ME TOO

I'm so glad that Michelle and Jared have such a wonderful Christmas gift. Having Jared home will be great for all of them. I'm really glad that Dad is working days so we can finally have some time to see each other. Yesterday was my last day of work for two whole weeks. I'm beginning my vacation with a bit of a cold but, hopefully, I'll be able to get some rest and get over it in a couple of days.

Last Monday, Emily asked a question about favorite Christmas Carols. I love most of the traditional carols and it's hard to find one favorite. When I was a little girl I loved the Primary song, "Oh Hush Thee My Baby". I remember singing it in a program when I was about 10. I had to start over because I couldn't hear my mom on the piano. It was the first time she'd played and the first time I'd sung alone in public and we were both a bit nervous. I sang that song years later when, Tawnia (I think)was a baby. She'd been fussing a little but when I started singing she went right to sleep. Lots of happy memories with that song. As a teenager I would have said "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day". That's such a beautiful. Doing our Christmas hymn research project I learned how it came to be written. It was written by Longfellow during the Civil War. He'd lost his wife in a fire a few years before and his son had been wounded terribly in the war but somehow that Christmas in 1864 he found hope. I think it was Christmas 1967 when I first heard "The Christmas Song" and it quickly became a favorite, but now I'd have to say my favorites are the songs that talk about the Savior and all that he has done for us. They bring tears to my eyes as I sing about the joyous message of the angels. I like to think that I was part of that heavenly chorus, whether I actually appeared to the shepherds or just sang in my own little corner of heaven. What a joyous day that was both in heaven and on earth. The essence and love of Christmas can't be contained in just one song, so I don't have a favorite. I love them all!