmas Sweets (not to mention our two walking visits to a local breakfast diner - so lovely!). Our own singing of Christmas Carols while we're all tucked about our living room following A-Z's very first Homeschool Christmas Recital in which cousins and aunties also took part. Guitar, trombome, piano and singing voices were sounds all heard in our house this Season.

I am so thankful for our family. So thankful for the love of God shed in our hearts. So thankful to be able to share His love and His light once again this holiday.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year filled with the Hope and Love and Christ!

Can Words Express?

As I opened a Christmas card - a very fat Christmas card - I wondered what was inside. To my amazement, a very special family from our church gave us a membership to a local museum.

Tears flooded my eyes and I was filled with emotion. Over a membership gift? To a museum? Really?

Really.

To me, this membership tells me my family is loved, is seen, is known. And isn't that the cry of each of our hearts? To be known? Kind of like when my daughter once gave me a card the year she was in Pre-K that said, "Mommy, I like you, I love you, I see you."

To know that we have made a difference in someone's life cannot be measured by worldly measures nor described by words. To receive a gift that tells me someones knows what is important to me - whether big or small - cannot be expressed in words today.

Thank you, friend, and Merry Christmas to a very special family.