Grandpa Max

Today my phone rang and it was my sister letting me know that my dad had been trying to get a hold of me.  I knew what this meant as my Grandpa had been ill.  Hearing my dad say that he'd past was so very surreal because I had awoken around the time he'd past and felt I needed to pray.  My heart was beating fast and I know he'd awaken me to say goodbye.  See, I'm the oldest grand on my dad's side. I have spent many days and nights as a child going to their home.  I still smile each time I tell about how special it was and is to go there.  Grandpa was always so happy to see me.  His plump cheeks so easy to kiss.  He was a quiet man but you always knew he loved you.  He loved to hear how you were doing and what you'd accomplished.  He was a very proud man. He was an observer a lot of time but always watching with a smile on his face. I will never forget when my sister Amy and cousin Lisa and I were staying with them one summer we talked Grams and gramps into taking us to the movie "Cocktail," and oh man I think gramps's cheeks were flushed through the whole thing.  He laughed when we got out of it because he couldn't believe he took his granddaughters to see that...hahaha!

Gramps I will never forget the little things you did, the fresh popped popcorn, the ice cream runs when we were visiting, the awesome yard to run around in, the farm, the raccoons,the fishing stories, the war stories, the glider in the yard and the very many visits on that blue glider. 

Godspeed Gramps for I am so very proud to be your granddaughter.  I love you.

Do You Hear What I Hear

It's an exciting time of year around our house as it is in most homes.  It's time for family, friends and celebrating the birth of our savior.  It's time to STOP...stop running, stop shopping and to savor the time we have to be with family.  I love the laughter that comes with Christmas. The smells of all that surrounds us.  The traditions of Prime Rib on Christmas Eve with my family and Fondue on Christmas day with Brad's family.  I love taking it all in.  The cousins running out to greet you when you drive up the driveway. I love watching my children count their presents and wonder if it's time yet.  I love their Christmas outfits and the look on my daughters faces when they slip into their Christmas dress.  I love watching my mom read "The Polar Express, " to all the grands in their new jammies and listening for the bells to say Santa is near.  I love watching as they clear couches and chairs to run to their designated beds when they finally hear the Bells of Christmas. I love the early morning wake up calls with the excitement that Mr. C has been here and I love when my mother in law has gifts dropped all over the yard as if Santa had an accident flying over her house.  The kids looks are priceless.   I will so miss this time with my littles soon enough so I will sit back and watch, soaking it all in.

I wish everyone a very blessed Christmas.  May you have time to savor the birth of our Savior and savor the chance to stop and just be.  Listen to the sounds around you for the giggles won't just becoming from the kids but also the adults as they watch and reminisce about their days of being the center.

I'll leave you with a song sung by my little Ella and her preschool class. My nephew Chase is in it as well.  

God Bless you,
Marci

Happy 60th Mom!

Dear Mom,

I want to take time today to thank you.  Thank you for showing me through your actions that you love me.  I never doubted your love for me the whole time I was growing up and that says a lot about the type of mom you were and are to me.  I thank you for always going out of your way to make the little things happen.  I thank you for showing me what a wife should do for her husband and what I should expect in a mate.  Thank you for not being afraid to be affectionate in front of us because I thought it was really cool that you and dad were a rock.  Thank you for my Christian values, for making me go to church on those Sunday mornings when I wanted to sleep in as a teen.Thank you for teaching me to put the Lord God Almighty at the head of my home.  Thank you for always being honest with me even when it might hurt sometimes. Thanks for never giving up on me even when I had pretty much given up on myself at times. Thank you for sacrificing things so that I could have the things I thought were important at the time. Thank you for giving me three of the best siblings a person could ask for and for always stressing the importance of our bond, you were right.  Thank you for showing me how to care for my babies...you were a superb role model.  Thank you for being the best Grandma you know how to be.  My children will remember times with grandma fondly and that is so very important to me. 

Today, on December 16th 60 years ago the most important female in my life was born.  I thank God he chose you to be my mom, for I know I would be not half the person I am without you.

Love, Marci

It's in the Little Things

Thanksgiving came and went with a blur..it's so sad how time flies when you are having fun.  It was such a treat to have everyone here to celebrate and give thanks for everything.  It was truly a wonderful time. I really am blessed with amazing aunts,uncles, cousins, parents and sibs.  A girl couldn't ask for anything more.

As December rolls in and I am decorating and making lists and making more lists and trying to figure out what each of my littles want.   I quickly realize that it truly is in the little things that I do for my hubby and kiddos that matter most to me, acts of service is definitely one of my love languages.  This Christmas Brad and I have decided to not give each other anything so, I've decided that I will do the little things to show him how much I love him.  That will be my gift to him. Little notes, favorite foods, massages, text messages just to say I'm thinking of you and many other little things...you know the stuff you do when you are dating but tend to let slide after awhile. I will also gift each of my kids with the little things like favorite cookies, movie nights with good popcorn, notes in their lunch boxes or under their pillows, maybe a long conversation over hot cocoa in front of the fireplace, the list can go on and on.  I realized that the little things were what matter a long time ago when I was a little one myself.  I remember both my parents doing the little things more than I remember the big ones.  Like, the fresh warm cookies coming out of the oven when you'd get home from school, dad coming into the house with a  fountain pop and doughnut when you were sick or the love notes that would plunk down in your lap when you went to pull the visor down in your car just to tell you how proud they were of you and many more.  I loved those little moments so much as a kid that I want to do them for mine.  So, I'm still I guess on the subject of gratitude this season.  It is in the giving that you receive right? It's the feeling you get when you make someone's day or take a stress from them so they can relax a bit.

If you ever have time and have not done so read the book "The Five Love Languages " by Gary Coleman. You will find out what your love languages are and those of your spouse and kids.  It really helps make sense of how they work and it deepens your understanding of their uniqueness.

Pay it forward,
Marci