Writing In Pencil: The Very First Christmas

This Christmas was a very special one.

I am forever thankful for the precious gift we received on the very first Christmas with Christ's birth. For me Christmas is always a time to stop, reflect and rejoice. Especially this Christmas. Pun intended, it was the very first Christmas with Daniel James, and it was perfect.

I know how much he misses home and I wanted this Christmas holiday for him to be extra special. We visited the Mission Inn, indulged in our tamale tradition, took Daniel to Christmas Eve service at church and thought we spoiled him with presents but he actually spoiled us with so many!!

My first present from him was a cute recordable book titled "The Very First Christmas". He has the perfect storybook voice and I will be listening to it every night until I see him again. My second present blew me away. It was a picture perfect diamond ring [promise ring not engagement ring] complete with a letter promising these five things:

To always love me unconditionally in good and bad times
To keep our relationship pure in the eyes of the Lord
To push me and challenge me in my relationship with Christ
That He will always continue in His journey with Christ and be the man of God I deserve
If God sees fit and when the time is right that He will make me his wife

Basically he made all the ladies in the family cry and only reaffirmed the fact that he is an absolute keeper. But we knew that already. We enjoyed a full family dinner and watched NBA games all day. Like I said it was perfect. A day full of love. The ultimate gift.