You are my habit

Writing these letters over our deployment has changed the way I think of communicating with you and as a family. It has also taught me some of the inner ways you think and experience your day. I do now declare that I want family letter writing to be a consistent thing throughout our life. (Just maybe not everyday - as we can see, even when deployed, thats hard to keep up. But once a week or even month would be fun to read and look back on...hey? - I threw that in for you).

Another habit I want to keep going: ponderizing scriptures. Yes, I already fell by the wayside doing it but I loved doing it and love the idea and I think we need to hold each other accountable for it. There is no doubt that a habit like that will only be a good thing down the road.

Tomorrow is Christmas eve eve. I can't believe it. It really doesn't feel much like Christmas here. Mostly because there isn't all the preparations and travel, and of course family and traditions. They do try to make it somewhat holiday like with a few decorations and some extra activities. I found my new talent and calling at BINGO. Can bingo be a talent? Well I got lucky anyways and one two weeks in a row. I guess I should stop there while ahead.

I think you are the best. I love the stocking and 12 days of Christmas you sent me. I have them decorated all about my desk and with the pictures of the family you sent me, my desk is like a little haven/shrine to the family. I feel comfortable sitting at my desk and looking at all the treasures and reminders of the people most important to me.

I know you know the story but for posterity sake: SSG Hoff shares an office with me. He has felt over the 9 months deployed under appreciated and forgotten. His unit didn't support them or show any love or concern for them at any point let alone during the holidays. I noticed he would get very annoyed when I got packages especially from my work. So we talked about how it would be nice to send him a Christmas gift. When I walked in one morning, he was sitting there with the box in his lap. "CPT Pilgrim, do you know anything about this?". "Well, I think it's for you." He replied "When I saw who this is from I was really moved and touched by that." I could tell he really meant that as he looked at me and held his box. I went to the mail room and got mine and then we opened it together (bonding moment!). When he say all the individually wrapped presents and stocking in there this guy, who is fairly intimidating at first impression, got teary eyed and said something to the effect that it meant a lot to him with all the feelings he has had over the past several months. So, that's my wife. My wife does wonderful things that make a difference to people. She doesn't even get the direct credit for them because she does it quietly and without public pomp or circumstance. She is a great example of simple, quiet, dignity and Christlike service. I love you!!

Stuff like that DOES make it feel like Christmas.

We had the stake president visit us. It was really cool to hear about the status of the church in the middle east. He brought something like 72ish dozen cookies made by the stake. Some of them were GOOD!. I decided to take a bunch and hand them out at clinic. It was fun passing them around. Someone had made some really good cookies and tied a little note about the Savior to them. Also there were letters from the primary that I handed out to everyone. Again, another little Christmas bonus.

I'm grateful that also I have been the recipient of tremendous Christmas service. Our house was flooded while we were gone and being away we were helpless to do anything to care for it. Fortunately we had some good friends and neighbors who willingly stepped in to help. Charley, our elderly neighbor, checked in on the house every week and after the flood, personally put sandbags outside the back doors, removed the inside doors from the frames, and placed a dehumidifier in the house. Then the Farringtons went in and moved all our furniture, tore up the carpet, cleaned the floors, and raked the backyard with something like 25 industrial sized garbage bags of debris. I am so amazed at folks who step up to do service and am grateful for good people everywhere!

I guess, now that I'm writing this and reflecting on the holidays, it really has been a good Christmas holiday and perhaps one of the more meaningful ones I've had. Isn't it funny which moment in life become the meaningful ones. Usually they never are those ideal moments, but the hard times filled with struggle and sacrifice and stresses. Those, after the fact sometimes, seem to produce the most memorable changing experiences.

It's really late and I need to get up to talk to you in only a few hours. But do know that I certainly love you. I think I made one fantastic decision in my life and that was you! To be honest, I really lucked out. I'm grateful for how similar and alike I feel we are. I'm also grateful for the strengths that you bring that support me in my weaknesses. We are a great team and I want to finish the whole race together.

If we had something to toast I'd toast to a great Christmas that can be memorable and happy and where we can feel closer together as a family even though we are thousands of miles apart. I love you and miss you but know I will see you soon.

You are the apple in my pie.