Hey there. My name is Annalee Pritchard, and author Jennifer Sienes asked if I would share with y’all my favorite ever Christmas present since this is release week for her newest Christmas novella These Simple Gifts. She also asked me to remind y’all to enter below for a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card.
Just so you know, when I was little, I loved everything about Christmas. Trimming the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, baking Christmas cookies and making candy with Mama to share with friends and neighbors, and, of course, Santa Claus. Probably not a whole lot different from any other kid. The pre-school children I teach are kind of a testament to that.
But then when I was sixteen, I did something downright foolish, and it changed me some as poor choices tend to do. Instead of seeing the world through the lens of innocence and wonder, I became scared of my own shadow. Spent a whole lot of time locked away in my room studying, and instead of going away to college like most of my friends did, I stuck close to home. Nothing wrong with MTSU, but by the time I was nearing thirty, it was getting downright embarrassing to still be living with Mama and Daddy.
You might be wondering what all this has to do with my most memorable Christmas present, but I promise there’s a connection here. Just wanted to give you a little background, so you might could understand why the particular gift I’m gonna tell you about was so important.
When I thought about opening my own pre-school, the idea seemed plumb crazy. But the Lord kept pressing it on me until I couldn’t say no. I figured He’d take care of the particulars if I trusted Him—which was where things got a little sticky. Trust wasn’t easy for me to come by. It got even scarier when Daddy found the perfect building where I could teach and live. Of course, it would require me to leave the comfort and safety of the only home I’d ever known.
It was the week before Christmas I put the down payment on the building and was in escrow. I was terrified and excited. But more terrified than excited. I wanted it so bad, and at the same time, I knew it would take all the faith I could muster to live on my own. And don’t think I didn’t whine about it to Mama and Daddy hoping they’d talk me out of it. Of course, being the supportive parents they are, they were all but pushing me out the door.
Christmas morning, I dragged myself out of bed. Hadn’t slept more than a couple hours since I’d wrestled the whole night with my fears. Mama and Daddy were already up, the tree lit, Christmas music playing, the smell of coffee and Mama’s homemade cinnamon rolls calling to me.
“’Bout time you got up.” Daddy handed me a mug of coffee as I walked into the kitchen. “We been waitin’ on you for a good hour.”
Mama pulled the pan of sweet-smelling rolls from the oven and placed it on the stove top.
“Didn’t sleep so good,” I mumbled before taking a sip. “What time are Matt, Lillian, and the kids comin’ over.”
“Not till two.” Mama dipped a spatula into the cream cheese icing and started slathering the rolls. “How come you didn’t sleep?”
“Having buyer’s remorse, I suppose.” More like buyer’s panic! I slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar and cut a glance Daddy’s way. Why couldn’t he make everything better like he did when I was little? A scraped knee, a broken heart, monsters under my bed…nothing was too big for him to fix.
“You’re gonna have to face your fears sometime,” he said instead. “Might be we have something that could make it a tad easier, though.” He looked at Mama, and the two of them shared a smile. Like they were holding onto some secret that was too delicious to reveal. Wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. No telling what lengths they’d go to get me out of their hair.
“Before we get to opening presents,” Mama said, “Would you mind goin’ out to the garage and getting the ham from the fridge?”
Something was fishy. Neither of them would look at me, and Daddy wasn’t one to let either Mama or me haul a twenty-pound ham around. Not that I was a weakling or anything; it was just his way.
“Okay.” I drew out the word to let them know I wasn’t fooled by their act and crossed the kitchen to the garage door. First thing I noticed was the light had been left on, and the cars weren’t there. And then I saw the pen set up in the middle with a couple of dog beds, food and water bowls, and…two fat little pups, each with a bright red bow tied around their chubby necks wrestling around in the far corner.
“Oh my gosh.” I swiveled around to find Mama and Daddy standing in the doorway, grins as big as Texas on their faces. “Are they mine?”
“Well, sure.” Daddy stepped out and put an arm around my shoulders. “Can’t have you movin’ into your own place without proper protection, can we?”
The three of us stepped into the pen with the rambunctious brown and black siblings. Beaucerons, Daddy said they were. A brother and sister who’d become not only my protection, but my best friends. A bundle of pure Christmas joy!
Enter here for your chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card.
Comments 4
What a sweet story. I feel if you are responsible for a pet or another person that you love, you will overcome your own fears. You will be focused on their well-being.
Author
I completely agree. There have been studies that show how effective pets are at relieving stress.
This was so cute, having a character from your book tell their Christmas story! And who doesn’t love a puppy story at that!
Author
The characters are almost as real to me as my friends (sometimes more real). And yes, who doesn’t love puppies! These beaucerons are important characters in These Simple Gifts, too!