This Christmas

This Christmas was a great one. We had so much fun with our family, friends, and little puppy. Christmas Eve was spent at my husband's parents house with the whole Roof family. We got grandma a Snuggie, and she thought it was a fur coat. It was so cute!

She was so happy... and warm! That night, however, we had an experience that is still staying with us. Z went into the Love's in Watonga to get me a Sprite on the way home, and came back to the car visibly upset. He had been in there for a while and I was beginning to worry. He shut the door and was looking around. I thought there was a robbery, or something because he wasn't even talking. Then, he said, "I just had the saddest experience..." He went on to tell me he was at the register and there was a little boy (6-9 years old) who was filthy, hair matted, coat way too big, trying to buy a toy gun. He had $6 and some change and then gun was $7.95. Sadly, when the cashier told him he didn't have enough money, he went to put it back. That is when my husband told him to keep his money and bought him the gun. He was so excited. Here comes the even sadder part... As we were driving off we saw this little boy crossing the highway to walk home. It was 20 degrees outside and this filthy little boy was walking home across a 4 lane highway, by himself. All of a sudden our Christmas became very, very, sad. Z got his name and I immediately called my mother-in-law to find out if she knew him. We followed him to his apartment where he was living and saw his "parents" (loosely using that word as I can't bring myself to call them parents) walk him into his apartment. I cried the whole way home. First, I cried because I cannot figure out why God allows people like that to be parents, and we have such a struggle. Then, I cried knowing that it is Christmas Eve, and Santa wouldn't be visiting this little boy's house. Next, I cried at how filthy this kid was, knowing he was neglected and that he has no chance in life. It really was a full-circle cry, if you will. Z and I feel like when we have these experiences, that God is trying to tell us something. There are so many kids in this world that need love, and we have a lot of love to give. Something big is in the future for the Bradt's.

Ok - back to the happier times, I made hot cocoa cupcakes. They were darling, but nobody really ate them. What grown adult eats marshmallows? (Besides me...)

Christmas day was spent at my house with my mom. We went and saw The Tourist at the theatre and I guessed the plot within the first 30 minutes; so I almost fell asleep... On the 26th, we had the whole family (mine and his) over for dinner and I cooked. This year's menu was: roasted chicken, pork loin, mushroom stuffing, carrots, green bean casserole, pomegranate stuffed apples, and of course crescent rolls. For dessert I made a caramel pecan pie and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Debby went to lunch with Anna Ruth's parents earlier in the day, and was telling them how I cook a lot and always try new recipes. She was bragging on my skills, so I just knew this one was going to be a flop. Luckily for everybody's belly, it was edible and we had a wonderful 3-day Christmas. I hope everyone else had a Christmas as blessed as ours. ~Amy