The Spirit of Giving

We received a phone call that showed up as "private caller" on our caller ID.

"Merry Christmas. Go to the front porch."

We were given a huge box of food. I was surprised to see the reaction from the kids. It wasn't a box of treats or toys but a box of everyday practical foods that we use. A great moment where the gift itself doesn't matter near as much as the feelings it created, that someone thought of us and took the time and secrecy to deliver it was more meaningful than the food itself.

We are pretty sure we know who did it because every item in the box is something that is used frequently at our house or something that we have run out of lately, even down to Erika's favorite brand of Wassail. Which means that the foods chosen would have been suggested by teenage friends, Sisters who are always over at our house. I am so impressed at the details they noticed and passed on to their parents as they put it all together. Or we have no idea who did it and they were just very inspired to know what would be used at our house. Either way, we have great friends!

Another gift that appears so simple reveals hours and hours and hours of detailed work. My grandma started this tradition with her kids and grandkids and now that she is gone my mom has picked up the tradition. Each of these Christmas stockings is cross-stitched and has our names on them. There is so much love sewn into them!

When LeRoy and I were first married we used to daydream about our future home. I always said I wanted a fireplace. And now I have it. I love having all of the stockings hung, the garland and lights on the mantle and the fire below. It is a favorite reading place that we all congregate to in the evenings

I met my mom in Idaho Falls today and she brought Nathan's stocking with her. He was so excited. Actually, to take the picture I had to sneak into his room and gently pull it from his snuggled up arms. He was thrilled to have a stocking with his name on it and to brag to the other kids that grandma gave it to him. Thanks for continuing the tradition mom! I can't possibly express enough gratitude for the hours you have spent and the hours you will spend in the future doing Hyrum's stocking. We will treasure them forever.