The things we keep

I've been a big time blogger/slacker. I have so many posts and pictures I've been meaning to do--lots of ideas and intentions. Have they brought forth fruit? NOPE!! In my defense, my hubby is still off school until the 14th. I am just Soakin' up all this time I have to spend with him and don't want to waste it on the computer. I promise, I'll catch up--just not today. Today I am the Queen of Procrastination!

In the meantime . . .

We've been having some family discussions lately about caring for the things we have and making them last. What's that old Pioneer motto - - - "Fix it up, wear it out, make it do or do without"? Well, I wanted to share this beautiful Christmas letter from my Grandparents. I found it so poignant, perhaps you will too.

(Sorry for the very odd formatting, like a proverbial 2 year old, Blogger has been throwing tantrums today. I give up! I'm through fighting it! Let the 2 year old wear purple tights, a stained t-shirt, mismatched shoes, and shorts today! --I've got real 2 year-old tantrums to deal with!)

Dear Family and Friends.

Our marriage is good, our dreams focused. We for years spent part of our winters in warm St. George, Utah and Indio, California. Summer, gardening, upholstering, me in my jeans, Glo (that's my grandma) in her house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. Summer was a time for fixing things. Repair the garage door, paint the patio, honey do projects, mend the curtains, clean the house. We both kept busy. Always, early snows meant on the roof , making sure the snow was off for winter. Caring for things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made us crazy. All that re-fixing, renewing. We wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there would always be more.

But then in 2006 we had to move away [they moved in with my parents]. Sell out, give it away, take it to Deseret Industries or thrift stores. We were struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away . . . never to return. So . . . while we have it . . . it is best we love it . . . care for it, and fix it up when broken . . . and heal it when it is sick. This is especially true . . . for marriage . . . children and siblings . . . pets with bad hips or only three legs . . . and ageing parents.

Grandparents . . . we keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Other things we keep! Like best friends that move away, or neighbors who once were just a wave away, and now are fondest memories, classmates that we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know or knew, who are special . . . And so we keep them close at all times and in all places.

We are sending this to you because we think you are 'KEEPERS' and hope we are. May this Christmas Season be special in your lives and may it be "Merry CHRISTmas" and not just "Happy holidays".

Gloria and 'Pete' Peterson