First Christmas Post-DC

Christmas was a lot of fun this year for me. We had all the girls and their families at our house on Christmas Day - and this year, family included Kendall's boyfriend, Kevin, who was able to spend a few days with us over the holidays. We ate lots, talked and laughed a lot, and even got in a game of touch football. We also had Christmas two more times, once with my side of the family and another with Denise's side.

One major change this year was prompted on our part by our "new start" (which = less money!). We spent about the same amount of money on our grandkids as any other year, but we really cut back on gifts to our daughters and our son-in-laws. Instead, we made gifts for each other. From my point of view, this made for a Christmas that was especially significant.

For a long time I have felt like I have not really expressed what I feel for my kids through the gifts I have bought them. I know that all of us appreciate a "nice" gifts: money, gift cards, books, clothes, technology, etc. Things can be treasured as gifts that have been given as "signs" or "symbols"of love. But I think that when I purchase something or give money as a gift, I can do it almost without thought. When I make a gift, I can't help but think about it: I spend more time thinking about the person I am gifting as I decide on what to create and as I create it.

The girls made us and each other wonderful, beautiful gifts. They had some talents that we did not know about! For our part, Denise decoupaged art work for them using materials that had special significance for each family. I wrote poems for the girls and the son-in-laws and made a Ken Burns-style film using still photos where I tried to capture what we mean to each other.

Here is the poem I wrote for the girls. I am guessing that most moms and dads feel the same way about their kids.

5 Daughter Gift

When I was a young father                                                                                                                                                                  
Busy and Important
Someone told me that children were a gift
We don’t own them
They are just passing through                                      
And I thought that this was true
But it seemed at least a little
Strange.
A gift?

You were so entangled with every minute of our days
Changing your diapers
Making your dinners
Feeding you, dressing you, correcting you, laughing at you and with you.
Getting frustrated and happy and sad
Making “big” plans and small ones
Watching with wonder as you grew
Filled with delight
Scared to death
We lived our lives with you.
Isn’t that more than a gift?
                                                                                                                                                                                       
I still think it is more                         
It is certainly not less.
Now we see you
Full and complete
Living loving struggling
Laughing sighing
Overcoming
At home
At work
At play

But we remember
Each memory a photograph
HD moments that sign
Places moods
Events activities
People who have come and gone.
And you are there
Immovable eternal
Filling our hearts
Making a universe with your presence

You are gifts
Gifts we could have never asked for
Glories we never imagined.