Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Yes, there is a Santa Claus

After a recent depressing blog post,
I received an outpouring of love.
It was truly a miracle.
A Christmas miracle.
I had tried not to talk about our deplorable situation.
I didn't want to be needy.
Or ungrateful.
I also didn't want to make my husband feel bad.
Because he has been busting his tail.
But when one is building his own business straight out of college,
it is rough. Really rough.
And even rougher when you have a family to support.
This has been the worst fiscal year of our lives.
And that says a lot.
Because you all know we were in law school with three kids.
And we lived on less than $18,000 a year.
For those who aren't Mormon.
You gotta know that Mormons keep a supply of food for emergencies.
Months back, we lived on that food for the first time in our married lives.
After months of living like this, I finally fell apart on my blog.
I threw it out there.
And I only threw a small portion
of the load that I had been carrying.
As to not make anyone feel bad.
Especially my husband.
Who I honor, respect, and admire.
Shortly after I threw it out there,
Miracles started to happen.
(LG sarcastically remarked that I should have begged on the blog earlier,
like when the kids needed shoes for school.)
I can't even think about some of them without crying.
For instance,
A friend I haven't spoken to in years called and asked what she could buy my girls for Christmas.
She had read the blog and felt inspired.
I am deeply grateful for all of the little miracles in 2009.
God has been good to us.
But one miracle in particular,
deserves a special mention.
A special mention
because
I met the wife of Santa Claus
when she found my blog years ago.
I would have never known Santa Claus without the blog.
Did you know that Santa really lives in Nevada?
Last week I got an e-mail from him.
The message line.
Yes, Abigail, Sophia, Bella, Caroline..there is a Santa Claus.
Along with it there was a notice to pick up a trampoline at our local Wal-Mart.
Santa's wife had read my blog.
She notified her kind and generous husband of a Christmas need.
It wasn't really a need, but a want.
A want on the Christmas list.
A want that some down and destitute parents could have never fulfilled.
And they would have never asked for help.
Because it was just a want.
And their kids had what they needed.
And the kids had become very aware that the basic necessities of life were blessing enough.
They could ask Santa for some amazing gift,
but he probably would be too busy helping some even more destitute kids in Africa.
But guess what?
Santa wasn't too busy.
And on one day of the year,
nothing was too much to want.
Because on one day of the year.
Miracles happen.
And some precious little girls in Knoxville, TN got a trampoline.
Even when their parents had told them repeatedly
that Santa had kids to feed in Africa.
And would probably be too busy.
And one very little blogger.
with a very small readership.
Got her Christmas miracle too.
Santa Claus read her blog.
And on Christmas Day,
he made her husband smile.
Really smile.
And that is all she wanted.
And she had wanted that for a very long time.
Ever since last Christmas.
But she thought Santa was too busy in Africa.
But, Santa was in Nevada.
And he not only read my blog.
But he made miracles happen at my house.
That is so like him.
I heard this song on the radio the evening of Christmas.
I bawled my eyes out.
That evening my prayer went something like this:
Give Santa a halo for me, will ya?
Oh, and send his wife a big fat kiss.

10 comments:

ShEiLa said...

I have a very sweet sister that has struggled, similar to you, for over two years. Most of that time her sweet hubby has been out of work. For quite awhile they lived off of their food storage and savings... until the had depleted what they had put aside for a rainy day.

Alice I believe it all...
I believe in Santa and Angels.

May the Lord continue to bless your dear family. One day when you are doing well and you aren't worried about how you will get school shoes... you will be ever mindful of those that are. My G.ma .n. G.pa Heywood would buy us new shoes many a Christmas... it seemed that my Dad would be layed off every year around the holidays. I always appreciated and will never forget those shoes.

My wish for you in 2010 that your family will be healthy and happy.

Hugs to YOU my dear friend.

ToOdLeS.

Cati said...

You posts are genuine! and for what I see in your girls and their faces you feed them more than Food Storage, you feed their hearts and smiles. Thank you for sharing your ups and down, you are more grounded because of it.

keep writing!

Rita said...

I can always count on you for my cry of the day. What a wonderful blog post -- and how happy I am for you and those beautiful girls that they got a gift from Mrs. Santa. Miracles do happen -- and you all are very deserving of any gift or miracle that you receive. God bless you all!

Mother 25 - 8 said...

so now i'm vomity, diarrheay, and weepy.

AnnCP said...

If I could be so couragous as you to share the feelings of my heart...thank you.

Renee said...

How awesome is that?!!!!

Katina Angola said...

You know Santa was born in Vegas. or that was what my grandma told me

Klin said...

This is the best thing I've read in a while. I love to read about the goodness of others.

I am so grateful that your children were able to receive a want. What a Merry Christmas indeed.

Rachael said...

Alice, I LOVE this. I love this and the original "getting it all out there" post a few back. We had a really rough Christmas a couple years ago. Just bought the house, Derek lost his job and we were living on the food storage, watching the savings account drop, racking up medical bills and stress. The little miracles were sometimes hard to swallow when it meant a dose a humility, too, but it was a beautiful experience.

I so appreciate your honesty and your gift for writing. I'm so grateful your Christmas was merry and your smiles were bright.

Anonymous said...

I think this is my favorite so far. I do believe in miracles and that God is watching out for us. Sometimes we just need to ask or whine whichever comes first. It is hard for those of us who try to live simply to admit that just maybe God wants to give us not only what we need but what we want every once in awhile. Or I should say Santas wife who lives in Nevada who is a close associate of the big man upstairs. God bless you!