When I was growing up, I was the kid who begged in November to put up the Christmas tree, who sighed in delight the weekend that my dad carefully hung the red and green string of lights on the roof and spotlit the beautiful birch tree on our front lawn. Each day on my arrival home from school I would race to turn on those lights; in the twilight of the short December days the twinkly lights outside would fill the living room with their glow. And how I loved the weekends when my mom would bake shortbread and carefully pack those melt-in-your-mouth cookies in the large round film canisters kept from her Kodak days.
Every year, my heart and soul loved and rejoiced in the Christmas Eve service at St. Matthew's Anglican Church in Etobicoke...the candlelight that filled the darkened church as we reverently and quietly sang "Silent Night" to welcome the Christ child into our midst.
The journey to Christmas was, without question, my most favourite time of year. It still is, but sometimes it takes a little more effort for me to get there, and the busyness of all the preparations sometimes distracts me from the beauty and expectation and, cliché as it sounds, the true meaning of Christmas.
Interestingly it was today that those feelings came back to me and in an unexpected way. We were a little late in writing letters to Santa and both girls sat down to write theirs after dinner(Cassidy on her own for the first time)...
However, it is WHAT they wrote that touched my heart...hope you can read these...click on the image to enlarge them...
It's always the children, isn't it? How can I not feel excited when I see these faces every day?
And I suddenly take the time to remember the joy of Christmas Eve 1999, when another little baby arrived suddenly...who changed my life forever and made room for my family to grow even more...
There is still a lot to do over the next two weeks, and I'm sure to lose it at least twice in that time, but the joy is there percolating... bubbling to the surface when I least expect it.
Lianne
4 comments:
Lianne, could you please come over to my house and parent my children??...if my kids wrote to Santa I don't think they would ever write something so humbling, sweet and selfless. Your wonderful mothering is very apparent. Merry Christmas to everyone at your house from everone at ours. Love Vanessa, Adam, Olivia and Kate
Proof yet again that I have the two most exceptional nieces ever. Nicely written, sis. You evoked the true spirit of Christmas just perfectly.
Wow Lianne, that brought a tear to my eye. Bryanna and Cassidy are wonderful girls. that is so sweet. I also feel rushed but like to take time to do something to enjoy the reason for the season. Well done!
love to all,
shauna
the lovely letters written by two lovely girls -- and the telling of the tale told by a talented mom.
it has a rockwell quality to it.
thanks for sharing it.
amd
Post a Comment