This I Believe...

She walked towards the car with her head down. "Shae, he doesn't like me. He won't walk to the car with me after school." I swept her up into my arms and let her talk about her day. Her brother soon ran to the car and we traveled to grandma's house.

Fast forward a couple of months and this same little girl was leaving school when a classmate grabbed her backpack and coat and started to play keep away. She stood there, looking around and wondered what to do as her coat was eventually ripped in the struggle. Just when she had given up hope, a voice yelled at the classmate and soon the backpack and coat was returned to the little girl. The boy then went to the classmates older sibling and let them know what happened. The kids ran to grandma's van and then the boy said he had something to take care of and he ran back to the classmate and told her "What you did was not okay. If it happens again, I will go to your house and tell your mom how you've been treating my sister." The brother returned to the van and told his sister and grandma that he had taken care of the situation which left the sister smiling in gratitude.

Love. It may not often be expressed or felt by those closest to us and yet it's there and will come through when needed most. This I believe...

The Polar Bear and the Nativity

We have a tradition in my family. Wait. My siblings and I have a tradition in which we place random objects in my mom's nativity each Christmas and brace ourselves for the discovery of placed items. Well, I thought about items I could place in the nativity but then forgot about it until it was too late.

My sister Pip called today and asked if I was the one who placed the polar bear next to the animals in the nativity and I started to laugh and wished I had been that clever. We went through each sibling(didn't take long since there are only 3 of us) and decided it must have been our dad or one of Pip's kids. Meanwhile, my mom is blaming me and my sister and the following picture was sent via text because "the polar bear will haunt you until you come clean about what you did."

My sister called me a few minutes ago and the case of the polar bear has been solved. She picked up her kids from school and asked her oldest if he had placed something in the nativity and apparently grandma had already asked him because he said "Why does everyone think I am the one who did it?" And then laughter came from the backseat and my seven year old nieces cover was blown. That sneaky little girl. In her defense, she claims grandma gave her permission to place the polar bear in the nativity. Grandma says she was given permission to play with the bear and it was found in the Christmas tree (along with an eagle) before finding his home next to the cattle in the nativity. I'm already preparing for next Christmas.

Lesson on Giving Thanks

My sister in law is one talented and thoughtful person and I am blessed to call her family and friend. I received a thank you note and a couple of pictures from the girls and it made my day.

Day and after day I check the mail and I am greeted by bills, magazines, AARP applications(WHAT?!), and coupons and then once in awhile I find correspondence from those I love. I think I'll start writing more letters.