For Geoff

Dear Hadley,

This year you welcomed Christmas with much exuberance.  You couldn't wait to open presents.  You kneeled next to them under the tree and stared at them longingly.  You brushed your hands against the stockings to see whether the bumps and crinkles were toys. You talked about Santa almost everyday.

The thing is, though, I think you liked the idea of a wrapped present - a surprise - more then what the present turned out to be.  After the presents were opened and you found out what they all were, the excitement was over.  I think it was hard on you. 

 As I watched you this past week, making a mental note of what I would write about on the ol' blog, I noticed that the best things you got this year, are the things that have been around for awhile.  Keeping you company, making you laugh, helping to mold you into the person you are becoming.

One morning when we were in Chicago, Grandma started to play "Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus" on the piano and you came running up from the basement to join in.  She played "Silent Night" next and you sang along to that one, too.  On another night, when we were in Grand Rapids, you and Harper played happily together in Grandma and Grandpa's living room while the rest us sat around the table and talked. 

You also got to meet some of your cousins.

You're sitting next to Clara, my cousin Tonia's daughter.  She is named after our Grandma.  I think she'll probably be a spitfire like our Grandma was too. 

Speaking of spitfires....

You got to hang out with another cousin while we were in Chicago, too.  I think this was a highlight for you.  I could tell you felt like a big girl sitting with an almost 13 year old.

My favorite memory from this year's Christmas?  One night, your Uncle Geoff and Aunt Kellee, and your dad and I went out while we were in Chicago.  When we came home, and pulled into the garage, we realized that when we opened the back door, we would in turn wake Grandma and Grandpa up.  This was because they were sleeping in the room off of the kitchen (being the generous souls that they are, they gave us the bedrooms while we were visiting).  This sent the four of us into a fit of giggles.  And also, by the time we got to the backdoor, we decided we were all starving.  So not only did we wake your grandparents up, we made ourselves a little snack, too.  Don't worry, Grandma and Grandpa were laughing too.  Grandma said, "Don't feel awkward about the fact that you're standing in our bedroom."  This just sent us into another fit of laughter.

I think at this point, your Uncle Geoff decided to make himself a hashbrown, and we all thought that was absurd which just made things even more ridiculous. 

But I thought as I was getting ready for bed that night, that of all the gifts my parents could've given me, having Geoff to hang out with is one of the greatest.  And now to add your Aunt Kellee to the mix is a lovely gift as well.

I don't know if you'll remember all the presents you got when you were 4.  I'm guessing you won't.  And you might not remember making a snowman, playing in the basements of your grandparents' homes, lots of rounds of Zingo, or you and Harper watching the Nutcracker together while sitting in one of Grandma and Grandpa Feyen's chairs.  But I wrote them down for you, and I hope that in time you will see that as exciting as a beautifully wrapped, sparkly present is, it doesn't compare to laughing so hard your stomach hurts because the members in your family are so, so funny.

Merry Christmas, Hadley.  I'm going to see if there are any hashbrowns in the freezer.