Whats important and what's not

My kids are quietly playing. They got a lot this year for Christmas and yet it's definitely not what their friends got. I am hearing from McKenna as her friends text her what they got. My kids are reading posts from friends on facebook that got i touches, ipods and laptops. These were not gifts that we could afford. But don't be sad for them, for they got a lot.

Jon and I warned the kids that this year would be scarce. Grandparents came through and gave them each some gifts, and nice ones. Aunts and Uncles came through and gave them gifts. But from us they didn't get much. But I am finding this morning that I am feeling a bit emotional, not because we couldn't give our kids what others have gotten, but because we got what we did. People, friends, came through, slipped us a bit of cash or a gift card here and there, just because they love us. The singles ward gave each kid a few gifts and with the generosity of others Santa was able to visit our home this year. We were blessed, yes that's true.

I have learned a lot in my lifetime, and it seems one of the biggest learning times seems to be Christmas. I want to do what everyone else wants to do. Give to their kids as much as their little hearts desire. But this year I want more than that. I wanted to give to my children what money can't buy. I wanted to give them something that lasts well beyond the scratched wii games and broken toys...I wanted to give them family. Each other. Cousins. Grandparents. All of it.

I want them to be able to see beyond what they did get, and what they didn't get and see what they have. You should have seen my kids faces when a package came in the mail from their cousins. It didn't even matter what was in the package, what mattered was that they were thought of. That they felt cared about.

I love the people in my life this year. I am not sure what has been so different about this year, but I think it has something to do with four babies lost, a hospital stay for Megan, getting closer to the sisters in Vegas and all the time we spent as a family this summer, but something is different. Life is getting harder, the economy is scary and my children have quite a while to still live in it, but what I want them to always have is each other. As long as they have that...they can overcome just about anything. Life is teaching us that this year and I am trying to learn from it. I hope they are too...