Monthly Archives: December 2015

Christmas

Wilson Christmas Letter 2015

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Front DoorFrom our house to yours–Merry Christmas from the Wilson’s!! I have been writing Christmas letters since 1994 but here’s to the first one on my blog site!  Enjoy!!

Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa Wilson!!

This has been one VERY life changing year for the Wilson family as we have experienced everything from exceptionally MAJOR life changes to diaper changes. This Christmas season finds us in a state of peace and wonderment at all that has transpired this past year.

Little Crystal Nicole arrived into this world on January 31st which was a few weeks ahead of schedule. Alison was placed on bed rest in late November with complications and we breathed prayers while holding our breath through the next several weeks until Crystal was delivered. Alison continued to have complications after delivery but had a lot of support through those first few months.

DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING IS NOTHING LESS THAN A SAPPY TIRADE OF GRANDMA/GRANDPA-ITIS AND MUST BE READ WITH UPMOST CAUTION LEST YOU FIND YOURSELF WITH A CHRONIC CASE OF DIABETES…that being said…Crystal is the most beautiful perfect creature we have ever laid eyes on…except perhaps Alison…Crystal is a great combination of both her parents with Justin’s eyes and Alison’s cheeks and smile. Crystal has a very calm spirit about her and loves to study and analyze everything and especially likes feeling different textures. She has deep blue eyes which is strange since both her parents have brown. Crystal is ten months old now and has four teeth coming in simultaneously, is crawling everywhere and attempts to pull herself up when she wants to. She has completely stolen our hearts and we are both so thankful to be blessed with this stage in our lives.

Alison and Justin are also adjusting very well to their roles as parents. They have both made it through the “new parent” syndrome so far without too many ill effects and have even conquered the horrendous diaper aromas without too many gags or throw ups. They are now getting a real sense of turmoil a crawler can bring when everything is literally “up for grabs”. Their Christmas tree was the latest victim of little Crystal’s fascination with anything shiny, glittery or just available. Fortunately, Crystal has a real interest in books which keeps her occupied for at least thirty seconds. We’ve received only a few 911 calls to come over and rescue them from a potentially volatile situation with a fussy infant.

Yep, we CAN actually “come over” since we now live right beside of them!! Thus, the second HUGE life changer; we are now living in North Carolina. Our eventual migration south began in the spring. We had been making plans and filling up a storage unit for a few months but after Crystal was born…game on! There were so many miracles and blessings during this time that I can’t really stuff into one measly little Christmas letter so here’s a synopsis. Put the house on the market in May which sold for asking price in one day. Sssoooo, I literally got in the car and flew south to try and secure a job and a house. Job did not pan out and the six houses the realtor showed were real dogs so in crept panic followed by prayer. Next, two nights before I was to head back to Ohio, an offer by Alison and Justin’s next door neighbor to see their house which was not on the market but since they were in the process of building a home, had planned to move out. After an out-of-body experience looking through the house which was perfect for us and nearly passing out after hearing the asking price, we talked it over and I gave a nod and a verbal “ugh”. We closed on our house June 12th and headed south, met the movers at the new house on the 13th and closed on the new house on the 15th of June.

There is so much more that happened during this time and I ask that if you are interested, please go to my blog site: www.lifesimplyspoken.com and read “Pacing in the Waiting Room” and “Pacing in the Waiting Room Part Deux”. Also, you could read “Little Hands and Tiny Feet” which I wrote after Crystal was born.

We know God has a plan for us here in North Carolina and it is not just to be grandparents, even though we do take our role very seriously. Jenny and I welcome and embrace the new adventures that await us as we continue this journey. We are so excited to relive the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a little one, where everything is new, alive and exciting. May your Christmas be just as exciting as you share with you and yours this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

From Jenny, Steve and Izzy the dog

Accountability, Christian, Christianity, God, Hope, Humor, Inspirational, Life, Listening, Love, Spirituality

Crying Fowl

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Rooster

Have you ever had one of those days where everything seemed to make you jump?  My wife had one of those times a few nights ago.

Her “Trilogy of Terror” began when she was looking for me in the house which was getting a little dark since it was early evening and we hadn’t yet turned on lights.  I heard her calling my name but I remained silent as my juvenile side took over and I waited until she stood in the dark hallway.  I flung my jacket out of the bedroom and into the hallway; the “cloak of death” hurled itself toward Jenny and she let out a scream, stammering back as if she would surely faint.  I was completely prepared for a beating from that one.

The second small scare occurred when we were lying in bed, watching some TV when all of a sudden Jenny looked up and screamed “SPIDER”!!  It turned out to be a large mosquito which I quickly squashed with a tissue.  The “Peace de la Resistance” occurred as we were preparing for bed.

As a general routine, I take the dog out for one last elimination thus eliminating the middle of the night whines.  On this particular night, we were receiving torrential downpours.  I let Izzy have a moment of solitude as I stood in the doorway with my back to the door and the Christmas wreath hanging from it.  I had on my hooded robe as I normally do.  After Izzy returned, I closed up shop, headed up the stairs and waltzed in the bedroom.  About that time, I felt air on my neck, heard a “whoosh” sound and saw a dark form swoop over my head and land on one of the pictures on the other side of the room.  Jenny let out a blood curdling scream and dove under the covers.  A Carolina house wren had evidently been in the wreath to escape the deluge, jumped in to the hood of my robe and hitchhiked his way into the house.  The bird was staring down his very long, sharp beak at me with small beady eyes and I just knew he wanted to peck my eyes out!

Jenny and I developed a strategic game plan on how to isolate our feathered friend so we could catch and free the little pooper.  Armed with a long nylon feather duster and bath towel, we closed the doors to all the other rooms which left the kitchen and living room exposed.  The little flyer flew into the kitchen and up on the cabinet ledge; he must have thought he was in an aviary version of little shop of horrors as positioned on every cabinet ledge were Jenny’s still life Hens & Roosters she had collected over the years.  The pointy beaked wonder flew back and forth between and on top of the variety of ledge fowl; meanwhile, Jenny followed suit with feather duster in hand trying to corral the feathered beast. We orchestrated our bright idea of turning out every light except for the one at the back door.  After several minutes of failed attempts to lure him to safety, a combination of a samurai duster, matador cape bath towel and ultimate fatigue on the part of the bird finally brought him down to the floor by the back door.  I urged him on out with the towel and that was that.

All the while we were working to free our uninvited guest back to the great outdoors, it struck me how we just wanted him safe and uninjured, back to where he belonged.  God must feel that way with us at times when we flit about from here to there, wanting to do our own thing when all He wants is for us to be safe under His guidance and protection.  As Psalm 91:4 NIV puts it, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”  So often, we just don’t get it.  Our selfish nature screams out for the “freedom” WE deserve and when God tries to guide us or chastise us for the greater good, we cry foul!   Unfortunately, all along we are like that bird, flying back and forth from one ledge (vice, habit, sin) to another, trapped by our own distorted sense of freedom.  If we could just stop for once, rest, take a breath and allow our Heavenly Father to pick us up and release us into His perfect will where we would be totally free indeed…

Coincidentally, after all the ruckus was over and the bird was safe, we still had to clean up all the mess he left behind including bird droppings and small feathers everywhere.  But we could still hold on to the satisfaction that one of God’s creatures was still safe and able to once again fly free.

Matthew 6:26 ESV  “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?”