Let 2011 Feel Your "Presence"

Welcome into the year 2011. We are a week in now and there is hope that we can maintain a true sense of family despite all of the growing distractions competing for our kids’ attention. This has been a very lovely two weeks of having the chatter and laughter increased to the level it used to be during the summer. Everyone has navigated the holiday season with ease and peacefulness. I had wondered how all of this would work with it being the first holiday break since having everyone in college. Flexibility is definitely the key to still having FUN and enjoying the small moments while you hold onto the traditions.

A specific tradition, our tree- hunting experience, was downsized immensely. My oldest son, Peter, and his new wife, Sarah, came along with us to keep the tradition going. Our other three children were still in finals week at I.U. With only 9 days to go before Christmas, we knew that we had best go to the tree farm when we could gather the moment. Our car trip was kept alive with the constant moaning of my husband, Skip, and the fact that “we could have found a tree on the corner in Pendleton”. Just as I was trying to curtail the whining with one of my famous retorts, Peter took us on a detour ride through a ditch and into the yard of one of its neighbors. I guess I should give him more warning that the turn was coming up.(A major “I’m sorry” if you are the car that was driving behind us when Pete suddenly slammed on his breaks and “kinda” forgot the turn signal.) He really is a good driver. I think that he was a bit distracted with Mother Christmas and Father Grinch in the vehicle. Of course keeping with tradition, the Erotas family did not disappoint anyone that went along.
It was one of the coldest days in December, with bone- chilling wind-chill, and of course the trees with the soft, long needles are always the ones furthest away. We have been to many tree farms and this one by far is the most original and nostalgic. Millbrook Tree Farm is owned by two school teachers that enjoy seeing the repeat customers each year and were happy to see a newly- wed couple come out to experience the cutting of a tree. Upon arrival, each customer receives a saw, measuring pole, and a cart for hauling the tree. It really is beautiful to have the opportunity to walk through fresh pines in the snow under a star-lit eve. Never mind the hound dogs that bark at us every year. (They just don’t seem to understand the Christmas spirit…obviously, they are not friends of Snoopy. I will remember to bring bones next year.)
Of course, this festive activity did have its debacle— Skip thinks that I am too picky about our trees. I am not. I just want one that looks full and smells nice. We used to get really tall ones when our kids were little. Now we go after the short and stout. This year, we were able to pick one out relatively quickly and tout it home. During Christmas, our tree looked beautiful in our living room. The kids put their own ornaments on each year. They have received new ones every year so there is quite a nice collection at this point. Peter took his container of ornaments this year but we got to keep the ones that he made for us when he was little. Sounds fair. That was our plan. Probably my favorite thing is placing the worn ornaments onto the tree that each child gave to us at Christmas time. Some have their pictures on them, and others have their names printed barely visible on them. The children make fun of their rudimentary artwork from the past, but I am sure that they are pleased that their ornaments bring us such joy and fond memories of times when they were so anxious to see Christmas come. 2010 was a lovely Christmas and I am thankful that everyone’s health is good and that we had so many laughs. I pray for the people struggling and for our men and women overseas in our military. I think we all pray for peace.
So here we are. It is 2011. I cleaned out my wallet and calendar today. I am not making any real resolutions this year except to re-connect with some old friends that I may have lost track of over the last few years. I attended the funeral of a college friend’s father recently and I thought that it must be very comforting for the gal’s mother to see so many of her daughter’s friends show up. Our family has been very blessed with good friends and I am sure that if we can show love and friendship to someone every day then our world will feel our presence. Happy New Year, Peace and Joy to you!