Wow.  2 posts in less than an hour.  Look at me getting stuff done.  Well, I am still in my pjs though.  Mason asked me to bring him lunch at school because he wants something warm.  I'll send it in with Dal.  He'll die if he sees me like this.  Well how about Christmas.  It was different for me this year.  Hard to pin point really, but I was not in the spirit this year.  I love getting the tree, getting decorations out and letting the kids go to town.  But there was a different feeling in the air.  Maybe I spent to much on the kids?  I didn't think that I did.  I was very excited for Dallins dinosaur stuff and Masons bb gun.  I was thrilled when my friend made Nat a bean bag that is totally awesome.  But I wasn't feeling it.  I tried to be more Christ centered instead of Santa centered....as we all should.  I have a beehive right now who is a recent convert.  She's been baptized a little over a year and she lives with her mom and sister.  And on the odd occasion her brother.  Her mom is a loser.  No really.  This woman has no job, gets money from the state claiming headaches, and doesn't do a thing with her life.  They live in a run down trailer park.  She loves her son but I don't think she cares much for the girls.  When I pick Shawna up for YW her mom is always yelling at her to hurry, or to find her shoes or whatever.  In front of me too.  This is no way to grow up.  As Christmas got closer I casually asked Lynda what she was doing for Christmas.  Were they going anywhere?  Having company?  She said "I told the girls not to expect anything.  I can't get them nothing.  My mom will get them a few things from the dollar store.  But that's it.  I just got a new floor put in the trailer so that's it!"  Really?  Shawna got a new coat from the principal at her school.  I knew that Shawna and her sister Courtney had their names on the giving tree at church.  But after further investigation I found out that they were gift cards.  No way I thought.  There is no way that Lynda would spend those gift cards on the girls.  She wouldn't even get her own girl a coat.  It was the principal.  I took over!  I have a very wonderful beehive class.  And yes, some come from wealthy families.  I emailed the girls in class and their moms and explained that we have the need and opportunity to help a fellow classmate.  And would they mind getting 1 thing for Shawna for Christmas this year.  Socks, jeans, sweater, whatever.  The outpouring was humbling and outstanding.  My girls went way above and beyond what I had thought.  When all was said and done I had clothes and shoes, slippers and robes galore.  I divided the gifts here on the kitchen table.  I made a Shawna pile and a Courtney pile.  Each girl had socks, robe, slippers, hoodies, sweaters, jeans, coats, perfume.  I was so touched and so humbled by my wonderful class.  And yes their moms of course.  What a way to serve!  I took the presents over on Christmas Eve.  Lynda told me they would be home at 9 so I showed up a little earlier.  As I was pulling the wrapped gifts from the car, they came home.  Who come home early? Apparently they do.  I was caught red handed, but I explained that Santa dropped this off in his rush and would I mind bringing the presents over.  The girls didn't hear me.  They were like little girls who couldn't believe what I had.  It was so precious.  They were busy looking at the tags and squeling with excitement.  I brought the presents in and set them down next to an empty, and I do mean empty tree.  I had a humble and grateful heart.  Not a thank you was mentioned, but given her mom I didn't really expect one.  At least they would have something to open the next day.  Serving others.  Pass it on.

Now our kids woke up late on Christmas day.  Around 8:15ish, I started to hear signs of life coming from their rooms.  Very different from when I was a kid.  I remember sitting downstairs on the couch with Dan and Emily.  We weren't allowed to come upstairs until at least 6.  There we'd sit until the clock started to chime 6.  We would tear up the stairs like we were being chased by a mad man.  The tree would be lit and we'd stand for a minute, breathless, and look at what Santa had done.  It was always a good morning.  A good EARLY morning.  So for my kids to wake up that late was a new one for me.  But I sort of liked it.  Then we wouldn't get up with it being so dark outside.  Anyway the kids were happy and very appreciative of their gifts.  Later that afternoon, I took just Dallin to the Walking with Dinosaurs movie.  It was a gift from me.  It was sort of a lame movie with no real plot.  I may have fallen asleep in the middle of it.  But he had a good time so that's all that matters.  We didn't go anywhere for the rest of the day and no one had us over for dinner.  I wasn't going to make a huge ham dinner for just us so we had pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, and chips instead.  The kids didn't mind and I didn't have to spend all day in the kitchen.  It was a quiet day really.  Not that much going on, which makes me wonder if that's why it didn't feel like Christmas to me.  The next day we did our tradition of bowling and out to eat.  We normally do that on Christmas Eve, but this year both Nat and Dal got new bowling shoes so we waited one day.  It was fun.  Let the good times roll.  that is all for now.