Pink Christmas

Thank You, Eve!

My Pink Christmas Buddy made this adorable Christmas Countdown Box for me. She took the time to fill each box with a small ornament that she wrote an activity idea for celebrating Christmas each day in December. Example: one suggestion is to sip hot cocoa and then go enjoy Christmas lights; another is to read the Christmas Story from the New Testament in Luke. I have said all week that our Christmas Countdown house is too large and too complicated and that I would be looking for a simpler Countdown for next year...Look no more.... Eve solved the issue, clear from Germany!

Along with this adorable Countdown Box, Eve sent me some yummy chocolate candy bars with nuts along with a favorite I have not had in years....Haribo Gummy Happy Cherries! Oh My! They are every bit as delicious as I remember. So delicious, I chose to eat them first above all the candy and sweets calling my name today! These cherries remind me of when ZCMI Department Store in downtown Salt Lake City had a Candy Counter downstairs. I would stop to buy these cherries just to bring home on the plane ride back to Florida.
Thank you Kristi of Everything Is Pink for organizing Pink Christmas!
And to think....I almost did not participate this year!
Click here to see why I am so grateful to have participated.
If you have not participated in years past....make it part of your 2009 celebration. Not only will you help others in the process, an exciting side benefit is meeting new friends!
Merry Christmas!

On My Door Step

Pink Christmas has arrived!

On My Door Step!

Read about my PINK CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

HERE

Pink Christmas.....Live....On My Door Step.... And I HAVE to wait until Christmas to open my goodies! Waiting for surprises is soooooooo hard! Thank you, Pink Christmas, Sister! And Thank You, Kristi of Everything Is Pink!

If you read my Pink Christmas Miracle, have you ever re-connected with someone in a round-about-way and knew it was not an accident? Is it difficult for you to wait for surprises?

Pink Christmas, Miracles, and The Blog World

Pink Christmas Miracle
(This is worth the long read)
This is one of those "that only happens to Shauna"" (not really) stories. This is a story I have wanted to write for many weeks about a miracle that almost did not happen.

Last Christmas, I participated in PINK CHRISTMAS hosted by Kristi at Everything Is Pink. I met a new friend in Mesa, Arizona (who, I WILL meet in person..Hurricanes or not!) and had fun preparing a gift for a secret Pink Sister in Utah. I was also pleased to be part of helping a needy family have Christmas. It was a great experience, but for some reason, I was dragging my heels to sign up again.

This year, when Kristi announced the 2008 PINK CHRISTMAS Sign Ups, I wanted to participate, but weighed back and forth whether I should add one more "thing" to my list of "things" that take my time around the holidays. After all, I don't know most of these women in "real life" (although I feel like I do, in many cases)

I even missed the Sign Up Deadline by a few days (I was on brain over-load at that point), yet Kristi graciously included me in the 2008 Pink Christmas Festivities. I just could not dismiss PINK CHRISTMAS from my mind.

The day my PINK CHRISTMAS Envelope arrived ( I almost did NOT open the envelope because I was flying in high gear right before the Breast Cancer Walk...I thought...I will open this next week when I can savor every piece of paper inside.), the moment I opened the envelope, I knew WHY I had met Kristi via the Blogosphere, and more importantly, WHY it was important for me to participate in PINK CHRISTMAS. I sat right down and shared the reasons WHY with Kristi.

Have you ever met people who impact your life in a big way by the small and simple things they do? People who leave a print on your heart forever, even when your paths don't cross for many years? My life is generously sprinkled with people like this (chances are, if you are reading this, you have left a print on my heart) and this story is a perfect illustration.

Rewind To circa 1987-88 West Palm Beach, Florida
Ron and I were raising 3 young sons (ages 6, 4, and 1). We were living in Greenacres, FL, in our first home, a small villa home (fancy word for Duplex). We were poor, but did not know it. We were just doing our best to raise 3 energetic boys, serve the Lord, and make a difference in the world around us. Ron had just been released from serving as Bishop of a Singles Ward (Congregation)and I was Primary President (In charge of the Children in our congregation at Church) Life was good.

We received a call from a sweet newlywed couple, David and Stephanie, who were planning to come to West Palm Beach for Major League Baseball Spring Training. (Florida is an exciting place to be for Spring Training). David had been recruited by the Montreal Expos and he was reporting to Spring Training for the grueling physical, mental, and emotional work outs that come with trying to make it all the way to the Big Leagues.

They wanted to know if we were aware of an apartment they could rent during their stay in Florida. It happened that Ron's mother had a Townhouse they could stay in, but it was unfurnished. As I remember it, we got a bed for the floor, and they stayed there for a few weeks. The next season, they called to ask if they could rent the Townhouse again. One glitch....the Townhouse had renters in it. Without hesitation, I said, just come stay with us, and I meant it. We cleared out one of the boys' bedrooms, and turned it over to David and Stephanie.

They kept asking us if we were sure and telling us they did not want to impose on us, but we were insistent. They headed down to Florida in their Honda and stayed with us while he, once again, went through the rigors of Spring Training, Work-Outs, Cuts, etc. We were delighted to have them stay with us and have always looked back on that time with sweet memories. This couple brought such a sweetness with them. They were just starting out with very little by the world's standards, yet they had everything in each other's love and big dreams.

He was a catcher and my boys would marvel at the thickness of his glove and the speed of the balls he had to catch in that mitt. Jeffrey had a crush on Stephanie and would call her his "girrrrlfriend". David was sweet to "share" and Stephanie was so good natured about having a little 4 year old being head over heals in love with her. She was so helpful with each of the boys. I remember watching her and thinking, she is going to be an incredible mother someday. Her children will be so blessed to have her as their mom.

I always think of David when I make Homemade Bread because he taught me to find joy and satisfaction in small things, like Homemade Bread. One day, I had Homemade Bread out for everyone to eat. I said something like, sorry, I have been so busy, this is all we have to eat right now. David replied that he had been raised that if you have bread....you have a meal. He went on to explain that his mother had passed away when he was still at home and his father would make bread for the family. They would center their meals around this bread and they were always satisfied.

In just a few short weeks, their sweet attitudes made a huge impact on us as a couple, and our family as a whole.

A few weeks into the second Spring Training Season, David decided to put his Baseball dreams aside and go to Medical School (he was brilliant) They packed up and headed to South Carolina (Stephanie's' childhood home) where he did, indeed, attend Medical School. He became an Orthopaedic Surgeon. They had 5 boys and a full life. We kept in touch and exchanged Christmas Cards every year, however, between them moving, and us moving, the cards came back and we have lost touch over the past few years.

Back To Now....
This past September, I was looking at my Christmas Card list and making notes as to who I would send cards to, etc. I said out loud....I want to find out where David and Stephanie are. I want to send them a Christmas Card this year. I will try to find them this year....I am SURE the Internet will help. And HELP it did.

I had no idea that finding them would be as easy as signing up for PINK CHRISTMAS, yet there it was...their names in black and white....and now I know WHY I found them. Stephanie and her 5 sons need my prayers, love, and support. After a valiant battle with Cancer, David passed away in July of 2008. In the PINK CHRISTMAS envelope, there it was... some of the PINK CHRISTMAS Money was going to a fund started to assist Stephanie as she picks up the pieces and begins life without David. You can donate by clicking HERE. You can also read more details and see a photo of David, Stephanie, and their sons HERE.

Now I know why I could not get PINK CHRISTMAS out of my mind and thoughts. The Lord was trying to answer my prayers and give more support to Stephanie. I know prayers are answered in ways we could never design. I know friendships are eternal. I know miracles happen around us every day. I know the Lord uses us to bring about Miracles and answers to prayers. I don't know why David had to leave this earth and his young family, however, I do know that there is strength in prayer and that the more prayers for a person, the more support and comfort they will receive. I am honored to know Stephanie and have the opportunity to pray for her and her children. I know my prayers and those of her family and friends can give her strength and courage.

The Blogging Community is amazing...this all started when Gabrielle at Design Mom posted a link to Kristi's Everything Is Pink blog where she was featuring the GOOD MAIL concept all started by Jill, The Good Mail Queen. All because of GOOD MAIL, I found PINK CHRISTMAS, and then Stephanie.

And to think...I almost did not sign up for PINK CHRISTMAS and I almost did not open the PINK CHRISTMAS envelope the day it arrived.
It is truly a Christmas Miracle....a PINK CHRISTMAS Miracle.

Thank you, Kristi, for your tireless efforts to organize PINK CHRISTMAS. I can't wait to send my PINK CHRISTMAS sister her gift, and of course, to receive mine, in turn making more new friends via the Blogosphere.

Are you participating in Pink Christmas?

Isn't Blogging Great?

Have you found someone from your years ago past via

the Internet, Blogs, etc.?

Blogging can truly be a force for good.

A.W.O.L

From The Blogosphere

With Good Reason....

This Saturday, the months and months of hard work

are coming together. Working on this event has been

an amazing experience . Serving on The Executive Committee

for MSABC has given me such a view of the absolute goodness in

people right here in my own backyard as well as those from

far away. Each day, someone makes a donation, tells a story,

offers a service, etc. that touches my heart.

It is humbling to have offers come on a daily basis

from people who are struggling with tight resources,

yet they open their hearts.

Until this weekend is over, blogging will be sporadic and light to

non-existent.

I still have not shared my most recent answer to prayers.

It brought one of those

"This-only-happens-to-Shauna-experiences"

The prayer was answered as a result of my participation

in

A PINK CHRISTMAS

Presented by Kristi from Everything Is Pink

She may tell part of my story before I post about it.

I will say this...

I am thankful I met Kristi via the Blogosphere who was featured on

Design Mom sharing the idea of GOOD MAIL that she got from the

original Good Mail Queen, Jill.

The Blogging World is amazing and such a force for good!

Christmas Photos

Christmas Eve And Christmas Day

For whatever reason, I was not shooting too many photos Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

We celebrate with a formal Family Dinner on Christmas Eve, followed by reading The Christmas Story from Luke in The New Testament. We have the children put costumes together and act out the Christmas story as it is read by Ron. We intersperse Christmas Carols along the way. Each year is a new surprise.This year, we had 4 little girls to fill all the parts of the Christmas Story. They doubled as Angels, Wise men, Shepherds, and the Inn Keeper. Riley was the donkey and a sheep (in years past, being the donkey is Megan's favorite role) We really missed Uncle Brent for this Nativity Play.

Megan as a shepherd with one of her sheep. You can see that 6 month old Riley is getting big. He is such a lover. He will be so happy to have our house quiet and routine again!
Valerie and her Grandpa as Joseph and Mary looking on as Shepherd Megan visits the newborn baby Jesus.

The Wise men visit bearing gifts...

After the Christmas Story and Carols, we went to look at Christmas lights. When we returned, there was an early package from Santa on the front porch with a note. He wanted us to have our new camcorder for Christmas Morning.....

Before we opening gifts, Katherine checked to make sure the reindeer ate the oats we put out. There was only one bite left.

Megan, Katherine and Riley with his new toy are ready to open gifts...

The gift opening begins with checking the stockings....

Santa brought awesome bikes...

More gift opening....

Riley and I at the end of the gift opening.... if it was not Christmas morning with no shower, etc, I would not publish such a photo of myself.

Gifts from my "Pink Christmas" Buddy, Amy H. from Lehi, UT

An adorable decorated tin and the gorgeous book that she MADE!!!! You would swear it was purchased from Barnes and Noble! Thank you, Amy!

Pink Christmas

My Gift Is On The Way...

Where and Who to... I cannot say..It's a Surprise!!!!!

I am participating in A Pink Christmas gift exchange.

This has been so much fun. I have no idea who has my name and the person receiving my gift has no idea it is on the way.

I made the Cotton Paper Nativity with my Terracotta Paper Mold, framed it, and wrote the 2nd verse of Silent Night on the Matte.

This one below is another frame style I used.