December...The Month of Hope, Light Hearts and Magic...

I love the feeling of Christmas! I love the focus that has come into my life of the importance of recognizing that it is the Savior's birth that we celebrate with the rest of the world on December 25th. I love the music that fills my house and the many stores that I visit and the radio waves. I love the magic that is present on the faces of countless little boys and girls who anticipate a magical event in unselfish gift giving. I love Christmas!

Yesterday, Dean and I had the privilege to sing with the 50 voice Midway Chorus , along with a 27 piece orchestra, Handel's The Messiah! This amazing chunck of music was conducted by our Seventh-day Adventist Doctor, Doctor Albert Thompson. He is absolutely amazing! It was a humbling experience to be among some of the area's finest soloists who did such an outstanding job. I got chills and became quite emotional at the climax of our program, when the entire audience stood as we sang The Hallelujah Chorus. It was a moving experience for both Dean and I. I wish both of our families could have been in attendance to hear and experience this event. We have one more performance next Sunday.

This is such a wonderful time of the year! I hope everyone's experiences are going about the same. Somehow, we are able to lay aside the worldy things that are going on all around us and focus on more important things, like our Savior and Family and re-connecting with friends. Love is in abundance and lifts our hearts to being better people, better friends, better mothers, better children, better Christians.

I have to share what JerriAnne has been up to! (She takes this project very seriously) and her artistic talents come through with flying colors -- in fact with a winning (Second Place) creation!


She made this window display entirely out of candy! It is an annual event in Provo, and this is JerriAnnes' second year to participate. She won the event last year. Her display is in a store window in downtown Provo. I was with her in May, when she was shopping for the ingredients and forming the idea for Santa in a livingroom setting. I thought at the time, "this is quite an undertaking!" Now, when I view her pictures of the end results, I am amazed! Congratulations, JerriAnne on a job well done. For the life of me, I do not know where my children inherited their artistic talents from! The left side of their brains certainly must be extremely active!

Well, that was week one of the Holiday "fever." I shall write more with my next entry. God bless and may you have that wonderful spirit, which is Christmas, with you each and every day!