Jaci Dawn

Christmas is gone and all we have to deal with is the aftermath and presents that still have not arrived at their destinations. Presents are not a big deal: they are material and fleeting. We felt terrible for the Fed Ex employee who made a last-minute delivery at our house in the middle of the day on Christmas. Really, it could have waited one more day. Don knew it was coming and he was happy just knowing.

But thank you, anyway. And we hope you made it home in time to be with your family to enjoy the treasure of their company.

A coworker asked me today what I got for Christmas. I drew a blank. There were a lot of nice things, and I got exactly what I asked for (a squirrel feeder, not your average feminine gift if you believe all the jewelry commercials at Christmas. In fact, I once warned my husband that I’d kill him if he bought me anything with diamonds for a gift. I meant it. I have one diamond and it is on my ring finger. That’s all I care for).

So what DID I get for Christmas? A lot of Christmas cards from friends and family, some of whom I did not reciprocate (I’m sorry! I’ll do better next year!). The company of Chrystal & Brian (and we forgot to take that family photo!). Fen came over and was so happy to see his grandpeople. (He was also very happy with the kibble he got for Christmas. Dogs are so easy to please.)

We Skyped (that is a new verb, isn’t it?) with our son and his three little tornadoes. He has been separated from his kids for a few months due to the military and he grinned the entire time we were on Skype and his minions were running in circles, screaming, and showing off their favorite Christmas toys. Justin’s favorite gift this year was the one from us. I can’t honestly remember Micah’s: he showed us so many. Kori kissed the phone.

We Skyped with our oldest. Zephan was too busy playing with his Legos to spend much time talking to us. Javan’s favorite gift was the airplane we sent him. Eli was too busy showing us all his toys and everyone else’s (he’s the same age as Micah). Verity just wanted to taste the phone. Arwen laughed the entire time, shaking her head at her children’s antics.

Family. Isn’t that what it is all about? Don called all of his extended family. I still need to call my brother.

We got some cards this year that went over the top, into The Best Christmas Cards Ever category.

The guilt-laced greeting from 5-year old Zephan. Ninjago is the set of Legos he wasked us to get him. He was more than pleased that he received a set (which was why he couldn’t Skype very long with us. Gotta build, build, build). He wrote his own name, bless his heart!

Javan decorated both sides of the card he sent us. You can click on the image for a better view, but I’ll just tell you what his mother’s note is: “A big net”. That’s a big net over the Spongebob crew.

He decorated the flip side with “mountains”.

Tell me my grandsons are not competitive. This is Eli’s card:

“Spiderman’s web over Spongebob”

“Lots of mountains by Eli”

Our youngest has taken up art, again. She gave us an 8.5×11″ hand drawn card.

Click on the image to read the note. I can’t write it out. It makes me all sniffy-nosed and teary eyed.

I love my kids. And by “my kids”, I include those who my children have chosen to spend their lives with.

It was a wonderful Christmas, made possible by Skype, the telephone, automobiles, and the U.S. Postal Service. We are so blessed to live in this day and age. It was *almost* like having them all here in our tiny little house.

Except we could say good-bye, turn the phone off, and the sugar-high elves were someone else’s problems.

Korinne, shortly after we said good-bye to her. (photo by Levi)

I feel so blessed.