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Thursday, December 11, 2014

Christmas To Do List

I blogged yesterday about our scare last Christmas Eve with our sweet 10 day old baby Reagan.  As Daniel and I sat in that tiny hospital room waiting and waiting and WAITING for the doctors to release us so we could go home for Christmas, I remember saying to Daniel, "This is the worst.  The absolute worst.  I can't imagine this being any worse."  To which Daniel wisely replied: "Oh yeah?  Go look in some of the other rooms in this hallway and tell me things couldn't be worse."  He was so right.  We knew Reagan was safe and would be fine.  Yes, it was hard to have a newborn in the hospital on Christmas Eve, but how much worse it could have been!  She could have not been going home at all.

My thoughts the past year have really been about just how blessed my family and I have been.  I thought about writing a lengthy post on Thanksgiving detailing each and every one of my blessings, going through them one by one.  I didn't because I don't want to make anyone feel bad or feel like I'm bragging or anything like that, but I DO want to make it know that the fact that I have been so very blessed is not lost on me.  I often ask myself, "Why?  Why am I so blessed when others more deserving don't have what I have?"  God always answers me the same way: "Because I Have Been Given Much, I Too Must Give"

And so, in that tiny hospital room, I vowed that we would return to the hospital the next Christmas Eve for all those families who have it so much worse than we did.  We would bring cookies and toys.  We would give a little Christmas cheer to those children and parents in the worst of situations on Christmas.

And then I thought to myself, why stop there?  What other good deeds can we do for those who have less than we do this Christmas?

Monday night we gathered our family together to brainstorm some ideas for helping others this Christmas.  We talked about why we celebrate Christmas and why we should try to show love for others because of the love our Savior has for us.

I was truly touched by some of Logan's ideas.  Baking cookies and taking them to the hungry.  Play with the dogs who don't have homes.  Be Santa's helpers and help make toys.  That little boy sure does give me the run around, but he has a big heart.

Yes, we will see Santa, we will make a gingerbread house, cut a Christmas tree, and go see the Christmas trees at Kraynaks.  We might even make it out to the Christmas Story house or have a go at ice skating, but this year, our Christmas To Do List means a little bit more.

Without further ado:

Dew Family Christmas To Do List 2014
1.  Take food (cookies) to the homeless shelter
2.  Take dog treats to the animal shelter
3.  Buy a few toys and take them to Toys for Tots
4.  Go sing at a nursing home
5.  Visit less active families from our Church
6.  Take toys and cookies to the Children's Hospital

What are some of your family's favorite Christmas giving traditions?

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