Christmas 2012

       We really enjoyed our time that we spent in Utah for Christmas this year. Phil's parents had some really neat things planned for the family that added to the feeling of Christmas and made it more memorable. Christmas Eve we all gathered together before dinner for a "project" that Mom and Dad had planned for us. All of Phil's siblings that were in Utah, Steve and Rachel, Grayson and Emilie, Quiton, and Beth were able to spend Christmas Eve together. Phil's family also invited Anna to come spend Christmas Eve and Morning with us so we got to enjoy her company as well. Once everyone was together we watched part of last year Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concert, the story of Good King Wenceslas. The story is about a King, who takes a page along, and journeys through the harsh winter weather to bring food and gifts to a poor peasant. The page struggles to follow, but the King encourages him to follow in his footprints. After we watched it, each couple (Quinton and Beth were paired, and Anna was grouped with Mom and Dad) was given $100. We each had to go out, driving around and search for someone that could use the $100 relying on inspiration. I felt a lot of pressure to succeed and felt like it would be more difficult for Phil and I because we had Brewer, who hates the car, especially when it's dark. That being said, I also knew that if we would rely on the Spirit we would be able to find someone who could really benefit from the gift. On our way out we had to stop at the gorcery store really fast to pick up a few things for dinner later that evening. After we got what we needed we said a prayer with our small family in the parking lot. Then we drove to south Provo. Phil drove through some older parts of town and then we went to the dollar store and walked around seeing if we could find someone. It didn't feel quite right in that store so we hopped back in the car and Phil started driving through the streets again. All along we kept telling Boyd to keep an eye out for someone who looked like they needed help. We wanted this to be a good and meaningful experience for him too. We drove and drove, had to to turn around because of a train and felt like we were really getting no where. Phil and I both felt while we were driving (although we said nothing to each other at the time) that we were just driving around because finding someone was going to come down to timing. We thought maybe we would go to Big Lots and Macie's on State street so we headed up there. As we drove through the parking lot to find a spot so we could go inside we started observing the different cars, looking for one that might not be very nice, that could use a little help. As we pulled into a spot we noticed an old van with a family getting in. We thought that was who we needed to help. But then as we got out they started pulling out and we hesitated to go over. What kind of crazy people stop a car pulling out?! We almost didn't go over, but then they stopped and were talking to their kids and they seemed really frazzled. I told Phil we couldn't miss the opportunity so together we walked up to their car (leaving our own kids in our car because we were in a hurry) and Phil started talking to the Dad. He asked if everything was okay because their car sounded terrible and they seemed frazzled. They said yes and that one of their kids had just unbuckled themselves. Phil asked them about their kids and about Christmas. Then he said that we wanted to give them a gift and handed them the money. They were pretty shocked and we just wished them a merry Christmas and walked back to our car. We sat there while they drove away and the looks on their faces was priceless and confirmed to us that they were the people that we were suppose to find. It was such a great experience and I was so glad that we were given the opportunity to bless the lives of someone else and to be able to test my own faith by relying on the Spirit. On our way home we explained to Boyd what happened and that we found a family to help. We told him that maybe they would use the money to buy presents for their kids or maybe to buy food. Without missing a beat he said, "Food. I just can't stop thinking about it!" It's from a little youtube video, Maple Bacon Dog, that Boyd thinks is hilarious and quotes all the time. I guess that lesson went right over his head!

         After everyone got back we all shared the experiences that we had and how we were able to follow the Spirit who guided us to the people that we needed to help. It was interesting, although not surprising, that each group felt impressed to help the same person without knowing at first how the others felt. We then got ready for Christmas Eve dinner of finger foods! Everything was so yummy and it was fun to cook in the kitchen with all the family. Phil made yummy sliders and Beth, Anna, and I made little smokies wrapped in bacon. We had lots of other yummy food too, like shrimp, which is always a staple. We gathered in the living room and ate and while we were eating Nate called!! Phil answered and then Mom talked to him to set up a time for him to call the next day when we would all be able to talk to him. It was the perfect time for him to call, even if it did make us miss him so much more! After dinner it was time for Boyd, Brewer, and Phil to open their Christmas Even present. They were their pajamas of course and they loved them. Phil also got pajamas in the form of Jazz basketball shorts because he has a slight obsession with basketball shorts. When the kids were dressed in their matching jammies, we gathered around the piano and sang some Christmas carols. Boyd requested the last song to be "Samuel Tells of Baby Jesus." He was a good little singer. After singing and a group picture (Amy and I are the only ones to ever encourage group pictures so it was my job since she wasn't there) we got a plate of cookies and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer and put the kids to bed. We finished wrapping presents and went to bed, waiting for Santa to come too. 

       Boyd didn't wake up too early and we tried to hold the kids off for a little while before we ended up waking everyone up. We did end up waiting at the top of the stairs for quite a while until everyone was ready to head down. Again, we took the classic picture on the stairs and Phil showed Boyd the chewed up carrots on the front porch. We all then filed into the living room where all the presents and stockings where piled up. Boyd was thrilled and excited about everything that he got. I think his top couple of presents were his bb gun, dart gun, scooter, jazz jersey, and table chair. Brewer got a walker and elephant ball toy from Santa as well as some clothes and a jazz jersey from us. And a giant lion from Grandma and Pop Pop. Phil got some fly fishing stuff, a Jazz shirt, and some stuff for his office with pictures of the kids on it. He got me a beautiful canvas picture of Brewer and a necklace that I've wanted for quite a while! Phil is such a good gifter! He did a great job!

       After a quick breakfast and a rush to get ready we all headed down to the Juab Jail with the Leavitt family. Phil's family went last year and the Leavitt's have been going for 9 years. They had put together little goodie bags filled with crayons, oranges, toothbrushes and some other things as well that we were going to give to the prisoners. I was a little anxious about going, not really knowing what to expect. Boyd was even more worried about it. He kept asking about the bad guys in their cages and if they would be good when we left. Or he would say something about shooting the bad guys with his bb gun. And I got the impression one time that he thought maybe they would trap him in a cage. Who knows where his mind was. He drove down with Grandma and Pop Pop and I think Grandma did a better job of explaining what was going to happen. At the jail we got some instruction from the guard and visited three men who were considered the "safest" inmates. They had been in jail for a long time and were very friendly and grateful that we were there. We introduced ourselves, talked about Christmas traditions, read a story from the Ensign, sang songs, and then passed out the bags we had prepared. It was really neat. We did our little program 5 times and one time we just sang to a man who was in detox. Some of the inmates participated, answering questions and singing along, but others were not so inclined and kept their heads down. Each time we left a cell block we shook each inmates hand and wished them a merry Christmas. The last cell block that we went to, which I'm glad that they did it at the end because I felt much more comfortable by then, was the women's block. There were only 4 women and it made it much more personal. They all started bawling when Phil and I walked in with our kids, which made me cry. They were all mothers and I'm sure missing their kids. It was a tender moment and really made the whole experience worth doing. This time when we left we embraced each one of them and let them oh and ah over our kids. I hope that we get to go do that every year we spend in Utah. It really helped us feel the true meaning of Christmas.

       We got back from the jail in the afternoon and started getting ready for dinner. It was a little more low key (I forgot the creamed corn!!!!) and very nice. Grayson and Emilie came down from Lehi to join in on dinner and we all happily chatted and ate dinner. We joked about how much Phil managed to spill over the break the celebrity names that we came up with for everyone: Jodd, Clamy, Philai, PooRoo, and Gremilie (not quite on the spelling of some of those). Soon after that Nate called. We all gathered in the living and chatted with him on the iPad. We talked with him all together and individually. He looked great and is doing so well. Boyd even showed him his testimony that he had been working on. It was the perfect way to end Christmas day!