A Loving Family & Sant Letters – The Best Christmas Gift Possible

Last year I received the best Christmas present I have ever been given. It was a complete surprise and I never expected it. Let me tell you how it all started. Like most families we all write letters to Santa every year.

Last year while the kids were writing their letters I wrote my own asking for a photography studio. I never intended to do anything with it. I tossed it aside to help Trenton with the glitter he wanted to use. From there I can only assume one of my other children found letters to Santa. I didn’t think about that Santa Claus letter again until Christmas morning.

Before I had children I loved taking and developing photographs. There came a point that we no longer had the room for my dark room. We sold my projector and chemicals. At the time I wasn’t even sad about it. I had a digital camera and no free time to spend in the dark room. Now my kids were older and they no longer need or want to spend every moment of every day with mom.

I had been so busy raising kids for the past several years I didn’t know what to do with myself now that they were older. I was actually finding time to get bored. I needed something in my life that was just for me.

Christmas morning we all rushed around the tree to find gifts from Santa. The kids ripped into the wrapping paper and rainbows of ribbon rained down around the room. When the gifts were all opened I couldn’t help but notice I hadn’t received even one.

We all gathered the wrapping paper and cleaned up the bits of ribbon and tape. I was about to take the trash out to the can when suddenly all six members of my family were at my side. My husband took the bag from my hands and told me to close my eyes. He led me through the back yard. The sound of crunching frozen grasses stopped and I opened my eyes.

They had read my letters to Santa. Before me was a nice sized ‘shed’ with a green velvet ribbon on the door knob. I can’t imagine how they got the shed past me. Inside the shed was everything I could possibly need for my photography hobby. The interior of this building is extremely comfortable and inviting. But the best part is that my loving family worked so hard to keep everything a secret just to surprise me with a gift that was beyond my wildest expectations and dreams. Tears filled my eyes and I couldn’t speak for a few moments. I was surprised that they had been so sly. They told me sneaking out to paint the inside of shed black was the hardest part to pull off.

Every time I walk through the door of my dark room I can’t help but take a few moments to be grateful for being blessed with such a loving and giving family.