You Light Up My Life

 This is what fear looks like.  We have never had Christmas lights on our house because Scott and I are both afraid of heights.  I once got up on a ladder to prove to Scott how easy it was to clean out our rain gutters when he claimed he was too scared do it.  I got stuck on the ladder, petrified with fear.  Literally could not move.  I thought the fire department was going to have to come and carry me down.  I really did.

But I hate not having Christmas lights, and so do the kids, so Freestone and I came up with a plan.  We went to the hardware store and looked at ALL the lights.  Freestone has to consider all his options before making a decision, so we decided we would come back the next day while Daddy was at the Utah-BYU game and get the lights.  When Daddy came home, he would be surprised!  Freestone loved that idea and kept it a secret while we waited until the designated time to put our plan into action.  Putting the lights up was easy, except that I was dizzy from all the adrenaline coursing through my body.  I had my doubts about whether the four kids holding the extension ladder were doing any good.  I had visions of the ladder tipping over, taking out several kids and throwing me into a tree, breaking both my legs.  "Surprise, Scott!  Most of our kids have broken bones, and so do I!  Just come pick us up at the ER after the game.  Oh, and there's a string of Christmas lights hanging from the garage."

After the highest point on the garage, I felt better.  I even let Ruby get up on the ladder and string some of the lights.  Gradually, giddy exuberance took the place of primal fear and I could not wait to see our house all lit up for the first time.  After the obligatory trip to the hardware store for another strand of lights, the job was done! I have to say, it was much easier than I thought. 

The best part was waiting for Scott's reaction.  He reacted exactly the way I predicted he would.  His first thought was, "What?? Circe paid someone to put up lights?"  It only took three seconds of all the kids simultaneously screaming the story for him to get it straight.  He loved it!  The lights definitely light up my heart every time I drive home, and I'm not the only one.  Freestone has bragged to several people, "We have Christmas lights on the outside of our house.  Yeah, it's our family's first time having Christmas lights.  On the outside of our house."  As much as I adore the lights, it's Freestone's happy satisfaction that really lights up my life.