On Ornaments and Church Callings

When I was a baby my grandma made me and my two cousins felt ornaments.  All three of her children had their first babies in 1973.  Thus began a tradition that mom mom and my aunt have carried on to this day for their own grandchildren.  Taking over the ornament business felt like big shoes to fill, and my mom in her effort to do so, went beyond the mark and has stepped up the craftsmanship to the next level.  (I was stressed about taking this on before my mom started making them bigger and better than ever… now I’m terrified!)

This year she made Ian a flag football guy.  It even has the league logo on the shirt.  Megan got a Twilight book with a book worm in it.  Twilight isn’t her most favorite series, but it’s the book series that really got her reading all things fantasy, which is her favorite genre by far.  YA fantasy… she reads them all!

            

There are a few leftover ornaments that were originally made by my grandma (that my mom has squirreled away for a rainy day) and this year was the year to pull them out.  These two Giants ornaments were perfect for two BIG Giants fans – especially since the G-Men won the World Series this year. 

                    

All of the kids have gotten schoolhouses at some point in their lives…Brayden got his this year since he started full day Kindergarten.  He loved it!  I was a bit worried that he would think his ornament was boring, but it was a hit.  He’s so funny about his ornaments.  He only wants to hang up the ones he deems to be cool right now… PotatoHead and Thomas the Train didn’t make the cut, so when he wasn’t looking I hung them on the back side of the tree where he wouldn’t notice them.

This ornament is the reason I have delayed posting these pictures.  Back in September my mom got the idea to make this for me, since I’m well into my 3rd year serving as our Ward’s Relief Society President.  As you may know, the positions in our church are voluntary and we don’t get paid salaries.  This job is one of the most difficult jobs in the church, and NO ONE in their right mind would volunteer for it, which is why our Bishop “calls” us to do the job. 

                                                                                                                 We usually serve 3-5 years and it’s like having a full-time job.  Every RS Pres fantasizes about the day they will be “released”. Three days before Christmas, I found out that I would be getting released from this position in early January.  Then two days later, my mom gave me this ornament.  I almost cried.  Honestly.  It’s gorgeous.  She cross-stitched the front in the tiniest aida I have ever seen!  She could not have picked anything more perfect!   The words around the edge are the motto of the RS:  Charity Never Faileth.

Yesterday, my release came.  Part of me feels sad, part of me feels relieved, and part of me feels guilty for the woman who is taking my place.  She will do a great job, though.  This year will bring a lot of changes for me… I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds!  And I think it’s about time I get a bigger Christmas tree for next year so I will have more room for all these beautiful ornaments!