I so enjoy decorating my house for the holidays—putting up the Christmas tree, reading Christmas books to my children, taking them to the city to see the lights, watching Christmas movies, and just sitting by the fireplace, sipping hot chocolate, and feeling the spirit of Christmas in our home.
And yet, it was a conversation that I had with my children today in the car that reminded me of the magnitude of the event that we commemorate. We were discussing the many holidays that people celebrate at this time of year, and appreciating the freedoms we have in this country to worship as we choose. And then Gillian asked a rhetorical question: “Isn’t Christmas truly the most important holiday of the year?!” The Spirit filled my heart with such joy that I exclaimed to my children “Yes, it is!” We celebrate the birth of the Son of God, the Savior of mankind. This is not only the most important holiday of the year, but of all eternity. It is only through the atonement of Jesus Christ that my family and I will be able to live with God again. This is the best Christmas gift that we could ever receive.
We’ve missed a lot of you. In January we left Virginia, our home of six years, and traveled cross-country with California as our destination. Our children were able to see many fun places for the first time, including Roswell, New Mexico, the Grand Canyon, and Las Vegas. West coast weather made it easy for us to fall in love with this state. Wonderful new friends and sights have made the transition even more comfortable.
Elijah is really enjoying his new job. He is managing a small commodities trading firm, working with one of his old mission companions. He has enjoyed taking motorcycle trips along the West Coast, surprising our children by taking them to an awesome Star Trek exhibition, planning a special visit to Hurst Castle for our anniversary, and organizing a major trip to Hawaii for the entire company and their families. We all had an unforgettable experience, and were grateful to Elijah for his meticulous planning.
I continue to stay home and take care of the family. I still hate doing laundry, and would rather do more sightseeing. There are very few places in the San Francisco Bay area that my children and I haven’t seen yet. I’ve enjoyed hosting parties, attending book club, learning new recipes at our cooking club, almost achieving my goal of reading 100 books each year, and recording our experiences in my blog. The year has gone by too fast...and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
Gillian turned eight this year, and we were pleased that she chose to get baptized. She is truly an example of righteousness, goodness, and purity; the Lord’s light shines in her countenance. This year, Gillian has enjoyed piano, reading books, writing stories, developing her own drawing style, playing soccer, and attending concerts with mom. She was mesmerized by the breathtaking beauty of the Nutcracker ballet, which we recently saw at the San Francisco Opera House.
Jefferson turned six going on sixteen...or shall we say sixty. He is brilliant in math, great in reading, innovative in science, and mature in thinking. He has already figured out when to take mom's 'threats' seriously. I have to follow through with what I say now or I’ll get in trouble. Jefferson has enjoyed swimming, drawing, and building things. Of particular note, he has spent a lot of time this year perfecting the art of making paper airplanes. He learned how to ride a motorcycle this summer, lost two teeth this fall (one on Thanksgiving day in Hawaii,) was awarded for excellence in math and reading, and beat his dad in Monopoly.
James just turned five. He celebrated his birthday by dressing up as King Arthur and inviting his friends to be the knights and princesses of the round table. It was a birthday celebration in grand scale, and he deserved it. James is thoughtful, kind, patient, loving, and a sweetheart to me. James has enjoyed learning new things and making special friends at Pre-K this year. I used to say that when he grows up, girls will fight over him. I don’t have to wait—they already do. And why not, James is so sweet and obliging to his friends that they love being with him. This fall, James taught himself how to ride his bike. Within the hour, he was riding like a pro. He has also enjoyed making puzzles with mom and playing board games with the family.
Charlton is 16 months old, has ten teeth and four molars, can speed walk, is absolutely independent in finding food for himself, loves to sing, play the flute, and conduct music. Most of all, he loves attention. He has already learned that if he gives me one of his special looks, I’ll drop everything and do whatever he wants. Charlton is an adorable baby and we all love him.
Elijah and I feel so blessed to have such wonderful children. We’ve been given much, and are truly grateful for everything. We wish you a wonderful holiday season. May the Spirit of Christmas fill your homes and warm your soul. Jesus is the Son of God, the babe in the manger, the Savior in Gethsemane, the Resurrected Lord! May these truths fill your hearts this Christmas.
Merry Christmas 2010,
Melita, Elijah, Gillian, Jefferson, James, and Charlton Garmon
