the snowflakes

I'm very sentimental about a few things... my kid's art work and stories,  old letters (the real, handwritten kind), songs (Dan Fogelberg's "old lang syne" always makes a little homesick for my youth), and finally, Christmas ornaments. As we were decorating our tree a few weeks ago,  Drew started quizing me about each ornament,
     Where'd this one come from? What about this one?
He was surprised that I actually knew the story behind each one.  Through the years, we've accumulated a lot of ornaments, many given to us as gifts.  In my mind each one represents a story or time frame of my life, and inevitably each year, I take a walk through some of my sweetest Christmas memories as we decorate the tree.  This is  the story of our oldest, and to me,  most valued ornaments.  Remember, this blog doubles a journal for my kids, and I hope this little story and the ornaments themselves will continue to be passed down through our family.  
     In 1963, there was a young, newlywed couple living in Ventura California.  Like most newlyweds, they were very much in love, and living on very meager finances.  Their Christmas tree that year was a little bonsai tree.  The decorations: six small, intricately hand-cut snowflakes made and signed by the husband. 
       That young couple was my mom and dad almost fifty years ago.  When Gregg and I got married, they gave two of the six snowflakes to us, and two to my sister.  My mom and dad still have the remaining two.

     Each year when I carefully unwrap those snowflakes from a protected envelope, I feel grateful for my mom and dad, and that they love each other, and that they love me, and that my dad took the time to hand-cut those snowflakes so many years ago. 

Merry Christmas Mom and Dad. Love, Your daughter.