The Christmas season has come and gone. I wanted to post a little more about Christmas traditions and collections but due to the "hospitalization" of my computer earlier in the month and extreme busy-ness on my part throughout the rest of the month, I didn't take the opportunity. But yesterday Michael and I fulfilled one final tradition that I would like to write about, this was when we drove up to the cemetery to retrieve the Christmas wreaths. This has become a tradition that has now been 18 Christmases for us. Yesterday as the two of us prepared to go out and do some errands I asked Mike if he had some boots. Yes, he did. I suggested that we'd better go up to the cemetery and get the wreaths because if we didn't the cemetery clean-up crew would be disposing of everything soon (we've lost former wreaths due to clean-up). So we headed up the mountain. As we arrived I could see that the cemetery was still covered with Christmas decorations, we weren't to late. However, the cemetery was also covered in deep snow. As we drove up to our usual parking place we looked up the several yards to our spot and could see that Christopher's wreath was still standing; Ashleigh's appeared to be gone....but then we could see one leg of the stand sticking out of the snow, evidence that the wreath was not lost. Mike put on his boots and I stayed in the car and watched as he trekked through the deep snow to the two graves. I watched as he carefully lifted Christopher's wreath and shook off the abundance of snow that had collected on it. Then he dug through the snow until he found Ashleigh's wreath and shook it off as well. As I watched him perform this loving service and as he headed back to the car with the two wreaths in hand, knee deep in snow; I couldn't help but roll down the window and call out to him what a good daddy and uncle he is. The wreaths of course, didn't get to the cemetery all by themselves. On December 12 my Dad took them. I wasn't there, but I imagine that he cleared the snow from the headstones, carefully placed the wreaths (double checking to be sure that they were securely attached to the stands) and making sure that they were securely in the ground. I'm sure that Granpa's loving service was accompanied with a silent prayer and then a final look around to make sure that all was well. There are other times throughout the year that we make trips to the cemetery, some are for special occasions and others....just because. But oftentimes Michael and I just look at each other (as we did yesterday) and still can't believe that we are doing this. The world has made Christmas into a busy, hectic, and stressful time; but as I stand at my daughters grave and I think about Christmas: the birth of the Savior and what it means to me, it is about nothing else but Him. It really is "Joy to the World". I know that someday I will stand at that spot and I will feel joy that right now I can't even comprehend. It reminds me of something Ashleigh said many years ago...."oh, what a day". She's absolutely right.
The Christmas season has come and gone. I wanted to post a little more about Christmas traditions and collections but due to the "hospitalization" of my computer earlier in the month and extreme busy-ness on my part throughout the rest of the month, I didn't take the opportunity. But yesterday Michael and I fulfilled one final tradition that I would like to write about, this was when we drove up to the cemetery to retrieve the Christmas wreaths. This has become a tradition that has now been 18 Christmases for us. Yesterday as the two of us prepared to go out and do some errands I asked Mike if he had some boots. Yes, he did. I suggested that we'd better go up to the cemetery and get the wreaths because if we didn't the cemetery clean-up crew would be disposing of everything soon (we've lost former wreaths due to clean-up). So we headed up the mountain. As we arrived I could see that the cemetery was still covered with Christmas decorations, we weren't to late. However, the cemetery was also covered in deep snow. As we drove up to our usual parking place we looked up the several yards to our spot and could see that Christopher's wreath was still standing; Ashleigh's appeared to be gone....but then we could see one leg of the stand sticking out of the snow, evidence that the wreath was not lost. Mike put on his boots and I stayed in the car and watched as he trekked through the deep snow to the two graves. I watched as he carefully lifted Christopher's wreath and shook off the abundance of snow that had collected on it. Then he dug through the snow until he found Ashleigh's wreath and shook it off as well. As I watched him perform this loving service and as he headed back to the car with the two wreaths in hand, knee deep in snow; I couldn't help but roll down the window and call out to him what a good daddy and uncle he is. The wreaths of course, didn't get to the cemetery all by themselves. On December 12 my Dad took them. I wasn't there, but I imagine that he cleared the snow from the headstones, carefully placed the wreaths (double checking to be sure that they were securely attached to the stands) and making sure that they were securely in the ground. I'm sure that Granpa's loving service was accompanied with a silent prayer and then a final look around to make sure that all was well. There are other times throughout the year that we make trips to the cemetery, some are for special occasions and others....just because. But oftentimes Michael and I just look at each other (as we did yesterday) and still can't believe that we are doing this. The world has made Christmas into a busy, hectic, and stressful time; but as I stand at my daughters grave and I think about Christmas: the birth of the Savior and what it means to me, it is about nothing else but Him. It really is "Joy to the World". I know that someday I will stand at that spot and I will feel joy that right now I can't even comprehend. It reminds me of something Ashleigh said many years ago...."oh, what a day". She's absolutely right.
10 comments:
Indeed! what a day! a day to look forward to. But many memories to keep close. Love you
Thanks Les. This was a very nice post.
What a beautiful tribute. You are right, what a glorious day that will one day be. Thanks for sharing that with us.
P.S.-On a much lighter note, Mike walked by while I was reading your blog and saw your school picture (of you as a little girl in Ireland) and said, "She looks the same as she does today."
What a touching post. It brought tears to my eyes.
Marivic and I always appreciate you and Mike taking care of this Les. Of course I wish I could be the one walking through the deep snow but we're grateful you and Mike are their in our absence.
Thank you, Mike and Les. Every year for all these many years Christmas for me starts on December 12---a reminder of why December 25 is truly a special day. Someday maybe it is something I can talk about. For now I just want to say thank you for the tradition.
I loved this post Les. It was beautiful. I could picture the entire trip to the cemetary and I felt like I was watching Mike while you were telling the story.
Made me cry...that is so tender!
The actual name of the apron is Emmeline and it's made by Sew Liberated and I've only been able to find the patterns online. You are more than welcome to borrow mine. I actually just bought a book with 6 retro apron patterns in it that are really cute if you want to take a look at them. Apparently patterns and purses are really big right now. Who knew I would be in on the current trends?!
I'm planning on going tomorrow. I hope to see you there. You're always so fun to hang out with!!
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