The older my children get, the harder the shopping for them has become…they have all developed their own styles, which I am glad for. However, I can no longer (with any confidence, anyway) pick out clothes that they will love .This Christmas we stuffed their stocking with personal items and CASH!
  I knew they would love shopping the sales after Christmas, but I was sad that the wild, messy, Christmas mornings with little ones had passed us by already.
  I was determined to make it special somehow.
  For a month before Christmas I worked every available minute on a “special” present for each of the six kids.
  I collected all their baby, toddler and current pictures along with their certificates from school and sports.
  I crafted a scrapbook of each of their lives, each page was filled with their photos, bible verses, and wise sayings that reminded me of them. At the front of each of their books I place a letter to them, telling them what made them unique and why I loved them so much, pledging my promise to always be there, vowing to help them continue to grow into the men and women of God they are called to be.
  And yes I cried THE WHOLE TIME!

     After breakfast, and the stockings, the hugs and the “thank you s”,
Gary
handed each of them their books.
  To be honest, I was afraid they might think they were corny, and all my hard work would be a waste.
  Their reaction was the opposite.
  They cried as well when they read their letters, and sat for an hour looking at their books, and then each others.
  They laughed; they reminisced, and smiled the whole time.
  It was a Christmas morning that will forever be burned in my memory. Since then I have walked in their rooms to find them studying their books, and showing them proudly to the Grandma’s.
 

I guess sometimes the best gifts we can give are simple, and from the heart.

 
Tyler
asked if we can make that a Christmas tradition… we’ll see.