Rejoice! Our Savior is Born!

"Was Santa here?" Shayla's down the stairs and ready to find out!

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given"






Christi may not have been here, but her cat (Buckeye) was enjoying the Christmas morning festivities.









Cuddling with my little sweetie! She had a wonderful Christmas! She's spending her afternoon with her new toys. She especially likes the remote control helicopter that is now flying all over our living room. For the first time ever, she was thrilled to receive clothes for Christmas gifts.









It's still tough to see just one stocking filled. Shayla was happy with her little prizes in her snowman stocking yet I couldn't shake the fact that the other matching stocking hung flat and lifeless from the mantle. I know I must be thankful - and I am - that there was one filled. Too many of our friends have lost their only child to cancer.

Christi's last winter of life (2006) was a very tough one for her - many nights of hospital stays, severe treatments, lots of horrific pain and too many days separated from family and friends by hundred of miles. A sweet point was the many "strangers" who befriended Christi and sent her little treats. She especially liked some warm (and oh so soft) socks some sweet lady (I wish I could remember who) mailed her. Christi really liked those pairs of socks (and I feel guilty I never once wrote a thank you note to anyone during her 4 years of treatment and her funeral yet I justified it at the time by thinking, "No one is sending anything to receive a thank you. They just want to share their love for Christi." And I did not want to take any precious time away from enjoying her by writing thank you notes. Times were also very scary financial. Shayne was unemployed for 2 1/2 of those four years and much of it was spent living on my part time teacher salary.) ANYWAY.....because I wanted Christi to be a part of our Christmas I am wearing one of her favorite pairs of socks today! I've worn these pairs of socks, during the winter, each year since she died. It might sound crazy for me to say they make me feel close to her, but really they do! Merry CHRISTICHRISTMAS, Christi (as I used to joke with her)! May you be enjoying your day with the real Birthday Boy while I try to live my life in a way that will get me there too!