The TRUTH about Santa (Shhhhhh...Not for those under 12 yrs old)

It was last year.. We knew Erin was hearing things at school.. she was putting 2 and 2 together.. Santa was fading away from her..

We didn't like that..

Matt thought of it.. he came up with what we should say..

(But I insisted it be at Starbucks.. I thought I had to have a holiday drink in my hand when we did this.)

We looked into the eyes of our little girl.. her eyes get real big sometimes.. she had big eyes at that moment.

Erin, 

(We were nervous.. anxious... couldn't believe we were having "this moment"...)

The truth is...

There really IS a Santa Claus....  

There is a legend about a man that lived a long time ago and he gave gifts to children.

He did it because God had given him the best gift of all -- Jesus.

When that man died it was his hope that others would pick up where he left off and continue to give gifts to each other -- in the name of Santa Claus -- but because of JESUS.

We've been doing it..... and now... ....You can do it too!

Are you ready for it?

Her eyes were still big and she said.. 

"Yes!"

Then she smiled at us and said "I like this..."

And that's how we told Erin the truth about Santa Claus.

Every real estate SALE or PURCHASE has some story behind it.

The stories are my favorite part...

Some stories I want to stand up and CHEER.. .some I laugh about LATER.. some STILL make me tear up when I think about them.

They make me think about things in my own life.. the things that cause these sales to happen.. they always makes me feel something... always.

LIFE -- the THICK of it -- happens EVERY DAY and it forces EACH of these sales to happen..

the drive for something different out of life,

the joys that happen to each of us in life,

the challenges/struggles/tragedies life sometimes hands us.

In-my-own-house life is sometimes THICK (loud) with this kind of stuff.

Then on other days I think it's THIN and quiet... and there's nothing going on.

Oh.. but the other day I was reminded that life is THICK everyday -- somewhere...

At 1:00pm I showed a house to a couple looking to create their first home.

They're getting married in September.

It was fun..they were smiling..

They have plans.. we made some plans...

At 2:00pm I toured a home where the father met me at the door...

his 18 year old daughter looked up at me from the couch as I walked into the living room...

his little 5th grade son walked into the room...

The kids followed us as we walked thru the house.  They piped up here and there about stuff they wanted me to see.

They had just lost their mom a few months ago and they all want to sell and have a new start.

I left them and came home..

My mother-in-law was over.  When I walked in the door her and the girls were elbow deep in APRONS and EASY BAKES.. there were miniature pizzas and chocolate chip cookies all over the kitchen.

Later I talked to my mom for almost an hour on the phone.

It's crazy how much LIFE happens in one day!