Joy to the World

When you take 4 months off from your blog, you are really, really behind.  As a result, my posts are not in chronological order.  They are just going to flip-flop around and I am just going to record my thoughts in whatever order I feel like.  For instance, today is going to have a Christmas-themed flavor.  But, don't expect me to go back and recap Christmas-- just yet-- or maybe ever.  The thought of recapping Christmas is just so exhausting.

To start this post, let me give you some back story.  When it comes to Christmas, Fred is a non-decorator.  If he was left to his own devices, there would be absolutely no decorations in our house. Not a single one.  Not a tree or anything.  He waits until the last possible second to help me get the tree down.  He ignores my requests for help.  He thinks that ignoring them means that we won't have a tree at all.  However, he knows that it only makes me angry and I will end up dragging everything down by myself and attempting to put things together and making a huge mess.  Which will then cause him to exclaim, "If you'll just wait, I was going to help you."  Gee, when was that going to be? Christmas Eve?  I gave up on outdoor decorations a long time ago.  One year, we put lights up, but that is it.

Our friend, Rod, is the exact opposite.  He has the tallest Christmas tree I have ever seen in my life.  He helps his family decorate it (I like to think happily).  He has as many outdoor decorations as Chevy Chase in National Lampoon's Christmas.  I love it, because their house is right in the middle of the street and all houses in Frisco kind of look alike and it is super easy to figure out which is their house at Christmas.

Now you have the back story.  So, I remember the day very well.  It was the Ward Christmas Party.  We had a nice time, but I felt like we were never going to leave.  I was tired and we helped put away chairs and tables.  My husband helped people load up cars and trucks.  At one point, I just sat on the coach, because I was so cranky.  I remember thinking that I didn't have a very good attitude and that I should be a happy helper like Fred.

Anyway, it was well after 9:00 and I was sitting on my bed wrapping Christmas presents. I remember this part so well.  The doorbell rang.  Fred answered it and I could hear caroling.  I thought to myself, "Who on earth?"  And, then I thought, "These people that are doing some late night caroling had better be glad that they didn't catch me in my pj's!"  

I popped around the corner to hear "Joy to the World" being sung by the Moffitts -- one of my most favorite families in the world.  Rod had made us some Christmas yard art.  It spelled the word Joy with the nativity in the middle of the O.  They were standing in front of our door spelling the word Joy with the yard art and singing "Joy to the World."  I love them.  Rod knows Fred pretty well, because he brought stakes and a spotlight and they made sure that we had decorations in our front yard that very night!  What a special Christmas present.  It doesn't get any better than that!  As a parting gift, we sent them on their way with a jar of cookie butter. That's just how we roll.

I say it all the time, but I am so thankful for our sweet and wonderful friends.  We really are blessed.