Steve and I told both kids when they were young that whatever they saved for a car, we would match. Our goal was to get them a first car that would last them at least six years and start them into young adulthood with no car payments. Nathan is still driving that Nissan he bought almost eight years ago!
This week, I was reminiscing with Steve about the kids’ cars and thinking especially back to 2006 when Sarah had just relapsed. I had wandered into her room one day and saw lying on her dresser an envelope marked “Car and Calage.” She had tucked a few dollars inside, the beginning of her savings account for her first vehicle and for her college education.
That envelope with its dear pencil-scrawled words stopped me in my tracks and reduced me to tears. Even though Sarah had just relapsed with a mostly unsurvivable cancer, she wasn’t giving up. She was diligently planning for college, for a car—for a future. Eight years ago, I stood crying over that envelope, seriously wondering if those poignant plans for the future would ever come to fruition.
Well, Wednesday, a little girl’s hope came true.
We saw our sweet survivor get behind the wheel of her very own car and drive into her future—the future she was able to picture even as a child with cancer, a future that sometimes I couldn’t always find the faith to believe in.
She is alive. She’s in calage. She has the car she’s saved for.
What a glad, happy, smile-producing day!
(I’ll post pictures of the car once Nathan and Meagan have seen it in person.)
One event our church always looks forward to is our Candlelight Communion Service.
One special moment of the service was when Gage played guitar with Steve during Silent Night. Steve has been giving Gage guitar lessons for almost a year but Gage has been reluctant to show off his newly learned skills for his parents, siblings, and grandparents.
Well, a few weeks ago he and Steve got to plotting and decided that he would surprise his family and play in public for the first time during this Candlelight service. You should have seen their faces! What a sweet moment.
Steve always sits in the rocking chair every year and reads a story to everyone.
Aren’t the traditions and celebrations of Christmas so wonderful?
Last night was our annual Ladies Christmas party at the lovely home of the wonderful Miss Libby.
I loved how she matched the cupcakes to the plate to the napkins.
Another cool thing she did was to put egg nog into a punch bowl and then stir in a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. Absolutely delicious. And of course, calorie-free! (I wish.)
Well, now it’s time to kick it into gear and finish up a hundred bazillion things in anticipation of a certain plane landing tonight at 8 p.m. which will be carrying Precious Cargo.
Many precious cargo pictures to come!
Looking forward to seeing Sarah’s new car! You must be in Grandma heaven right now!
Cindy,
Yes, I am in grandma heaven; and Sarah is in new car heaven! 🙂
Congrats to Sarah on her first car! Back in the day, my stature was so limited that I had to sit on two blue throw pillows to see over the steering wheel of our Ford Country Squire station wagon. In those days there was very little seat adjustment available.
I was wondering what story Steve chose this year to tell, in his rocking chair.
Yay for arrival day!!!!! Very exciting.
Lesley,
That was one of the first things Steve and Sarah looked for in a car; is the seat easily adjustable so that Sarah can see over the wheel? I love the idea of you sitting on two throw pillows. Those Country Squire wagons were definitely not equipped for shorter folk!
Steve read a story by one of our favorite authors, Walt Wangerin. (Sorry, can’t think of the title.)
Congratulations to Sarah on her first car. Now that’s exciting!
The candlelight service looks beautiful. So Christmassy!
Please send Miss Libby here next year to help me decorate my apartment for Christmas. I kind of let that lapse this year, and now I’m not happy with myself.
So excited for you as you await your visitors from the south. Enjoy every minute of it, Grandma…I know you will.
Jan,
I hear you! I need Miss Libby to pay a visit to MY house, too!
Congratulations Sarah. Nothing shouts independence like your own car. Safe travels wherever your car takes you. Beautiful pictures as always Becky. Just looking at Steve in the chair I can almost hear his Christmas story. (If that makes sense 🙂 )
Mel,
Yes, that makes perfect sense. Seeing a photo kind of gives you a chance to fill in the details with your imagination. 🙂
“colidge and car”… what a precious tribute to Sarah’s mustard seed faith!
your church looks so beautiful and Christmasy… hooray for Gage… quite a courageous feat, I would say.
are you singing “Tonight”?…. “the minutes seem like hours”
Mrs. Pam,
The hour-long minutes finally passed . . . hooray!
Anxious to see pictures of Sarah’s car and see what she chose. 🙂
Precious Cargo, indeed. Your excitement level must be sky high! Enjoy!!
LeeAnne,
It’s lovely having the Precious Cargo filling up every corner of our house. Dreading the day when they all take off again . . .