The meaning of Christmas
We ran into Kmart this evening, needing to pick up some wrapping paper and ribbon. As we walked to the car I mentioned to my husband, have you heard about the layaway santas. My husband looked over at me and nodded his head, put our purchase in the car and said ” So let’s go back in the store.”
I giggled and thought “Wow, this would be so wonderful.” We turned around, and entered the store looking for the Layaway sign, there it was towards the back. By now I am almost fast walk running, thinking how do you do this without calling attention to yourselves. As we approached, a woman was standing at the counter, using her card to swipe in the machine. I wondered what had she put on layaway. What had she saved and methodically paid for to finally reach full payment, was it a gift, was it for Christmas? I felt like I was prying but knew that we were there for a reason.
Suddenly a door opened and a bike was pushed forward and the woman reached for the handlebars and began to wheel her purchase away. It was a bike meant for a boy, probably a boy who was hoping that this Christmas he would get his wish. I stood there with my husband and wanted to stop her and say please let us make a Christmas gift for you. But it was too late and she was gone. We looked at the customer service employee and said we wanted to take care of someone’s layaway and had he heard about the layaway santas. He smiled and said he had heard something about them. We said we wish we had been there just minutes before the lady with the bike….we were really wanting to do something for someone and she was perfect. He said it was too late because she had already completed her payment. Next thing I know my husband turns to me and says I am going to see if I can find her. Off he goes, and I am thinking if anyone can find her he can. I wait and discuss with the employee how much we wanted to spend and he says he would call the manager. At this point I am a little distraught, why didn’t I say to the woman wait….we are here for a reason….let me explain. But it was too late now….perhaps we could make a little Christmas cheer for someone else.
However, I knew my husband to be very determined and decided to search for him, even going out into the parking lot. No husband, no lady and no bike. So back into the store I went looking up and down aisles, finding no one matching the description of a big hearted layaway santa. Last resort I returned to the layaway department and there stood my husband, the lady and the bike. New customers were being helped at the counter, so I observed them just standing there waiting. I wasn’t sure why the lady wasn’t really smiling or talking, and I thought oh no we have offended her. I tried to make small talk and my husband left me with no clue as to what he had said to her. Finally, she tells me how this is the fifth bike she has gotten for her son, he loves to play with his friends and they love to imitate the bike ramps they see on tv. I was stunned, as she continued to explain they love that skateboarding stuff but really, really love to build ramps to ride their bikes but it does cause wear and tear on the bike. Our oldest daughter would understand our surprise and our sense of this was meant to be. I asked the lady if she had heard of extreme sports and she laughed and said oh yes.
Next thing the store manager walks over and says to her “thanks be to jesus” and she has a puzzled expression but smiles and shakes his hand. I ask if they know one another and they say no. Now I am confused, what is going on. Then the customer service person tells us he can not credit the payment and perhaps we could go to customer return at the front of the store. My husband looks at me, looks at the lady and then he pulls out his wallet. The lady is still standing there saying well okay we can go to customer service and then it dawns on me that she thinks we want her sons bike. She was told by my husband as she was about to leave the store “Would you please come back to layaway.” This whole time she thinks we want to buy this bike and that she will have to buy the bike on the floor. I am stunned. But nothing beats the moment when my husband pulls out the final payment from his wallet and hands it to her. She says what is going on here, and we both tell her “We want to make a Christmas gift….” as it dawns on her what we are suggesting “no we are not buying a bike we are wanting to make the payment for you” her eyes grew bigger, her face went from puzzlement to surprise. The smile on her face was the Christmas gift we hoped for. We left the store holding hands, glowing like santa’s elves. As we drove off, we talked about how this was too much fun, we have to do this again, we loved this, we are hooked, so watch out. There are 5 days left and we might be lurking in a layaway department near you.
Happy Birthday
So on a very beautiful crisp Saturday your Dad and I drove to the hospital for a very special appointment. Dr. Irwin wanted to make sure we had our special Christmas delivery in time for the holiday. Some presents are little, some are grand, some are wrapped in pretty paper, but the best present came home bundled in a pink blanket. Your sisters, with the help of Dad and Grandma, made pancakes for you, they ate your share when they realized baby Kimberly had no teeth. You loved to be held, you loved your sisters, and we adored our new baby girl. Such a cutie with a little shy thrown in.
Images of you, so little, with your sisters hovering and cooing over you, or just holding your hands and guiding you into their worlds. They taught you many things, you patiently listened and three sisters became three best friends. Not to forget the little brother who now towers over all his sisters he too joins in the mutual love and admiration party, always there for you, and you for him. So as the sisters taught you to be cool with Santa and life taught you how to be YOU we want to celebrate your birthday with a little memory photo walk.
See how easy, so simple just say cheese Santa! And then you were a pro, able to smile through baby brothers “I don’t like this ” howl, confident and certain just like your big sisters taught you! This is how we roll.
DIARY EXCERPT ”We had a baby girl! She was born at 4:34 pm Saturday (another Saturday baby) on December 14….She’s a doll, she cried when only her face had been delivered. (We always suspected you wanted an extended stay) She’s got the biggest chipmunk face and blue blue eyes. Lots of dark hair on top. Looks like a Marlaette. December 21 one week old- Kimberly Noelle is adorable. She’s sweet, cute, doesn’t fuss-pure contentment. Christmas Eve…The girls were truly a pair of angels and baby Kimberly made us all so happy.”
December 14, 2011 Having a daughter like you is more than we could have asked for…you embody grace, wisdom and personal under the radar charm. You are funny, smart and a little secretive, full of layers, interesting and talented. And like all great Christmas presents you just get better and better.
happy birthday
Have you ever held a baby who looks at you with big baby blue eyes and just settles sweetly in your arms. A baby that is so easy and so good you just melt. Well I have held such a baby. Actually this baby is no longer my little kewpie doll, for today she turns 29! When did that happen?
And even though I know her as an accomplished grown woman with the love of her life, Brian as her husband; I can still close my eyes and see her holding her baby dolls, hugging her sisters, laughing with her brother, dancing and dreaming in her own very independent style. She has always been Chelsea, compassionate, considerate, smart, and funny with a little quirkiness thrown in. You only get to see that part when she allows you in, but it is so worth the invite. People don’t meet her without loving her, because she loves them first. Irresistible, beautiful and KIND even when she wants to be mad at you, she just can’t. Chelsea you are our best Thanksgiving gift and every time this holiday comes around I remember how your arrival made our lives even richer. You might be too old for me to call precious but really that was the kind of baby and person you have always been.
DIARY EXCERPT NOV. 27,1982 ” Chelsea Danielle is one week old today. She’s a beautiful little baby and she is so sweet. Tiffany loves her and wants to kiss and pat her on the head. I just spent an hour cradling her in my arms and watching her dear little face smile and pout while she slept. Love her so much. Jeff and I our so very happy with our two little girls.”
Happy Birthday Dear Chelsea, we love you so much.
Did you think we would forget? No way. And now that you are family you are today’s featured guest. Now don’t give me that look.
TODAY IS BRIAN’S BIRTHDAY and we want to tell you about him. First of all he is good at everything. He can draw, sketch, paint, build, restore, design…he just has a gift.And when it comes to sports, he is a natural athlete….(he doesn’t even complain when we (BEG) suggest playing tennis the minute he and Chelsea walk in the door.) Brian is a GOOD SPORT!
He is patient….and understanding and he adapts to any situation with a smile. He loves his family and always shows it.
He loves to fish and go boating
Even slow electric boats are okay with Brian.
Happy Birthday to the best son-in-law, brother-in-law and all around GREAT GUY,
we love you Brian!
…because it expresses something new….
Anyone can tell you I have loved photography for a long time. I never tire of the experience and I never will.
What I am loving now…
Happy Father’s Day
When our children were little and just babies I realized an amazing quality about their father. He was meant to be a DAD. Why? Well patience for one thing….endless,boundless amounts of patience. And listening skills, he’s really good at that. He nods, asks questions, knows when he just needs to let them tell a story with infinite detail and no interruptions. We had some talkers in this group, oh yes they know who they are. We had some budding scientist types, lots of dancers, little builders with skyscraper imaginations, tumblers that leaped out of hallways.. and through it all the most adaptable father . No child’s endeavor was beyond his sphere of interest. For a guy who played baseball in college, he came to love the sport and thrill of dance recitals. His new job description included cinematography, requiring a steady hold on the camcorder while cajoling his son, Michael with snowcones and promises of pizza as soon as the show was over. Poor Mike, the dancing never really ended it just evolved into cheerleading, which again Jeff became a fan of for his daughters, attending every competition and Friday night football game. Father and son bonded over this as well, escaping long enough to enjoy a rollercoaster ride if the event was at Disneyworld, or at least some interesting food and football analysis. I think it broadened both son and father’s appreciation for music…”come on ride that train”… might very well be the reason Michael is so committed to alternative music and why his Dad understands.
And even though Jeff’s work would require a lot of travel, he KNEW who had a test and whether they were studying. And he always remembered to ask what they scored on their tests. Which also led to his “take the ACT until you get the bright futures college scholarship” rule. It worked.
As much as he loved the excitement of being stopped by a Miami police officer for driving the wrong way because Miss Orange Bowl Princess had a float to catch, he really didn’t mind the years of enlightening insight into the world of pageants. Jeff was a trooper through the pageant phase never complaining about expensive gowns or South Beach Diet dinners. For him he lost some weight, spent some money and knew his girls were the winners, period end of story. Michael just relented, he knew he was too young to get his own place, didn’t have a car (most don’t at 12) so they kept eachother company and thought pizza would be a good consolation prize.
Despite the household ratio, 4 females to 2 males our home was filled with sports love. Jeff became the pied piper leading his merry little band into the world of baseball, football and fervent florida state football frenzy. He also became his son’s biggest fan starting with 8:00am Saturday soccer games that later turned into weeknight baseball games and basketball games and eventually tennis. For a father who knew how mental sports can be, watching Michael play tennis will always be a highlight. One only eclipsed by a father’s pride in his son’s academic endeavor at an ivy league school. He knew buying you Knex building kits would pay off. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have a scientist in the family. Jeff gets total credit for this one, from early on Chelsea and her Dad shared that special something. They could talk about biology, organic chemistry and physics, while my eyes rolled back in my head they conversed, they understood eachother. And don’t think he minds one bit saying “Oh Chelsea, she turned out to be a DOCTOR.” So while Chelsea taught him about the rigors of medical school, Kimmy was quietly plotting her own foray into unchartered territory. Kimmy was the one to test parent protectiveness and comfort zones by announcing her summer plans to include study abroad and then travel to places unknown. Jeff like all good Dad’s said “Sure.” He always gets to play good cop to my bad cop but it works. Kimmy has a lot of her Dad in her, they are very calm and they have plans, that they will clue you into when they are ready! Tiffany likes to make things happen and fortunately she has a few connections. So for a Dad that has loved the angels baseball team since he was an eight year old, sitting right behind the angels dugout in beautiful Citifield on a gorgeous Friday night, a shake burger in one hand and a beer in the other surrounded by family and colorful mets fans, he couldn’t help but feel blessed. The angels won by one, Jeff won by a million….the only thing that would have made it more perfect would have been Chelsea and Brian. Happy Father’s Day to a man who has always loved and given of himself to his children in the most unselfish manner.
