Season of Giving

It's hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone already! This year we had a great opportunity to bring the blankets that our Relief Society made to COTS (coalition on temporary shelter). I was in charge of the activity in November, so I decided to wait until the kids got out of school so they could help me deliver the blankets in downtown Detroit. While we didn't come in contact with any of the residents there, I could tell the experience humbled us all. We also delivered handmade headbands for the missionaries here that the Relief Society had made. While on Erik's preschool field trip to the fire station in November, I learned that the hot commodity at the fire station here is peanut butter, so we brought two huge Costco jars of peanut butter to the fire station on the way to go caroling at the nursing home on Christmas Eve. It was great to see the smile on the face of the fireman who took our gift and the nursing home residents as we sang. Oh, and I almost forgot about the best gift from the kids. When Yoda died, Karissa put together a jar for them to donate money to help other animals. They all took a fair amount of money from their own allowance and put it in the jar. I wanted to donate it before it lost it's meaning to them. We counted it up and they had collected $39.14, so Jason and I matched it and donated to the humane society.

 While we have these opportunities to serve those around us and each other, sometimes we still forget on Christmas day as we get caught up in opening our own gifts. There were a few complaints about not getting this or that on Christmas, but I was impressed at how excited they were to give their own gifts to each other. Victoria made an American Girl doll bed for Karissa and gave her old tablet to Austin. Karissa made a picture collage for Victoria and Star Wars armor for Austin. Austin had bought some things at the dollar store and was so excited to purchase gifts for his siblings with his own money. They gave some of their old favorites to Erik and I helped him by stuff for them. Handmade pictures for Jason and I and Victoria wanted to pick out a new sweater vest for Jason that she said he had mentioned needing. I was touched by their eagerness to make each other happy.

Blankets we donated.

Headbands for the missionaries and some necessities.

Jar of money for the Humane Society.

Erik allowed me to take one picture with all four of them after church. Luckily,  it turned out okay!

Ours didn't turn out too well, though. That's what happens when a 6-year-old takes it....

 Fun faces of surprise on Christmas day.

After the gift giving and receiving, it was back to work for Jason, and me when he needed my assistance and when I wasn't doing something with the kids. Remember our basement project? It's still going, slowly, but Jason is doing a great job. The foam boards are up and the framing has been painfully slow with all the windows and the slant of the floor. Jason has been getting in some good math and puzzle time. I've been sticking around to help him here and there, so the kids have been mostly home, but playing so well together! We'll be glad when this is done! It is our final gift to ourselves!