From: Brothers

I like what brothers give me for Christmas. I've been wearing the soft, cream-colored scarf Tim gave me. He bought it at Target - anyone could have walked in and checked out with a red-shirted cashier, but because he chose it for me, knowing I would like it, I treasure it like he walked the mountains of Peru to find alpacas who would shed their wool, and sheared and spun and dyed and wove with his own hands.

Jeff's hands really did work the stitches on his gift for me - socks, woolly and cozy and perfectly fitted to my feet. He asked me how big I thought Mom's feet were, since our feet are similar in size, and in my reply I told him the measurement for my own feet. But I was still completely surprised when I tore back the wrapping paper and saw the blue ribbing, the neatly shaped heel and foot and toe.

I listened to Sara Groves' newest CD today in the car. John and I like music, and we like Sara Groves, and we like to listen together and remind each other of appropriate songs, and sometimes we even break out in the same random song at the same random moment. Soon we'll have added the tracks from "Fireflies and Songs" to our repertoire.

My only big brother, Aaron, gave me a CD too. I have borrowed lots of his Caedmon's Call CDs, as he's a fan and has most of their recordings. He's also generous and tells me my membership at the Library of Dillow is still good and I should use it whenever I want. So whenever I listen to "Overdressed", the Caedmon's Call CD he gave me, I'll be reminded of the welcome I always find in his home and heart.

Thanks, brothers.