Precious Moment's Nativity

   
Wayne got this Precious Moment's nativity for me 30 years ago.  I get it out every year and put it in it's place of honor.  Most people wouldn't notice this nativity or even think that it's very nice, or precious at all.  But I love it.  I love the broken parts and the warn off paint. I love the memory of when it first arrived.
     It was our first Christmas together.  We had been married 9 months.  We were both trying to be in school.  I was just finishing up my student teaching at BHS and Wayne as at the U and working part time at Mr. Mac's. We had no money.  We were living in my grandparent's apartment on 500 south in Bountiful, paying cheap rent and utilities, driving a bashed in car that Wayne's dad found for us and basically, just living on love.
     Our Christmas decorations consisted of a free "Charlie Brown" type  Christmas branch....I mean tree with worn decorations given to us from my mother....stuff she wasn't using anymore.
    We came home one night and had an anonymous grocery bag at our front door.  We were thrilled by the much needed food and  I remember looking at it and crying.
     As Christmas time rolled around we knew gifts would be sparse.   We had to get new tires for our car...and that was going to be our Christmas gift to each other.   I was sad by this new awareness of adult hood, but knew we would make it through.
    On Christmas Eve, Wayne had one present for me to open...it was the Precious Moment's Nativity that I had seen in the Christmas window at Barne's Gifts on Main street in Bountiful.  I was so touched by this gift and the sacrifice Wayne made to get it for me.  Those tires have come and gone...but the Precious Moment's Nativity lives on and on.