Yesterday I didn't get a post in, and I have been up since 4am, so this post is going to be short and sweet.
My parents came up from Mexico and brought my baby sister and her husband with them from El Paso.
My two sisters that live on opposite sides of the valley came to visit us twice in the last couple of days.
My brother-in-law came down from Utah for not even 24 hours so he could see us and say "hi".
My wife's dad and his siblings got together for a visit with Grandma Goodman.
I had a very good father-daughter visit with one of my girls last night
Each sentence in this post is smaller than the preceding one.
Visits from family are pretty awesome.
I am really grateful they happen.
This time of year is wonderful.
I really love my family.
This post is done.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Day 6 - Shooting
OK - shooting has nothing to do with Christmas or Thanksgiving, but it is a DeWitt family tradition. After Thanksgiving we all go out and shoot clay pigeons till the cows come home. Lots of fun.
This year we didn't go to Snowflake, but I was determined to keep up the tradition here.
Guess what?
It didn't happen.
:-(
This year we didn't go to Snowflake, but I was determined to keep up the tradition here.
Guess what?
It didn't happen.
:-(
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Day 5 - Memories of Thanksgiving
One of the things most associated with the holidays are memories of holidays past. Today we had the blessing of hosting my parents, my sisters and their families as well as an aunt and a cousin and her family. As Dad offered the prayer before we began eating I thought back to my first Thanksgiving in Col. Juarez - 30 years ago this month.
My uncle John and his family along with our family, the Duncans, the Toscanos and Myrna Salgado all went over to Grandpa and Grandma Whetten's house. Long tables were set up end-to-end in Grandma's front room with seats all around it. I don't remember the conversations we had, but I do remember Grandpa Whetten's prayer. It was a long one for an 8 year old boy to sit through, and I remember thinking "Grandpa sure is thankful for a LOT of stuff!" I loved hearing Grandpa pray. I know that he had tremendous faith, and when he prayed I knew that he was actually talking with God.
I felt that way while my Dad was praying in our home today. He is thankful for a lot of stuff, and I know that he talks to our Heavenly Father when he prays. I hope my children picked up on that so that it will be a memory they can have of their own Grandpa Whetten when they are adults.
After the dinner was over at Grandpa and Grandma's house all of the neighborhood kids would go out to Grandma's yard and play endless games of hide and seek, werewolf, kick the can and who knows what else. Grandma's yard was the best place for these games and we could stay there for hours on end playing.
Today after our meal we went out to the greenbelt in front of the house and played Frisbee, threw footballs and had a good time. When it got dark we came inside and played a card game and then gathered around the piano to sing songs. It was wonderful!
I am most thankful for my family. I am grateful they were able to come today and love being around them.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
My uncle John and his family along with our family, the Duncans, the Toscanos and Myrna Salgado all went over to Grandpa and Grandma Whetten's house. Long tables were set up end-to-end in Grandma's front room with seats all around it. I don't remember the conversations we had, but I do remember Grandpa Whetten's prayer. It was a long one for an 8 year old boy to sit through, and I remember thinking "Grandpa sure is thankful for a LOT of stuff!" I loved hearing Grandpa pray. I know that he had tremendous faith, and when he prayed I knew that he was actually talking with God.
I felt that way while my Dad was praying in our home today. He is thankful for a lot of stuff, and I know that he talks to our Heavenly Father when he prays. I hope my children picked up on that so that it will be a memory they can have of their own Grandpa Whetten when they are adults.
After the dinner was over at Grandpa and Grandma's house all of the neighborhood kids would go out to Grandma's yard and play endless games of hide and seek, werewolf, kick the can and who knows what else. Grandma's yard was the best place for these games and we could stay there for hours on end playing.
Today after our meal we went out to the greenbelt in front of the house and played Frisbee, threw footballs and had a good time. When it got dark we came inside and played a card game and then gathered around the piano to sing songs. It was wonderful!
I am most thankful for my family. I am grateful they were able to come today and love being around them.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Grandpa and Grandma Whetten with me on my 1st B-Day
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Day 4 - Employment
Employment is probably not one of the first things you think about when you are contemplating Christmas, but tomorrow is Thanksgiving and this is something I am definitely thankful for.
Until I had been there myself I had no concept of the despair that comes from being unemployed. I had frequently imagined what it might be like, but until you live it you can't fully grasp it. Now that I have "been there, done that, got the t-shirt" I have a new found appreciation for employment.
Almost two years ago a wonderful neighbor that I have looked up to for years called and offered me a job working for one of his companies. At the time I was catatonic with worry and didn't have a clue where I could go to find a job. The pay wasn't spectacular but it met all of our basic needs and, more importantly, helped me feel like I was contributing once again. I know that this kind man did not need to fill the position I took, but he knew that I needed a job - both to provide for my family and to get me back in the game of life. During the course of my employment with him I had the opportunity to work with a very knowledgeable accountant who taught me several principles of accounting that I now use in my current job. There were so many tender mercies extended to me during my 7 months with that company. I will be forever grateful for my neighbor's unselfish concern for the welfare of my family and me.
A year ago this week another friend invited me to work for him. The pay was a significant step up for me and it put into practice the training I had received over the previous 7 months at my other job. It has also given me the opportunity to collaborate with other individuals as we have worked to build a business. Being able to provide for my family while working in a stimulating environment has been a huge boost to my confidence. I love my job and am grateful for my employer.
I am so grateful for my job. I acknowledge God's hand in inspiring good men to give me a chance and allowing me to stand once again on my own two feet. During this season of Thanksgiving I express my gratitude for God's tender mercies. He is ever mindful of me, even when I don't always recognize it.
Until I had been there myself I had no concept of the despair that comes from being unemployed. I had frequently imagined what it might be like, but until you live it you can't fully grasp it. Now that I have "been there, done that, got the t-shirt" I have a new found appreciation for employment.
Almost two years ago a wonderful neighbor that I have looked up to for years called and offered me a job working for one of his companies. At the time I was catatonic with worry and didn't have a clue where I could go to find a job. The pay wasn't spectacular but it met all of our basic needs and, more importantly, helped me feel like I was contributing once again. I know that this kind man did not need to fill the position I took, but he knew that I needed a job - both to provide for my family and to get me back in the game of life. During the course of my employment with him I had the opportunity to work with a very knowledgeable accountant who taught me several principles of accounting that I now use in my current job. There were so many tender mercies extended to me during my 7 months with that company. I will be forever grateful for my neighbor's unselfish concern for the welfare of my family and me.
A year ago this week another friend invited me to work for him. The pay was a significant step up for me and it put into practice the training I had received over the previous 7 months at my other job. It has also given me the opportunity to collaborate with other individuals as we have worked to build a business. Being able to provide for my family while working in a stimulating environment has been a huge boost to my confidence. I love my job and am grateful for my employer.
I am so grateful for my job. I acknowledge God's hand in inspiring good men to give me a chance and allowing me to stand once again on my own two feet. During this season of Thanksgiving I express my gratitude for God's tender mercies. He is ever mindful of me, even when I don't always recognize it.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Day 3 - Children
Christmas would not have nearly the magic it does without children. They take delight in so many things about the season and see things from a perspective we once had but, in some instances, have long forgotten. My own children are a constant reminder of the importance of keeping the big picture in mind when dealing with Christmas.
If you know me personally or have read previous posts on this blog you know that my family, like so many others, has had some frightful financial struggles recently. During this time I frequently allowed my expectations of Christmas to needlessly stress me out. Several Christmas miracles (one of which I recorded here) helped me regain my perspective, but far and away the greatest miracle to me was my wife and my children.
My wife would somehow come up with presents - trading things with friends, doing pedicures or taking on other projects to earn a little money - and she relished doing it. She still does. Although I would frequently retreat into my grinch alter-ego, it is impossible not to feel the excitement my wife has about doing something for her children. And that is always the focus - the children. She doesn't spoil them with fancy presents, but she has a talent for making our kids feel loved on Christmas morning. And it is so fun watching her feel sneaky about the presents she gets for them. She calls me up the minute she has put a plan into action.
On Christmas morning the children don't disappoint either. They squeal with delight at every little thing and, oddly enough, it is the little things that seem to make them smile the most. Last year Tail Gunner would not leave his stocking to open his other presents. I watched my kids get excited about toothbrushes and their own personal tubes of toothpaste two years ago - and it wasn't a put on, they were genuinely thrilled. Somehow my children know that it really is the thought that counts, or maybe it is the sheer joy they see in their mom's face as they open their presents, but they just bask in the love on Christmas morning and their smiling happy faces make even an old grinch like me smile.
Children fill a home with the Christmas spirit, because children have a natural ability to detect love. During this sacred season they instinctively react with joy as we celebrate the greatest love ever manifest to mankind.
I am grateful for my children, and the love they bring into my life.
If you know me personally or have read previous posts on this blog you know that my family, like so many others, has had some frightful financial struggles recently. During this time I frequently allowed my expectations of Christmas to needlessly stress me out. Several Christmas miracles (one of which I recorded here) helped me regain my perspective, but far and away the greatest miracle to me was my wife and my children.
My wife would somehow come up with presents - trading things with friends, doing pedicures or taking on other projects to earn a little money - and she relished doing it. She still does. Although I would frequently retreat into my grinch alter-ego, it is impossible not to feel the excitement my wife has about doing something for her children. And that is always the focus - the children. She doesn't spoil them with fancy presents, but she has a talent for making our kids feel loved on Christmas morning. And it is so fun watching her feel sneaky about the presents she gets for them. She calls me up the minute she has put a plan into action.
On Christmas morning the children don't disappoint either. They squeal with delight at every little thing and, oddly enough, it is the little things that seem to make them smile the most. Last year Tail Gunner would not leave his stocking to open his other presents. I watched my kids get excited about toothbrushes and their own personal tubes of toothpaste two years ago - and it wasn't a put on, they were genuinely thrilled. Somehow my children know that it really is the thought that counts, or maybe it is the sheer joy they see in their mom's face as they open their presents, but they just bask in the love on Christmas morning and their smiling happy faces make even an old grinch like me smile.
Children fill a home with the Christmas spirit, because children have a natural ability to detect love. During this sacred season they instinctively react with joy as we celebrate the greatest love ever manifest to mankind.
I am grateful for my children, and the love they bring into my life.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Day 2 - Arizona Winter Weather
While the rest of the country dreams (or digs out) of a white Christmas, here in AZ we wear shorts. In fact December weather is one of the great blessings of living in Arizona. (We won't mention May thru September)
The days are absolutely beautiful!
I love being outside, going for walks, enjoying the winter rye grass lawns and just plain enjoying the freedom of lower temperatures.
While I do miss the dramatic changes of the seasons I enjoyed growing up in Mexico, the change in temperature is dramatic enough to keep me smilin'.
Yep - Arizona is mighty fine in wintertime. Just ask half of Canada, 3/4's of Minnesota and all of the Dakota's.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Season of Distraction or of Inspiration?
From the first day of our marriage, my sweet Dulcinea and I have gotten along famously and have had very few serious disagreements. That being said, we do have pet peeves, and of all the little pet peeves my wife has about me, there is one that really gets her. Fortunately it only comes out once a year:
My alter ego - November 1 through December 24th
My list of things I don't like about Christmas is very cliche, and boils down to how much the commercialization of Christmas bugs me. I know - very original (I said it was cliche).
What a self-righteous rant!
The scriptures and God's prophets are constantly counseling us to "be in the world but not of the world." Certainly this counsel should apply to our attitude towards one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar. If I allow my own self-righteous indignation to crowd out the Spirit of Christmas, don't I trivialize it far more than the retailers whose advertisements drive me nuts?
To help me overcome this fault and fill my heart with the Spirit of Christmas this season I am embarking on a project of personal improvement. From now until December 25th I will spend time each day writing about Christmas. It will include memories of Christmases past, Christmas stories, family traditions or simply an expression of gratitude for my Savior and His great gift to me.
Day 1 - Longing for Home
I love how the hearts of so many people grow more tender towards their family during the Christmas Season. Something about the Christmas Spirit draws us closer together as a family. We long to be with those we love, and often we long to be with them in our old homes or home towns. Gifts given or received may briefly cross our minds, but mostly we remember being around our family.
I am thankful for my family, and I have been blessed with a large one. My wife and children, my parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts and cousins are all a joy to be around. I love each one of them and the promise we have of being a family on into the eternities.
I am thankful for the central role that families play in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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