Merry Christmas 2010

This Christmas post may stray a little from the traditional recap of the trips we took over the past year, the progress report on our children, or the many captivating stories which come from Shyler's job about the latest lunatics he treated at the hospital.  Not all of his patients are insane, but the "accidents" they have would lead you to believe most are.  I will give a brief synopsis for those of you who might feel a slight tinge of disappointment that I'm not going to gush about how wonderful our family is. I mean, we are. They are. 


Moving on...

Shyler is still working through his residency.  He washes his hands A LOT.

Britt is still the home administrator, chafeur,cook, maid,therapist,financial clerk,nose wiper,seamstress, conflict resolution counselor, etc., etc., etc.

Emery is in 3rd grade. She loves to provoke the other children to the dismay of her parents.

Addie is in 1st grade.  She's still a spit fire.  Loves to dance. Washes her face multiple times a day with her own natural tears.

Dashle is almost 4. He thinks he is eternally in 1st grade. On a high note he has been potty trained since we last discussed the issue in December of 2009.

Coy is a new 2 and living life like he'll die tomorrow.  

In the spirit of being different I'm going to purge, on this very Christmas post, some of the thoughts that have been stirring in my mind and trickled down to my heart as of late. Don't become alarmed. These are short, simple, but oh so sweet.  

My younger brother, Colin, has spent the last few months in Manhattan doing an internship for the LDS church's public affairs office.  Being he was closer geographically to Ohio than our beloved hometown in rural Minnesota he decided to visit us for Thanksgiving.  We come from a family of nine children where I reside in the #2 spot and he is all the way down at #6.  There is a significant amount of years between us. Despite him being single and me, married with 4 ducks in tow, we had a fabulous visit.  It was hard to see him go after a week of being spoiled by his goodness.  I couldn't pinpoint exactly what made the visit so wonderful for our family until this past Sunday evening.   

 See below.

We were blessed to have the missionaries over for dinner.  Transfers occurred only a week and half prior so we were anxious to meet the new Elder serving with our veteran Elder Duce. When the missionaries knocked at the door Dashle stood beside Shyler to welcome them into our home.  He took one look at the new missionary, Elder Naylor, and said, "Yay! Colin is here!"  When it was time to eat Dashle volunteered to say the prayer.  He asked for everyone in our company that night to be blessed including Colin.  We were confused. We didn't know why he kept talking about Colin.  As we prepared our plates and sat down at the table Dashle became insistent and said, "I want to sit by Colin!"  It finally dawned on us he was referring to Elder Naylor.  Dashle kept mentioning to Elder Naylor, "See! That's the Christmas tree you helped put together! Do you want to see it?"  We just laughed and laughed. We couldn't figure out why Dashle was so insistent.  Elder Naylor did have an uncanny resemblance to my brother.   I decided upon further reflection it wasn't just the way he looked, but more the way he acted which caused Dashle to warm up to him so quickly.  He had a very genuine, kind smile. The time spent in our home he was helpful, thoughtful, considerate, and extremely polite.  Colin acted the same way while staying with us. The draw for Dashle didn't have to do with great jokes they told, trendy fashion sense, or even the style of their hair cuts.    They each held Christ close to their hearts made evident by how they treated everyone around them.  Who is more kind, more considerate, thoughtful, or polite than our Savior?  Thanks to these two great men for showing me this. 

Later on this same Sunday evening another knock came to our door.  It was one of the young women from the ward bearing a gift for the kids.  She had her accomplices with her who happened to be her Laurel adviser plus husband.  They presented a large box to the kids at the kitchen table with very precise instructions typed on a little note to carefully remove the lid.  The kids lifted the lid to find a beautifully detailed gingerbread house furnished to the hilt with glass looking windows and a switch box to make the house glow from the inside.  We ooed and awed.  This special young woman said, "I've really missed you guys, especially the kids, so I wanted to so something nice for them for Christmas."  She used to babysit for us before she turned into an extremely busy Senior.  She has endured well some very difficult circumstances since her childhood which were caused by negligent adults.  The latest trial for her has been the departure of her older brother who has committed two years to serving the Lord in Oregon.  Although she is ecstatic about his choice to go she has rarely been separated from him since they were small children.  I couldn't help but hug this sweet girl.  I knew she had been struggling with the absence of her brother.  A mere mentioning of him would bring the tears on quickly.    I cannot express fully the joy which radiated from the kids' faces on this night, but they showed their appreciation and gratitude openly to this young woman with hugs of their own. She had added to the warmth in our home which can only come from thinking and doing as the Savior would do.  The only way to express our gratitude was to just keep putting our arms around her. 

Just yesterday a package came from my sweet grandmother who lives across the street from my parents in Minnesota.  She has not been widowed yet a year and my thoughts since my grandpa's death have rested for a moment each day on them.  Many months ago, as Shyler's grandmother is widowed also, I encouraged our children during a family home evening to write more letters to their great grandmothers.  As with most of us, we were consistent at first and then our writing tapered off because busyness got in the way.  When the holidays approached we recommitted to write as much as we could to help our grandmothers feel happy and at peace despite the absence of their husbands. The girls have been obliging and enthusiastic with the assignment and I have even dictated a few letters in behalf of Dashle.  Grandma and I used to write letters to each other when I was a small girl.  I can remember her kindness shining through each letter along with her praises of love and encouragement.  I was beyond thrilled then to find a letter attached to one of the four neatly wrapped presents she sent for the kiddies.  It was like I was a little girl again, flipping through the stack of mail, and finding a freshly postmarked letter from grandma. At the dinner table I announced Grandma Harman sent a letter with the Christmas presents.  I asked the kids if they wanted to hear it and each gave an enthusiastic, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"  For me, the hand written letter was a better treat then the sugar cookies we ate after dinner.  What a loving, considerate grandma to think of her great grandchildren during a time that must be a bit hard.  Holidays, in my opinion, are memories in the making with the ones you love most.  It must feel strange when the one you love most is gone and the memories must be made on your own.  I will forevermore remember her thoughtfulness this Christmas not only in the purchased presents she sent, but the homemade gift of love in a letter.                

Lastly, ( I know! Can you believe you're still reading this?), I leave you with some thoughts by our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson:

"As we have approached this special and sacred season, I have contemplated past Christmases. In looking back over the years, I find it is obvious that the Christmases I remember best, the Christmases which touched my heart the most, are Christmases filled with love and giving and the Spirit of the Savior. I believe that such would be true for all of us as we reminisce concerning our best-remembered Christmases. Bringing the Christmas spirit into our hearts and homes takes conscious effort and planning but can surely be accomplished.

Brothers and sisters, this joyful season brings to all of us a measure of happiness that corresponds to the degree to which we have turned our minds, feelings, and actions to the Savior, whose birth we celebrate.

There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. Let it be a time that lights the eyes of children and puts laughter on their lips. Let it be a time for lifting the lives of those who live in loneliness. Let it be a time for calling our families together, for feeling a closeness to those who are near to us and a closeness also to those who are absent.

Let it be a time of prayers for peace, for the preservation of free principles, and for the protection of those who are far from us. Let it be a time of forgetting self and finding time for others. Let it be a time for discarding the meaningless and for stressing the true values. Let it be a time of peace because we have found peace in His teachings.

Most of all, let it be a time to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the Wise Men."  

"A Bright Shining Star," 2010 First Presidency Christmas Devotional, (December 5, 2010)

 

Merry Christmas to you all!  We love each of you and count your love and friendship as divine blessings from the Lord.  May the Savior be the greatest source of your joy and peace this Christmas!

The DeMills