We had a particularly enjoyable – but unusually busy – 2013
holiday season though when it started is a bit vague. Perhaps it started when President and Sister
Benn visited for a week in our home. Our
wonderful Georgetown District President and his came from Guyana – leaving from
Las Vegas on October 25. Then on
Halloween the Lovell twins, also from Guyana, arrived in St. George to live
with us until they leave on missions. It
was crazy busy for about a month through dentist and doctor appointments,
meeting with the bishop and stake president, and travel back and forth to day
jobs … but they finally got their mission papers submitted.
Maybe it started when Kris came home for a visit, staying
for about 10 days while she tried to get her bearings after a difficult breakup
– then came back a few weeks later with Erin to celebrate Thanksgiving with the
family including David, Jan’L, Kaler, Kole and Kyle; as were Kelly and Gary,
Allysa, Josh and their boys – for a total of 17 ½ people for dinner.
Could be it started when we got back from California – to
visit my mother and go to Knott’s Berry Farm with Kelly and Gary. I attended the Jubilee of Trees with my
Rotary club then rushed to put up our tree and the lights when it was time for
the ward and Rotary Christmas parties. Or perhaps it started when we had a blizzard
in St. George on December 8 which dropped 8 inches of the white stuff – only
the 19th time in 115 years our community has had measurable snow. No question it feels more like Christmas when
there is snow!
On December 15, we were one of four homes participating in
Christmas Around the Ward. Almost 100
neighbors and friends stopped by to see our decorations and enjoy a dining room
table filled with goodies before moving onto one of the other houses. Maybe it was the most wondrous Christmas
program at church done by our ward choir, with solos by some of our talented
members – including a memorable performance by Emma Warner-Nelson.
Or could it have been Larry coming to visit from December 23
to 27… or David and his family coming back on December 24 and returning home to
Denver on January 2! Then Charlene, Todd
and Ayami dropped in on December 26 for
an overnite stay on their way to Salt Lake City. Their visit attracted Stacy, Rick and their
family for an evening of catching up. On
December 30 they returned when heading back to central California – and Fukuoka,
Japan. As David and Jan’L pulled out of
the driveway, Stan and Diane Blackett arrived for two months out of the ice and
snow of their hometown of Logan – mercifully not with us (they rent a condo in
Green Valley).
Through it all, I:
·
cooked endlessly
·
sent Christmas cards
·
managed to do my visiting teaching
·
responded to frequent e-mails and Skype calls
from Guyana
·
tried to work a little since I still collect a
paycheck
·
and, stood by as the twins opened their mission
calls – Simeon to the Georgia Atlanta Mission (leaving on March 12 [Taisley's birthday]) and Selwin to the Mississippi Jackson Mission (where Josh Postma served - leaving on April 9 [my dad's birthday]).
As crazy busy as the past two months have been, this has
been an absolutely wonderful holiday season filled with good friends, good food,
plenty of love and laughter, gifts from the heart, and a sweet spirit which has
lasted for several weeks as we celebrated the birth of our Savior Jesus
Christ. So whatever constituted
Christmas this year, it was one of the sweetest and happiest holiday seasons I
have ever had … and I pray for many more just like it!
PS: When I was
creating my collages (above) and saw all the happy faces smiling back at me, I
was reminded of the line from “Blindside” when the drunk uncle called to ask
about the “extra” family member on the Christmas card.
