it started out great, with secret santas at work - yay! i got my whole staff custom mugs with the pictures on them, which everyone seemed to really enjoy. we were really all in the holiday spirit, and to top it off - winter storm warning for denver! we are getting dumped on right now and should see about 8-10 inches before it lets up tomorrow afternoon. SO, unexpected snow day for me tomorrow, which means my christmas vacation starts half a day early - RIGHT NOW! whooo!
but then the day took a turn for the worst... when i hear customers of mine who have fallen on hard times, i want to help them. and in my line of work, that's not always possible. i have made a solemn vow (to myself) to never be the woman who cries at work, so i held it in all day long until philip picked me up.
we were on our way home when philip reminded me that mom was doing a gift exchange with a single mother of three who we 'adopted' in our community this year. philip and i bought toys for the kids while mom bought clothes for the whole family. she was meeting the woman for coffee and to give her the gifts. we thought it might lift my spirits to go - so we went. and WOW. what a wonderful reminder of how blessed i am. the mother cried when we gave her the gift cards for groceries, and of course the rest of us teared up too. just to see how grateful someone really was for groceries really put my holiday stress in perspective.
and i realized that while i wasn't able to help people out the way i wanted to at work, i still did something good for a family in need. and i didn't feel so helpless anymore. and that, along with the awesome winter storm we are having, was my high high.
friends, let's all remember what this season is really about. friends, family and sharing what we have. i hope everyone who reads this is able to pay it forward and do something nice and unexpected for someone who needs it this holiday season.
here's a few pics of the snow - and due to this we are headed up to keystone early! huzzah! i'm not sure i'll be blogging while on vacation, so we'll see.
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| outside tree |
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| running inside! |
i want to say a very special merry christmas to my pop pop. he loved this time of year more than anyone else i've ever met in my life. for the longest time i really believed he was one of santa's elves - he always knew just what i wanted, even when i swore i'd never told anyone (but my letter to santa). he would be the one up at 5am in line at any store possible to get exactly what his grandkids wanted. he's been gone for 5 years now, but i still miss him like crazy at christmas. there's a line from the christmas carol 'wintersong' that always makes me think of him...
and this is how i see you
in the snow on christmas morning
love & happiness surround you
i'll throw my arms up to the sky
and keep this moment by and by
oh i miss you so
what a time to be thankful.
merry christmas to all and to all a good night.
xoxoxo
ahhh, that was so beautiful. tears.
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