Merry & Bright

(For Laura-Merry Christmas to you and yours!)

Oh what a Christmas! It's been a lovely season for sure. The children enjoyed their gifts so. John made a beautiful set of wooden building blocks for Virginia. Sanded them smooth as silk to the touch.

 Ruth Ann got a big dollhouse, just a plain kind of house made of maple. The kind of dollhouse a child needs to use their imagination a bit. There is a tiny staircase and a few twig beds with little quilts I made. She has been playing with it nonstop! The boys got themselves new slingshots and some coon skin hats. They reckon they are Davey Crockett.  John made me a beautiful new cutting board for the kitchen and surprised me with a pair of leather shoes from the Sears & Roebuck catalog.

I had the page bookmarked and was saving for them. John said he got stumped about a present for me and wanted something pretty when he grabbed the catalog and saw my notation on the page. They are a perfect fit and just right pretty to look at. I ain't never had a shoe so fancy before! They are a soft brown calfskin with what they call a military heel and they have a smart design across the top. I just kept putting them on and walking in front of the full mirror half the day!

Christmas eve service was beautiful, it just felt holy. That's the only way I can explain it. Like the Lord himself had come on down from heaven and was singing with us. This year Mrs. Dunmire had a children's choir and they sang five darlin' songs for us. Boys were real good too, didn't fidget once. They had smiles wide as town and sang their hearts out, a bit off key at times which made us adults smile and laugh softly , but they were putting forth their best effort indeed.  Christmas eve was quiet here after service which was kinda nice. Harriet was tired out so we dropped her off and came home and had some hot cocoa and sugar cookies then the kids tucked in for the night.

 John and I got the gifts spread under the tree and had an early night of it too.

Today was just wonderful, but I am plumb tired out. My sister and her family arrived around noon and I had a root vegetable soup simmering with my biscuits just waiting for them. The menfolk headed to the barn to talk about whatever men talk about in barns and my sister and I got the big meal ready. John had traded a smoked shoulder for a nice rib roast and we had that with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted carrots, beets, and parsnips. What a delicious meal we had!

After dinner we opened gifts and Emma gifted me the prettiest apron I ever did own. The fabric has little mauve rosebuds on a celery colored background. She added a nice ruffle and embroidered my initials on the bib.  She made a matching one for Ruth Ann. The boys got new marbles and John got a whole jar of his favorite black licorice!

After gifts Rosealee came over with her family and brought a delicious cake made with lemon and ricotta cheese, my I ain't had cake so tasty in a long while. I had made quite a lot of different cookies and put those out on a platter with coffee for the adults and cocoa for the children. John read the Christmas story from the Bible and we sang a few carols then Rosealee and her family headed home.  Emma and I cleaned up and we are all in bed tired out from a full, but very wonderful day. Time to put the pen down and blow out the light. Emma's husband wants to get on the road early and I want to send them off with a hearty breakfast.

But I must write down a verse from my favorite Christmas hymn here to always remember that this Christmas, this touched my heart.

God rest you merry, Gentlemen,

Let nothing you dismay,

For Jesus Christ our Saviour

Was born upon this Day.

To save poor souls from Satan's power,

Which long time had gone astray.

Which brings tidings of comfort and joy.