Uusally every year we adopt a family for Christmas from my husband's workplace or through the local Mission or domestic violence shelter. This year, we four of our police officers in Lakewood (only minutes away from where we live) were shot and killed at close range while they were sitting in a local coffee shop with their laptaps at 8:14am in the morning, getting ready to start their day. This happened a few weeks ago. The lone gunman who came into the shop shot three of them and the fourth police officer tried to wrestle with him but got shot and killed too. The gunman was wounded by the fourth officer but fled, he was located two days later and shot and killed by a police officer in Seattle.
Anyway, our community has been grieving this horrific loss and this year we decided along with many others we know to donate to the Lakewood Police Guild for the families of the slain officers (one police officer was a woman). All were parents and left behind a total of nine children. So that was going to be our "adopt a family" donation this year, but then I was talking to a very good friend of mine who's son lives near us and is a single dad raising three kids ages 14, 11 and 5. He just lost his job earlier this year but recently found another one, but is on commission. His mother and I have been very good friends since we were in 7th grade, but she lives in another state now and has for several years, so I don't see her that often, but we do talk on the phone a lot. When she told me about some of the trials her son has been going through this year (and I have known her son since he was born) I felt that God prompted me to want to do something to help his family, but to do it so that it would seem to be coming through his mom, so he wouldn't feel awkward about receiving from me. I talked to his mom about it, and we decided that I would put together a nice holiday food basket. Her son and family are vegetarian or vegan....it's the one where they do eat eggs and cheese but not any meat or fish. My friend's sister lives near, and she got some things too, and together we are going to deliver our goodies to my friend's son and his kids tomorrow afternoon. I had a lot of fun putting together a basket and I was hoping to finish a few scarves to give to the two older girls, but I am not sure I will be done...I have one done, and one half done....so if I work hard tonight I might make it.
We cut way down on gifts this year for Christmas with our family. Due to our refrigerator and microwave going out last weekend and having to purchase new ones, Tim and I aren't exchanging gifts this year. Which is fine. I did get some gifts for my mom, stepdad and two of Tim's adult kids who we will all see on Christmas Eve as we are having that at our house this year. Christmas day we go to Tim's parents (they are 88 and 89) and they have requested no gifts, so we will just go there for dinner. I have shopped for two of the six grand kids. The other four grandkids we aren't sure what to do, presents or a gift card..that is another situation. I have one friend I work with that we go out to breakfast the week of Christmas and exchange gifts within a $30 price range. I wouldn't mind opting out of that, but I have mentioned it before to her and she really loves to exchange gifts and go to breakfast and doesn't want to stop so we haven't . She is my closest work friend and we have worked together for 26 years so it's just one of those traditions that probably will remain until one of us isn't working there anymore.
My stepdaughter got us tickets for this Sunday to see the Broadway Christmas Rockettes musical in Seattle, so I am looking forward to that, we are going with her grandmother (her mom's mom) so the three of us are having lunch and then going to the 2pm show. I guess it has a live nativity scene on stage and is quite a show!
Well time to go to work, I am going to try to keep posting more in my blog.
Anyway, our community has been grieving this horrific loss and this year we decided along with many others we know to donate to the Lakewood Police Guild for the families of the slain officers (one police officer was a woman). All were parents and left behind a total of nine children. So that was going to be our "adopt a family" donation this year, but then I was talking to a very good friend of mine who's son lives near us and is a single dad raising three kids ages 14, 11 and 5. He just lost his job earlier this year but recently found another one, but is on commission. His mother and I have been very good friends since we were in 7th grade, but she lives in another state now and has for several years, so I don't see her that often, but we do talk on the phone a lot. When she told me about some of the trials her son has been going through this year (and I have known her son since he was born) I felt that God prompted me to want to do something to help his family, but to do it so that it would seem to be coming through his mom, so he wouldn't feel awkward about receiving from me. I talked to his mom about it, and we decided that I would put together a nice holiday food basket. Her son and family are vegetarian or vegan....it's the one where they do eat eggs and cheese but not any meat or fish. My friend's sister lives near, and she got some things too, and together we are going to deliver our goodies to my friend's son and his kids tomorrow afternoon. I had a lot of fun putting together a basket and I was hoping to finish a few scarves to give to the two older girls, but I am not sure I will be done...I have one done, and one half done....so if I work hard tonight I might make it.
We cut way down on gifts this year for Christmas with our family. Due to our refrigerator and microwave going out last weekend and having to purchase new ones, Tim and I aren't exchanging gifts this year. Which is fine. I did get some gifts for my mom, stepdad and two of Tim's adult kids who we will all see on Christmas Eve as we are having that at our house this year. Christmas day we go to Tim's parents (they are 88 and 89) and they have requested no gifts, so we will just go there for dinner. I have shopped for two of the six grand kids. The other four grandkids we aren't sure what to do, presents or a gift card..that is another situation. I have one friend I work with that we go out to breakfast the week of Christmas and exchange gifts within a $30 price range. I wouldn't mind opting out of that, but I have mentioned it before to her and she really loves to exchange gifts and go to breakfast and doesn't want to stop so we haven't . She is my closest work friend and we have worked together for 26 years so it's just one of those traditions that probably will remain until one of us isn't working there anymore.
My stepdaughter got us tickets for this Sunday to see the Broadway Christmas Rockettes musical in Seattle, so I am looking forward to that, we are going with her grandmother (her mom's mom) so the three of us are having lunch and then going to the 2pm show. I guess it has a live nativity scene on stage and is quite a show!
Well time to go to work, I am going to try to keep posting more in my blog.
The picture with this post is me at age two or three with "Santa" who was really my grandma!! I didn't have a clue though, I always thought it was really Santa!!
1 comment:
I remember hearing about the officers who were killed. It's sad, especially at this time of year, to deal with the loss of someone. It's nice that people are stepping up to help.
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