Training Hearts At Home - In Honor of Missey and Lorrie...

Dec. 1, 2006

In Honor of Missey and Lorrie...

2006 has been a hard one for our close-knit Five In A Row family. We lost two young mothers this year, Missey in March and Lorrie just last week on Thanksgiving Day. (If you're not familiar with these two wonderful women I have entries about them further down). Neither of these women knew that last year would be their last Christmas with their children and husband. But it was. I've been thinking, what if this was MY last Christmas? What things would I do differently than every other year in the past? Would I rush around and overbook our family until the holidays had passed us right by or would I keep us home just as much as possible and savor every moment of every day with my children? Would I continue to stay behind on my housework because I was too lazy to get up in the mornings before my children got up or would I make sure it was done and stayed done so we could spend our days cuddling under a blanket reading, or maybe watching a good Christmas movie and baking cookies and drinking hot chocolate? Thank goodness Missey also had this revelation last year. Read her own words here. How thankful I am that her children now have those wonderful memories of their mommy and their time with her during their last Christmas together. In honor and memory of Missey and Lorrie, I hereby declare that in our home the whole month of December will be spent making wonderful, warm memories with my family and taking the time to do what THEY want. We'll sing and dance and laugh, we'll play board games and barbies and cars. We'll do each other's make-up and hair and we'll get down on the floor and wrestle. We'll put puzzles together and color together and write letters to Santa together... yep, even mom! We'll bake cookies for our neighbors and deliver them. We'll make and decorate a gingerbread house and then eat it! We'll cuddle under warm blankets and read lots and lots of good books. We'll make homemade hot chocolate and sip it while we read 'Tabitha's Travels'. We'll drive around and look at all the Christmas lights. We'll go see the live nativity and the Orchestra and Choir's annual Christmas presentation while wearing our Santa hats and trying to get the TV cameras to turn to us! We'll shop and giggle at secrets and wrap presents for our loved ones. We'll pray and read all about Jesus's birth and we'll bake Him a birthday cake. We'll take lots of pictures and perform in our church's annual Christmas play. We'll pray and love and laugh and make the most wonderful memories all while savoring each and every day. Hmmm... maybe we should do this every day.

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Comments

Dec. 1, 2006 - Wonderful post!

Posted by CandaceC

Christy, I have had your blog bookmarked for some time but never posted to you. I enjoy reading your posts and especially todays. Thank you so much! I have had hopes of a wonderful December just like you described! And like you said, why can't we plan every month to be full of wonderful memories? :)

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Dec. 2, 2006 - Wonderful!

Posted by tallenmomof5

Hey Christy,
I saw your post at FIAR earlier today and had to link to this.
Hope that's okay.
Thanks for inspiring me.
Blessings,
Trish
(Trish A)

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Dec. 2, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by OurHomeSweetHomeschool

What a WONDERFUL IDEA!!! What a great way to honor these two precious sisters. I have often gone back to Missey's blog to read her archives and while I am a member at the message boards at FIAR I don't post.

Blessings,
Theresa

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Dec. 2, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by eclecticeducation

What a lovely post. I really didn't know these women, being so new to blogging, but being a mother your post just really touch my heart. The tears were rolling before I was through. We have a a few rough months with our sons and it really got to me what you wrote. Thank you for sharing.

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Dec. 4, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Diane

What a wonderful tribute to these women. It is so important to have these reminders and I love the idea of taking all of December to make memories.

Diane

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