By Heather Sanders.
We are less than a week into December and a few days ago we joined our close friends for one of our joy-filled traditions, the annual painting of the Christmas ornaments at U Paint-it in College Station, Texas.
While I realize Christmas is not a holiday shared by all, it is an exceptionally symbolic holiday for my family and faith.
In years past I am ashamed to admit I allowed the festivities of the season, like Christmas parties, homeschool co-op commitments, and the process of finding, wrapping, and giving gifts, steal the revelry. Sadly, this approach meant I typically failed to rest or take the time to enjoy the blessings of family and friends.
Even for a checklist frenzied Momma like me, it is a sad truth that if I am not careful, Christmas can become another stressful item on my never-ending “To Do List”.
» Put up tree…check.
» Purchase gifts…check.
» Decorate Christmas cookies…check.
» Open gifts…check.
» Pack it all up until next year…check.
» Wonder when I became such a Scrooge…check.
As I readied to paint ornaments with my kids and friends, I realized how terribly much I did NOT want this holiday to be “scheduled” to the point of missing the mark entirely. So I stopped, took a deep breath, grabbed my camera, and snapped a photo of the gang. Then, I sat back and looked at each person at the table and gave thanks for them.
Though he did not go and paint with us, my husband Jeff is one of my life’s greatest blessings. Without him, everything would be muted. He brings all of my life into focus and is everything I wish I could be. He is my heart, my life, my love.
I am thankful for my older daughter who is not afraid to test boundaries while still respecting mine and her daddy’s authority. She is a bright light, loving and kind, expressive, creative and true. It is hard to fathom that she is sixteen.
In a couple of years, Emelie will take her first steps of real independence, leaving home to build a life apart from us. I cannot wait to see what she will accomplish on her own.
I am also thankful for Meredith, my sleeping beauty and middle child who daily reminds me what it means to be a servant. She watches me closely to ensure I have everything I need or want. “Can I make your lunch Momma?”, “Would you like more coffee?”, “Can I play you a song?”
Beautiful in heart and soul, Meredith never misses the opportunity for a long, embracing hug and is deeply relationship and family-oriented. She expresses joy and sorrow through her music (guitar and piano) and has the most incredibly contagious laugh I have ever heard.
In the last several weeks, my youngest child Kenny, has “fought the good fight”. As you can imagine, I give thanks for his increasing health.
As the baby of our family and the only son, he certainly receives his fair share of doting from Jeff and I, as well as his older sisters. Still, in his own right he is an amazingly intelligent, tender-hearted, hilariously witted, handful.
A thinker like his Daddy, Kenny can delve into Legos or books for hours, challenge his daddy at Xbox, and at the same time, never forget to open my door. He is my precious mini-man.
My cousin Olivia is an active part of every homeschooling week. Initially she was with us just on Fridays, but for the time being we now have her three days a week. I love this child as if she were my own. Olivia is a crack-up, with the spunk of a typical eleven year old, but the remarkably relaxed temperament of an old soul. The days she is not with us feel somewhat incomplete.
Of course, I cannot possibly forget our friends, who return with us each year to paint ornaments, but also fill our days and weeks with a friendship years in the making and we expect, many more years in the fulfilling.
Once fired, our ornaments will look entirely different than the ashen pottery pieces that go into the kiln. All the pencil marks will burn off, and they will glimmer and shine.
When we pull them out and carefully unwrap them each and every year, we will not see the mistakes so much as remember the day we painted them. Instead, each ornament becomes a part of the greater story of our family’s life.
As I wrap up the 2012 homeschool year, I commit to take the time to notice the remarkable man who calls me his own, the children we produced together, and the extended family and friends who back us up and enrich our lives on a weekly basis.
This is the joy that makes our life complete.
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.
What brings you joy through the holidays? What will you do to ensure you take the time you need to stop and pay attention to your life’s greatest blessings?
OMSH/Heather L. Sanders is “Momma” to three kids, Emelie, Meredith and Kenny. When not homeschooling, or writing about homeschooling, Heather is busy designing websites or going on dates with her husband Jeff, the love of her life.
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