Christmas with Jackson and Brianna

We were able to celebrate Christmas with Jackson and Brianna before they left on Christmas Eve.  Here are a few photos from our time together.


Jackson and Brianna had a great gift for Jonathan.  :)

a little mini fridge/cooler for his room

It will hold 6 cans of soda.
Plus, it has a cigarette lighter adapter so he can take it in his truck!  :D

 I got a frame to put the family photo (that we are planning to take on New Years Eve) in.  I can't wait!!

... and a pretty new welcome mat

Marvin got a canvas of one of Jackson's photos -
a favorite of both of ours!

sigh... this is what an unwrapped Christmas looks like.
Not a single present was wrapped.
Thankfully all the kids were okay with that.

I was excited to pass these on to Brianna...
Boomwhackers

An old homeschool find that the boys never used...
except as swords or lightsabers.  :)
Dear Brianna, the music teacher, loves them!

Instant Pot accessories  :)

you know you are a grownup when you get a
mattress pad and are super excited!

they actually picked it out!  :D  

Jackson's new hat didn't quite fit him,
but it sure looks cute on Brianna!

Mementos

I was digging through some old boxes of mementos recently while looking for something.  I came across these treasures.  They made me get misty eyed, but they also made me laugh out loud.  Both my sweet boys have been 'who they are' since the moment they arrived on this earth.  :D  Some things are just baked in.  :)

This was a note that little Jackson must have dictated to his Dad to give to me - probably around 2 years old.  I can just picture the little stinker...  :)  (I'll type up what they say in the captions below each photo.)

Dear Mom.  Your little son wants two Valentines cards.  Love, Jackson. 

I'll translate...   ;)
Happy Fathers Day.  But you need to not work on Fathers day.  Ok?  Ok.
I know that you did not like the war but you are the greatest dad that I know.
I love you.  Ok?  I like mom too, a little bit.  So bye.
(Good grief!  Good thing he was cute.... )  :D 

Also from Jackson...

Roses are red, violets are blue.  I love you and I know you do too.
P.S.  You don't look a day over 50.  Just kidding.  55.
(please note I would have received this card somewhere in my mid 30's)  :D  :D :D 

And then here is sweet Jonathan.  Ahhh... my sweet Jonathan.  :)

A dictated note to his Dad for me.  But Jonathan drew the picture of us holding hands.  :)  

Another dictated note from Jonathan -
so sweet!!!!  :D  :D  :D 

Then we ran across these treasures from Anna and her friend Erin back in 2000.  These girls made cards for Marvin after his Mom passed away.  Absolutely precious.

from Erin

from Erin

from Anna

from Anna

wisdom and sweet comfort from a child - stairway to heaven

And finally... this was in the same box.  Marvin's old Kentucky Colonel certificate.  From a very long time ago.  :D

Mary Immaculate Christmas program

We were able to get back into town just in time to attend the Mary Immaculate children's Christmas program.  I was super excited to see this since Brianna and Leah wrote the play/musical themselves for their students at the school.  I was not disappointed.  It was outstanding!  The kids were adorable, the story was lovely, and it put a smile on the faces and in the hearts of every person in attendance.  Jackson filmed the whole thing so eventually I will get the video edited and uploaded so everyone can see it again.

Super proud of these two ladies!

Leah and Brianna

Brianna and Shonda

Jackson and Brianna

Jackson, Laura, Brianna, and Hannah 

Leah and Brianna - hands full of costumes after the program.  :) 

Sweet surprise

At the time that I left town to head to Mississippi for Aleta's funeral, not a single decoration had gone up at our house.  I was hoping to somehow manage to get the tree up and decorated when I returned (on the 20th of December) but had honestly given up much hope.  When I called Marvin from the hotel Tuesday night I heard voices in the background.  He didn't really offer any explanation other than 'he would tell me when I got home'.  And I was too tired to give it much thought.  :)  You can imagine my surprise and great joy when I walked into my house the next day and discovered the tree was up and decorated, as well as a few other areas in the house!  What a truly lovely surprise!  Turns out dear Shonda and Alaina (Brianna had Christmas program practice) came out to the house and decorated for us.  What a wonderfully sweet surprise.  So very blessed.

And just to top it all off... because Shonda is AMAZING... she even got me an Aldi Cart Coin key chain!!  What a woman!  What a friend!  What a Christmas!!!  :)