A little bird cage house for her fairies.
A little micro-machine race track for his cars.
She loved the two bags full of "donated elf supplies" (cardboard, fabric, pretty paper, washi tape, wood) intended for her to create a doll house.
(I loved watching the wheels in her head start immediately spinning.)
He loved his airplane...
...and his buzz light year, and his nutcracker.
(I loved watching Buzz and Nutcracker battle it out...)
(...interuppted only occasionally by other important pursuits.)
Much of the fun was immediately rewarding (they spent probably half the morning unwrapping and investigating each Japanese eraser).
Other gifts held the promise of many happy hours to come.
Lucy had stewed for quite some time before Christmas, wondering "what to ask for!?"
I told her what my mom always told me, "Sometimes it's the most fun to just be surprised."
She told me happily on Christmas evening, "It was the best to be surprised!!"
And I think it is, often, the best.
When the giver of the gift knows us.
And loves us.
The way a mother loves her child.
(And look, I was there too! thanks for sending pictures mom!)
It was so fun to be at my parents' house with my big sis in our matching purple jammies =)
Can't believe mom still managed that tradition in her semi-immobile state!!
and can't believe my sister Brenda managed to sneak Lucy away to help her choose and wrap a gift for me (including the cool bendable gold necklace Spencer is so intrigued with in this picture =) So thoughtful of her, so fun and unexpected for me, and so memorable for Lucy. Ten times before opening gifts on Christmas morning, Lucy told me, "Be sure to look for the present with the red ribbon that has a card for you!"
When I asked her at the end of the day what her favorite part of Christmas had been, she said, "When you opened your present!"
The rest of our siblings (mine and Wes's!) were similarly thoughtful. It is truly humbling to reflect on how blessed I am to have them all.
(Spencer talking to my brother Mark)
The honest to goodness greatest anxiety I have regarding my children's future is that they won't have scads of caring, supportive siblings when they grow up!! My mind can hardly conceive how that will be a happy adulthood. I believe it's possible (the Spirit reassures me often). I just cannot imagine how =)
6 comments:
Glad you guys had a good Christmas!
Just so you know, I don't think having lots of supportive siblings is necessary at all to happy adulthood. I have known a number of people who do not have that particular blessing but are still very happy. Even within my own family, not there are families with only a few siblings in them. In fact, my mom's side of the family is really very small. From what I have seen, there can be advantages to small families as well as large ones. Furthermore, your kids will most likely get married one day and have good in-laws in addition to their current immediate family. I don't know if any of that helps, but I hope it gives you at least some sort of additional assurance. :)
As Bob Hope, the entertainer, always sang: "Thanks for the Memories"
Spencer's beautiful little prayer clearly illustrates that he knows he is part of a large, close and loving circle and that circle will continue to grow around them as they grow, so don't worry!
We both know that my kids cannot stay away from your kids for too long...I'm sure that THAT will feel much like having "scads of siblings" as they grow up!
Aren't the Japanese erasers fun?! My mom used to find them at stores in Alaska when I was little and give them to us! I also remember little gummy candies from Japan made to look like the various food items in a fast food meal!
What the hey pics of you that mom sent are not showing up? Loved the holidays. Loved being with you baby sis. Soooo, memorable and fun.
I know you voiced this concern at the beach but I think that those two will be loved by all they come in contact with--just like their parents :) Plus, one day Lucy will marry William and she will have a ton of new younger brothers to watch out for her.
And I LOVE the idea of letting Lucy create her own doll house. What a wonderfully creative gift!
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