December Daily - Day 9

We haven't had kids since Sunday (gasp!) and they won't return until Thursday. And honestly, I didn't know what I was going to say about these December days in their absence. I mean we aren't going to go see lights or do cookies or anything they wouldn't want to miss out on. We have been online Christmas shopping and I have been sewing Christmas gifts like a madwoman. We have gone to dinner, gotten coffee, gone thrift store shopping (twice) and Colin is drawing up plans for my commercial kitchen. Last night we had our elderly neighbor and widower, Leroy, over for dinner. He jumped on the opportunity and we all really enjoyed the evening. We exchanged military stories, he opened up about his wife (who passed away from cancer two years ago), faith, family history. It was wonderful. But when he showed up with this beauty of a basket from New Seasons ("it's non-alcoholic, they said" Leroy specified about the bottle) I was shocked. It has all those beautiful expensive treats that I always drool over and never buy. This was our Christmas present from a lonely man across the way that has gradually entered our lives in the last year. And this season I am seeing generosity. Such a generous and expensive gift that truly speaks my love language.

He stayed talking until about 8:30 - we rarely have that long when the kids are around, so this was a real treat to get to know him better.

Generosity. Yet another beautiful part of Christmas.