The Great Adventure (a.k.a. Ken's Life!): My Very Own Christmas Angel . . .

Our Christmas Card!

My Christmas Angel

I married a Christmas Angel. I have never seen a person who lives for a season so much as my wife lives for Christmas! We are up to 6 trees (yes I said 6) and absolutely more Christmas paraphernalia than a team of Gypsies (no offense to the Travelers over in Edgefield) could carry off in a week. She begins before Thanksgiving and if the truth is known she starts listening to Christmas music at Halloween!! If you mention that this may be excessive she will mutter "Bah humbug" and call you a Grinch. To her credit she doesn't ask for any help with the decorations but I truly believe that this is because she wants every little dab of this experience for herself. She paints my world with color! She is the epitome of Christmas to me. She is generous and kind. She loves laughter and children. She lives a Christ-like life without passing judgement on others. I am so glad that she is in my life and that my children are experiencing "her" Christmases. I believe that she has already converted another angel. This was the first year that Abby really took ownership of the decorations. Abby helped decorate and pass judgement on her brother's inability to decorate. She has impeccable taste (UGA and anything red and black were pretty common themes for her.). I don't know if I've ever seen Angie so proud as when Abby picked out an ornament to buy for the tree that symbolized our new life in Augusta . . . It kinda makes me a little teary-eyed my dang self.

I have experienced Christmases where I have received more gifts and had more money to spend on others but I can honestly say that I have never had a Christmas that was as good to me as this one. It wasn't the gifts (for me it really never is) or the food, or the decorations (sorry Angie!) that made this such a special time for me. What made it for me was the time with my family. I spent time with my parents, brother and his family, my grandmother, all of my wife's family, but most importantly my three kids and my very own Christmas Angel! We had Santa in Augusta (first time in my 41 years where the jolly old man had to find me outside of the Land of Milk and Honey!) and I lived through it. My Uncle Wayne said something to me this year that really rang true. He said, "I never thought I would see the day when giving made me happier than receiving . . . but it does now." I understand exactly what he means. I used to wonder how my Dad could be so happy to receive a pair of socks when I was receiving all of these cool gifts but now I know. When Peyton would open a gift and smile or Trey would open something special and do his little wiggle dance or when Abby opened a gift that was "just what she wanted" it was better than any gift that I have ever received. I don't want you to think that this is nothing because I have received some GREAT gifts in my day (Evil Kneivel wind-up motorcycle, Stretch Armstrong, Pinball Machine, rifles, bicycles, etc..) but they pale in comparison to my children's joy! I love Christmas. Always have . . . . Always will.