2014 Christmas: The Annual Narrative
Merry Christmas!
December 9, 2014
Dear Family, Friends, and People
who receive this due to an incorrect address,
Merry Christmas!
I must
admit, this holiday has snuck up on me, and the hiatus between Halloween and
Thanksgiving didn’t even seem to happen. All I can say, is I’m grateful for the
ability to do a lot of my Christmas shopping on-line. I am haunted by hopeful
lists to Santa from children who think they’ve been good enough to deserve
iPhones and pet dogs. We realized it was time to remind our kids why we
celebrate Christmas, and that it’s not a holiday about getting, but giving and
remembering Christ, and to live by the example he has set for us. I suppose it’s
my fault for putting off commercialism earlier in the year, when hearing “Will
you get me…” such and such? And answering, “Wait until Christmas.” So, Chris and
I have been doing our best to bring them back to Earth. Chris’ work and some
other companies are helping out refugees from Sudan and other children in need
this Christmas by taking them to Walmart and helping a child shop for what he
wants or needs. Many of these children have never had a Christmas gift. Chris
will be taking the 3 boys early Saturday morning to be a part of this. It’s so
wonderful that there are businesses and people willing to do something like this
and I’m glad my kids are able to help.
I’m trying to think of
an appropriate summary of our lives through the year of 2014, but it’s kind of a
blur. Wasn’t I just making a Jawa costume, gluing on Vulcan ears, and finding
the perfect bowtie for Dr. Who? I’m still finding dum-dum sucker sticks in odd
places, along with other unwanted, but slightly tasted, trick-or-treat spoils
(lots of fruit flavored Tootsie-Rolls, ew!). I suppose I’ll try to sum things up
by examining each child.
Reed and Douglas both
shed the small desks, chairs and knee-high children of elementary school and
started Junior High. I must say, I pity those poor 6th grade teachers
who have to be the ones to introduce the subject of puberty and at the same
time, be tortured by kids not yet committed to deodorant. However, it must be 10
times worse for Junior High teachers! Reed and Douglas will be 13 in January and
I still haven’t gotten my head around the idea. I’m sure it will hit me when, in
a year or two, I will have to tilt my head upward to look at my child and say,
“go to your room for a timeout!” Mr. Douglas is currently in band learning how
to play the clarinet and bass clarinet. Reed is working hard in German and can
practice with his mom, who has to keep referring to a dictionary for long
forgotten vocabulary. All three boys are in Karate and love it. Isaac at 9 is
nearly the size of a junior high student. He still hasn’t found the virtue in
doing homework, nor has he mastered the skills necessary for not teasing his
sisters, but at his center he is a very sweet and loveable boy. I think it must
be written in law somewhere in the mind of the male child, that little sisters
are supposed to be teased by older brothers.
The girls…4 years
old…need I say more? Perhaps. Much of their cuteness and antics have been posted
on Facebook and will be used as evidence in the case that commits me to an
insane asylum. To put it nicely, let’s just say they have enquiring minds. Only
this Sunday, when I went about putting some make-up on, did I find that the
sponge for applying powder had a large bite taken out of it. Don’t come to our
house begging for a Band-Aid because they have long ago joined the crayons as
mediums used for mosaics and frescos. Also, if you want to borrow tongs or a
potato masher, you’ll have to feel for them in the back yard grass or hop into a
window well. Still, just gotta love ‘em. How boring and predictable it would be
to find my make-up in one piece and Band-Aids where they belong.
I must brag and say,
Chris and I are the parents of some awesome kids and we daily thank Heavenly
Father that they are ours forever. Chris has had a yearlong battle with his
Chevy Impala and I think a truce and treaty are in the making. Something like,
“if you ever break down again, I will roll you off of the highest cliff and into
the deepest ravine!” I do all kinds of things; I just can’t remember what they
are by the end of the day. All I know is I have a feeling my time was well
spent. I’m kind of like the Sasquatch in the woods who looks like he’s up to
something but all you see is the lumbering hairy figure as it hides behind trees
or mountains of dirty laundry.
We hope you are all well
and happy. Have a Merry Christmas!
Love,
Chris, Becky, Reed, Douglas, Isaac,
Miriam, & Elizabeth Williams
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