Traditions - SHS Ornament Exchange

In September 1998, two lovely ladies from Montana (at the time) started an e-mail loop for homeschooling moms using Sonlight Curriculum. In January 1999, I joined that loop. Since then it has grown from less than 200 members all using Sonlight to 1842 members using all different kinds of curriculum. It is a totally unique loop.

Here is an excerpt from the loop description: We are a group of Christian Homeschool Women who teach our children using living literature. We require no proof of conversion to Christianity to join our list, though we will operate under the same rules of etiquette that we would expect of Christian women meeting in a living room. Our mission is to give encouragement and help to women who are endeavoring to merge home and school into a lifestyle of learning. Please note our group exists to support each other in both SCHOOL and HOME. Thus, there are a wide variety of subjects discussed on the lists, and very little is considered "off topic".

You simply cannot imagine the controversial topics that are discussed on this loop, now named Support4HomeSchool (SHS), in a gracious and Christlike way. It is simply without comparison. Shortly after the loop began, at least 6 years ago I think, a member suggested having an ornament exchange for Christmas. And a new tradition was born. I particpated in that first exchange and received two lovely hand-crocheted snowflakes from Karla who lived in Idaho or South Dakota. (I can't remember now! I don't think she's on the loop anymore.) I haven't participated since then because things were so nutty, and I didn't have time to make an ornament.

However, as the years went by, more and more people began buying ornaments. (We're homeschool moms, for goodness sake! We don't have time to make ornaments!) So, this year I decided to do something just for me and participate in the ornament exchange again. I'm so glad I did.

I received this cute Debbie Mumm snowman ornament from Lisa who lives in Maine. She sent this lovely card which she and her sister make along with it. She took the picture herself a couple of years ago. Isn't it gorgeous? I love Debbie Mumm and have used some of her scrapbooking stuff. The country look fits my home and my tree perfectly!



The really hysterical part of all this is that Lisa and I "worked" together to send a box to another loop member who is in the middle of the very bad political situation going on in Zimbabwe right now. I put the word "worked" in quotes because Lisa actually did all the work, and I just helped out with the cost of postage. All along, as we were working out the details, Lisa KNEW she had my name for the ornament exchange, and she never said a word! Yesterday, when I got a box with her return address, I thought, "What is Lisa sending ME a package for?", thinking all along of the other issue. Then it hit me, she must have had my name in the ornament exchange!