Reflections On Christmas

Mason and his custom-designed sport locker.

Mason had a special Christmas request this year from PawPaw; a sport locker. He sat at our kitchen island on Thanksgiving day and carefully drew a detailed sketch of what he had in mind. He was sure that he wanted cubbies on the top for his football helmet and other sports paraphanalia and he was clear in his desire for a closet rod where he could hang his jerseys and uniforms. PawPaw took it from there; with a fairly limited time frame, the workshop was a busy one in the past few weeks. Mason's mother informed us that the locker, when it arrived at their Capital City home, would reside in the garage. Mason had a different idea altogether!  On Christmas eve day we loaded up the pick-up truck with the locker firmly and tightly wrapped in a plastic tarp to protect it from heavy rain; it worked, the locker arrived dry and ready. Once unloaded at its destination (hidden just inside the garage) we joined the family inside the house until it was time to reveal the surprise. No one noticed when Mason entered the garage for something else and surprised us all by declaring that he had found his locker! Although anti-climatic, the moment was no less fun; Mason was thrilled to pieces with his gift! He would hear no part of its planned placement in the garage, he was bound and determined that it would stand in his room, at the foot of his bed; his determination won out!

PawPaw in the workshop (where the magic happens... yes, those drawers are dove-tailed) with Mason's sport locker, my only regret is that somewhere along the line we misplaced his design sketch.  There was something so sweet and heartwarming this year about a little boy drawing up his plan and having every confidence that his special wish would be fulfilled.

Lucy Ann wove a potholder on a loom, she was so proud of her creation; a gift from her great-grandparents. I remember making these too, when I was her age. A classic craft that delights today as much as it always has; making something with ones' hands, linking generation to generation. 

Lynnleigh, at her home, Christmas morning. She and her brother each received tablets and headphones from Santa. At almost three, Lynnleigh was ecstatic over each and every gift she opened; according to our son she clutched a charging cord for this unit to her heart and said how much she loved it after unwrapping it! She was content to sit and watch a video with a few goldfish crackers when all the hoopla died down. My mother made her the little purse in the foreground; as you might have already guessed, her favorite color is orange.

This might just be my favorite photo of the season. Gregory's wish this year, topping his Santa list for months now, was "scuba gear"!  (Who ever could have predicted that it would be warm enough to actually use it?) When this cute little elf-in-flippers and a snorkel clomped into the kitchen for show and tell at Christmas breakfast I thought my heart might just burst to witness his joy. For sure, when I reflect on Christmas 2015, I shall remember the happy innocence displayed on four very special little faces. 

Life is Good!