Twenty Six Christmases

This Christmas will be the twenty sixth that I've shared with this man . . .


We started dating in April of 1984, and I wasn't sure what Christmas would hold. I had moved home with my parents in very early 1984 because my dad was having major surgery and Mama needed a helping hand. Let's be real, here. I could always do more with Daddy than Mama could, and she needed someone there he would listen to! All my furniture and such were stowed away in a storage unit until the time when I cold once again move out on my own. I was, after all, almost 32 years old!

Anyway, my now hubby and I had been dating a while, and were talking about the future, and I was spending much more time at his condo than I was at home. But when Christmas started approaching, he wouldn't talk about decorating his condo. He just didn't see the point.



A couple of weeks before Christmas I left work early, went to the storage unit and dug out my Christmas decorations, went and bought a tree, took it all to his condo and started decorating. He came home and started helping me. I created a monster! The next Christmas we were married, and he was the first one to bring up the decorating topic. And the gift giving topic. Man, is he a great Christmas gift-giver!

You see, we don't do a lot most of the year. Usually there's something small for birthdays, and we'll do something special for our anniversary, but Christmas is when we really do it up. I have a wonderful husband in many ways - but I can honestly say he is one in a bazillion when it comes to Christmas.

He starts asking for ideas in, oooohhhh, August or September. And he shops, and looks around, asks for updates on the list of ideas, and he really puts a lot of thought and effort into the process. And then he saves a day of vacation, and about 10 days to 2 weeks before Christmas he stays home, runs me out of the house, and wraps each and every gift himself, using lots and lots of tape! He also fills my stocking and fills the top with tissue paper so I can't peek. Most years I have between 7 and 12 gifts to open. I try to compete with him, but it's hard to keep up!

A few years ago I could tell he was more excited than usual. I had a feeling he'd gotten me a new laptop PC because mine was dying a slow and unnatural death, but would that make him that excited??? On Christmas morning we take turns opening gifts. Whoever has the most packages starts first, then the other opens and so forth. My next to last gift was the laptop. But there was still one box for me to open.

He made me open a card first. It was so sweet, and it said "I've never found anything that sparkles as much as you do, until now. I love you," I started crying. I mean, how romantic is that?!? I opened the box, and it was a gorgeous white gold and diamond ring, and man, did that ring sparkle! Of all the wonderful Christmases we've shared, I'll probably remember that one most because of how much thought and love he put into that gift. He used the little bit of money he got after his dad died to buy a ring for me. {sigh}

This year is much the same, except on a smaller budget. We have gone in 'together' and gotten a Wii and a couple of games for us both, but it's packed up and we can't open it until Christmas morning. I've got him shoes, clothes, oldies CD's, and a few 'toys'. He's got me a Cricut (so excited!) and a few things I won't know about until Christmas morning. But, do you know that after 26 Christmases together, I can honestly say that he, this dude in the funky pictures above, is the most incredible gift of them all. I am one blessed and grateful woman.

Merry Christmas, friends! Becky

Angels In Our Midsts

Every now and then, if we are lucky, we can meet real life angels. They are those people who reach out and touch us with their words, their actions or their deeds. They are out there, and they are very special people.

I have been blessed to find just one such special person. A while back Helga e-mailed me out of the blue and told me how much she enjoyed my blog. I e-mailed her back and over the last few months we've conversed from time to time via our e-mails.

Helga is in her eighties, she and her husband live in Arizona, she spent several years in Louisiana and considers herself a pretty good southern cook. She found me through the Recipe Swap on QVC's forums where I used to post recipes a lot. Helga said she never said much, but she read all of our crazy posts. So I'm assuming when I posted about my blog on there, she followed me over to the blog.

A week or so ago Helga - once again, out of the blue - e-mailed me and said she knew from my blog that I loved pretty things, and treasured them as well. She is downsizing and wanted to share a few of her treasures - doilies she bought in her travels - with me. I was stunned, and honored, and I replied and said I would love to receive such a precious gift and sent her my address. A few days later she e-mailed again and said that the package was on it's way, and would be here sometime the middle of next week.

I thought I'd get a little padded envelope with a couple of her treasured doilies. When the box arrived today, I couldn't believe my eyes!



This was a big box - about 12 x 16 x 8 inches high. And when I opened the box, and began pulling little bundles from it, well, tears filled my eyes. This sweet lady, whom I've never met other than via e-mails, sent me, in her words, a gift of affection. And my heart swelled with love for that sweet angel! (And here I go tearing up again!)


On top of the stack was a very southwestern towel as a little hello from her home state of Arizona. While this doesn't go with anything in my home, it will look just right in our camper, so it will go out there, and I'll remember Helga with each use.

Then there were the bundles. The linens were divided up in categories, each category wrapped in a plastic bag, and with a handwritten note explaining the history of the pieces.

The first bundle that I opened had these lovelies. A wide assortment of doilies, from white to ecru and every creamy color in between. Some are obviously well used and loved while others are less used, but just as beautiful. The doily at the very back appears to be of cotton thread, and is fairly heavy.


There was a stack of probably 10 to 12 of these - some in white, others in off white. They are only about 5-6 inches square, and I think they would be lovely under pretty candlesticks on a polished table. I'll save a few for that, but I can already picture some of them sewn onto pillows or cushions for a sofa. Hmmm, wonder whose sofa that could be???





This hankie was in the first batch, and it is so light and airy, and obviously has never been used before. The lacework around the edge is very delicate and fine - just beautiful!



The next batch had a precious apron that she made from a kit. It really reminded me of my young adult years in the early to mid 70's when the granny dresses were in. The apron looks like it's brand new, has a pretty bib, lots of lace, and is about 8 inches too long for me! I'll see if I can't fix that, though. I'm such an apron-o-holic, so this will be a lovely and very special addition to my collection.

Also in this bundle were a couple of lace pieces that Helga's mother wore on her dresses. Now, if Helga is in her eighties, and her mother wore these, how old must they be? The work on the lace is amazing, and I want to use these in some special way, but it will have to be very, very special!




And the next batch was full of pretty (NEW) fingertip towels and bread basket liners. There was even a postcard from Brussels Belgium, where she bought the linens in the late 1980's. It shows how the laces were made.

Both the yellow and pink will match my best china, so maybe I should use it more often so I can use these pretties, what do you think??? I love this little round doily. The detail is just amazing!

And this bread basket is gorgeous! It has obviously been used and well loved, but it will match my kitchen and every day dishes very well. This is definitely one of my favorite pieces in the lot. The first picture is the inside. You pull all those ties together and tie them, and there are pockets for rolls or bread.

And this is the back side - the side you would see on the outside. This is just so gorgeous!!!

On to another bundle. This one was full of what she called "miscellaneous stuff", but I just loved the tea towels. The blue ones will go in the kitchen, the white one will go in the guest bathroom. They are lovely!

There are two of these blue towels, and one had a tiny hole that Helga said was 'defective from age'. Helga - that's not a defect, it's love! A little hole only adds to the character. The stitching is all on the top - you cannot see it from the underside, which really amazes me!


This one is a large square, and is a very loose, light weave. It's also very soft.

And the last bundle - oh, be still my heart! Just take a look at this box of beautiful hankies!

There are five hankies, all folded nicely and all different. Helga wrote that her father's sister made these in Germany in the 1930's, and her mother had always treasured them, and never used them. Incredible!

In total there were almost 40 pieces. Most never used, but all very well cared for and treasured.

Helga, sweetie, you have touched me more than you will ever know by your thoughtfulness and kindness. I am so grateful for this 'gift of affection', and hope that you know that I will treasure each and every item in this box. You truly are an angel!