Thank You for the Gifts!

I attempted to put things up, I really did. I made it to the table in the living room where I had set gifts that family, friends, and neighbors had given us. As I tried to remember who gave what, I thought I should write it down because by tomorrow I will forget. Had I left the to-and-from labels attached, that would not have been a problem, but in the unpacking last night, some labels fell off and others got separated. I made a note as I wrote down each gift and its giver... thank you notes! That's what I will do with tomorrow's day off.

Anyway, as I sorted through the things, I nibbled. Most of the gifts were edible.

My friend Jewel gave me a book, One Incredible Moment, by Max Lucado. She knows I like words for the soul, and especially love the inspirational, poetic words of Max Lucado.

James and Margaret had given us two tins of homemade cookies, including some divine chocolate cherry brownies. Thank you, both! The book, A Moment with God for Teachers, is most appreciated. Your gifts of food for the body and the soul were most appreciated.

Alyson gifted us with jars of homemade jellies: grape, cherry, and apple butter. I smiled as I lifted each one out of the red and green basket... she works long hours as a post-op nurse in the cardiac unit of Duke hospital, a parent of three kids, two of them teens, and the other a teen-to-be, yet still finds time to garden and make home jellies... what a friend! Her husband is an okay guy, too (just kidding, Mark... you are more than okay! I love you both.)

There was homemade apple butter from our neighbors the Stameys... we see them more often in the summer when the days are longer, the nights warmer, and the swimming pool at Patterson Park is open. I haven't tried the apple butter yet, but it won't last long in this house. Thanks, Beth and John and Mary Catherine.

The Berryhill family sent over some homemade muffins and the oatbran muffin mix in a jar so we can make more after we eat the ones they made. Thanks, Betty and Sam.... I sure do miss those winters long ago sledding down our driveway with your kids.

Our closest in proximity neighbors, Delores and JR, gave us a nice gift to fill the senses: a bottle of Duplin wine for my husband, his favorite. Every year they gift him with a special bottle of wine. A lovely scentedcandle for me, I'm sure, and a cute little arrangement in a flower pot: aromatherapy lotions, kiwi lip gloss and a jade-like bracelet. I know that's for me!

There were chocolate peanut clusters from the DeHart family, lemon tea cookies in a cute Christmas tree package from the Dalton family, and a jar of hot chocolate mix good for at least four cups of homemade hot chocolate.. with marshmallows, from Pam and Tom. Our neighbors bless us with their goodness every year.

I hope I got it all right... the gifts matched with the names, I mean. Many of the people I am thanking here don't even know about this journal, and will never read it, so I'm going to send them a personal thank you.

My sister-in-law, Faye, had the same idea I had this year. She baked cookies for everyone, and arranged them on a nice serving tray for each recipient. They were wrapped with that new waxed paper that seals completely (press n seal?). The cookies made it home with us, none of them broke, and they were tasty, too.

Two nieces, Hannah and Bridget, gave us gifts, too, but Steve was unpacking last night and the gifts got separated from the tags... so Hannah, or Bridget, if you read this, let me know... I want to thank you both. Hannah is 15 and will some day be a doctor and a  pilot! And she wants to join the Air Force to get her training and education. Smart girl. Bridget is 20-ish, and spent yesterday taking care of her boyfriend who was recuperating from a car accident on Christmas Eve when a deer ran in front of him.

Vi, Steven's girlfriend, is quite the cook and baker. Before driving to her family's home in Georgia, she baked some Christmas goodies herself. Steven made the delivery for her: a package of homemade cheese biscuits that are better than any I've ever tasted, and a tin of cookies... homemade. Need I remind you of the beautiful red velvet cake she baked for Steven last month on his birthday? She even remembered our dogs: she sent them each a Christmas toy dog bone, one red and one green. Misty and Max loved the new toys and played with them as soon as I tossed them on the floor. I like this young woman. She's welcome in our home anytime (hint, hint).  No,he doesn't need a hint to bring her home, just some synchronized, compatible time off.

Steven asked me for some Christmas ideas for me last month. I am a Firefly fan. That's a tv series which aired for one season about 2 1/2 years ago. I have the entire Firefly series DVD set... yes, I have watched the show several times over, mostly if I'm alone, and I'm done with school work, done reflecting, done with anything, and just need some down time. I'm a closet Browncoat, you could say, except now that I've told everyone in the world, at least five people know the truth about me. Well, seven if you count my husband and son. No, wait, Dave knows too, because he checked out my AOL profile. (He's a Browncoat, too, I think, but I don't want to be the one to out him.)

I had told Steven the movie Serenity, a Firefly continuation, would be released on DVD just in time for Christmas... he could give me that. Sure enough, he took the hint! I haven't watched it yet, but it's another one of those things I'm going to do this week while I'm off. That will require a few hours of non-interruptions... I want to savor the experience!

My husband gave me and I gave him a gift of time and presence. We were together, we sat together, we enjoyed each other's company for a stress-free day. We decided it was easier and more practical not to worry about what to buy for the other since we basically have all of our needs and wants. I'd rather put my money into places of greater need, and so would he. There are too many people who do without in this world, even in our community. This year, we gave to them. It feltright to do that. It always feel right to do that.

Now, I'm really going to get to work with putting things away. I just needed a little break to thank everyone.