My December Picasa picture file has 352 pictures in it, and there are still seven days left in the month!! The pictures are of the minutiae that fills the daily life of a retired couple--the little flock of birds that we feed and nurture who are so fat they can barely fly; some are literally waddle through the snow to the feeders, sewing projects lovingly made for Christmas presents, the new acquisitions--a truck, the snow, snow, snow, and odds and ends here and there. We are busy but not so busy that we can't laugh at the antics of our flock, try something new like our nativity set, or organize the old, like decorating the entire house for Christmas. We laugh when we find an old, scarred bent-up candle. Tom is ready to throw it away, but I explain that it was part of a gorgeous Christmas bouquet I received at school from him on our first Christmas. I was truly an old maid when we met, and he didn't like the way I'd been teased about my single status. He sent the bouquet to the school to show everyone that I was loved and cherished. That old candle will be on display in our home every Christmas for forever. We're not too busy to kneel together a couple of times a day and give thanks for our luxurious life of love, decent health, and something to do.

It's the first hour of Christmas Eve Day. I just sent Vale to bed, telling him there's lots to do today. He reminds me of the silly, fun Christmases we have spent together--all 12 of them in his memory. We don't remember what presents we got; we remember when we left some chili cans we were using to prop up the walls inside our gingerbread house, his first encounter with a bearded Santa Claus, and a thousand other precious experiences together. I'm still up working at my favorite things--addressing Christmas cards, finishing up a handmade gift, and wrapping a goodie box to deliver to dear friends, while everyone else is asleep, and I can enjoy the quiet moments.

Although the picture doesn't do it much justice, the top of our gazebo resembles a Dairy Queen soft ice cream cone top. Vale's dubbed it the Gazebo Queen Cone. With nearly two feet of snow piled on me, I may begin to droop a bit as well. Last night, we were able to celebrate Tom's 70th birthday with cake and a serenade:

For me, the most significant word throughout the Christmas season is REMEMBER. So often in this season, our conversations are punctuated with the phrase, "Remember when we did this or that?" We spend hours with family and friends reminiscing about times past and present. We remember in church services, nativity scenes, and newspaper articles the true meaning of Christmas. We remember friends' and families' kindnesses and their personalities as we look for just the right and appropriate gift for them. All of this remembering is so helpful in these hard and difficult times and can be brought and savored and reviewed again and again when our life is painful.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE, in whatever circumstance or clime you find yourself in this holy season. Keep up your spirits and remember that you are loved. When times are the very toughest, and you see only storms in your path, picture Dad and I kneeling together, holding hands. If you could read our lips, you would know that we are speaking to a God whom we know and love, trust and obey. We're asking Him to bless YOU, give you solace and comfort because we love you so. Love, Mom