the missing ornament

This afternoon, we put up the Christmas tree and its white lights. Bryan and the kids lined up all the ornaments neatly on the coffee table so everyone could find his or her special ornaments to hang. But one ornament was missing...there was no ornament for baby David.

I'm not one to run out and be spontaneous and do shopping on a Sunday afternoon. Sunday afternoons are usually spent with family, taking an afternoon nap, or reading a good book; but this afternoon I was compelled to stop everything and go purchase a special ornament for David before a single ornament was hung. My sweet husband obliged, and like crazy people we piled in the car on our lazy Sunday afternoon on a sacred mission to find "David's ornament."

I wondered if I'd see anyone I knew at the mall. I did. A sweet friend from the homeschool co-op saw us looking through some of the ornaments that were on sale at a kiosk. She even asked the kids if we were looking for a special ornament. Somehow, I managed to reply without falling apart. You see, as I looked through the countless ornaments for sale at the mall, the truth that this will be David's only Christmas with us hit me like a ton of bricks. While we still have him with us, I want him to be a part of all our family is doing each day. Having his own ornament while he is still here became my afternoon's mission.

None of us is guaranteed a tomorrow. I wonder how we would live each day differently if we truly thought it might be one of our last. A good thought to ponder for each of us.

We did find a very special ornament. It is a white ceramic cross, bordered in baby blue. In the center of the cross is a white heart, also bordered in baby blue. It was the first ornament on the tree. It is surrounded by precious ornaments made by my other two children when they were preschoolers. The tree is now complete.