We brag on Grace, we really do......A Lot!! Some times it is just because we love her, and other times its because she really is the most amazing 5 year old person to ever walk the face of the earth.
In November, soon after the Thanksgiving holiday's came to an end, the Farmer family decided it was time to break out the Christmas decorations, well, Kerry decided and Grace and I knew better than to argue. I broke out our puny little pre-lit Christmas tree and stacked it, section on section. To our delight, it lit right up. Kerry unloaded our chest full of Christmas decorations and Grace and I spent the evening deciding exactly where each hand print, gingerbread man, and snowglobe would go. Kerry found an XM station on the television blaring Christmas Carols, so in our best Bing Crosby and Mariah Carey impersonations, we filled our home with joy and Jack's face with fear. When all was said and done, we had done a pretty darn good job decorating our living room with our modest decorations, complete with Granny Annie's nutcrackers. It was a great night, Kay would have been proud.
The next day Grace and I woke up, we had to return to work and school. Kerry and Jack played all day. It was business as usual at the Farmer house hold. But later that night, something magical happened. A present had appeared under our tree. It was small, white, and on it was written, To: Mom From: Grace. I asked mom, she said it had just appeared.
Over the next 3-4 weeks, more and more of these presents appeared under the tree as well as some other more intricately wrapped packages. But none as fancy as those Grace fashioned. Kerry and I never knew where they came from, we never asked.
One Thursday night, the night before Grace was getting out for Christmas break, Kerry and Grace were making plans for the next day. It was a big day because not only was Grace only going to school for a half day, but she was also going to get to attend mommy's Christmas party at work. Kerry was explaining to Grace the things that she might encounter while at this party. "Grace, tomorrow you will have to be on your very best behavior, everyone will be very excited that you are there, but some of the people are very sick, some of the people will be very old, some of the people will be very weak, and some of the people may not have much or any hair."
The next day, Kerry showed up to Mr. Mike's class to pick up a very excited Grace, she was quickly informed by Mr. Mike that Grace had spent the morning with her friends, not watching the movie the Polar Express. Instead Grace and her friends had been making heart shaped cards to give to all of mommy's patients for Christmas. Grace behaved at the Christmas party, she had a great time.
When the time came for Kerry, Grace, and Jack to head to Columbus for Christmas, I spent the evening packing 5 suitcases, a pack and play crib for Jack, a bag full of bottles, a stroller, movies, a bag of barbies, and all of the presents under the tree including one bag full of presents marked from Graces. It was a Glad lock garbage bag full of Grace's treasures, she was so proud.
I finally got to join the rest of the Farmer family on Christmas eve. Grace had spent the week playing with her Pop and KK, Jacob, Meagan, Johnathan, and Uncle Ben. She was very well taken care of, you could tell that she was not lost in all that is KK's house during the Holidays.
Christmas eve was spent tracking Santa on the computer, watching for him as he crossed the oceans and continents on his way to KK's house. We all got dressed up and went to First United Methodist for Christmas eve service, and returned home ready to hit the hay, so Santa could come to see us all. Grace was very, very excited.
We had a wonderful Christmas morning. Not too early, hot coffee brewing, packages everywhere. Grace and Jacob made out like bandits, Jack faired pretty well also. Kerry and I got all we could ever ask for. It was perfect. There were smiles and hugs and wrapping paper everywhere. Take another look at the picture, it doesn't get much better. All the presents were opened, all the presents but the ones in a little Glad lock garbage bag marked, From: Grace.
She almost forgot, she almost was so overwhelmed by all that she had, but when she finally remembered her treasures, the world stopped, her mind kicked into gear, and Christmas finally started.
She threw the bag on her shoulder, in her best Santa stance she marched. She pulled out present after present, there was one for each of us. They were perfect. Everyone in the room received one, they were notes, pictures, drawings, each one done with love, each one unique, drawn perfectly for it's recipient, wrapped in the same computer paper that they were drawn on, and labeled in black cursive writing, so fancy for a 5 year old. You couldn't imagined a more excited 5 year old, but something was wrong. She looked into the bottom of her bag and there was one present left. It didn't have a name on it. Who's was it? Kk and pop had thiers, Ben, Meagan, Johnathan were all taken care of. Mom and Dad's were delivered, of course mom got two. Who's was this last present?
Then right on cue, Uncle Bud wheeled himself through the living room, he had been getting ready to head to his apartment with Penny. Grace's eyes lit up. She knew where that present belonged and she marched over, dragging her Christmas bag over to Bud, smiling from ear to ear. It was time.
Now Bud doesn't hear well, and didn't really know what was going on, but it didn't take long for him to realize that he was being sought out. Grace presented Bud with her gift, "Merry Christmas Bud!!" He looked around, as he held the present. He moved it around in his hands. He looked at the marks on the paper, then he realized what it was, and what was going on. He smiled. He carefully opened it and analyzed it. Grace's cursive was a little much for Uncle Bud so he asked Grace to read it. "Bud, I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU, You are funny, I love you, I love you, Love Grace!!" Bud didn't take his eyes off of the paper. He just sat there. Grace reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed his cheek, and said, I love you Bud, Merry Christmas.
It was over, I was done. Ben and I were crying already, it was more than any father or mother could take. None of this was prompted. Like i said, Grace simply noticed we had a Christmas tree and no presents, she took it on herself to fix that problem. And she thought of everyone.
Bud looked up, said thank you, and then informed Grace, with a proud smile that this, he raised the paper, was the best present he got.
I can assure you, I will never forget Christmas 2008. It was a great Christmas, it was Jack's first Christmas. Kerry got a new truck, I got a saw. But Grace made sure that everyone at KK and Pop's house remembered that it was better to give than to receive, that Christmas isn't about presents, but about family, about love, and about relationships. She put everyone else on a pedastol, she made sure everyone in that house knew how she felt about them.
I have the best little girl a dad could ever want! I don't need to tell you why, i just do. And nobody, nobody, had a better Christmas than i did.
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