Authors on Holiday: Wendi Zwaduck

15 December 2012

A simple angel from the heart of a young son is the touching story author Wendi Zwaduk is sharing. Welcome Wendi!

I Picked It Out Myself!

I love Christmas. I won’t fib. I love it. I’m one of those people who doesn’t decorate until at least the day after Thanksgiving, but usually I wait until December 1^st. But there are a couple of ornaments I keep out all the time. One of them is the one featured in the photograph. Sure, it’s not totally a ‘Christmas only’ ornament. It’s rather plain and simple.

But that’s not what draws me to this little angel. Nope. It’s the story behind it.

A couple of Christmases ago, the school where my totlet goes decided to do a Santa’s Workshop. It’s one of those ‘the shopping comes to the school’ situations where the tots can shop on their own. So I gave tot some money because it made tot feel important to do it all on his own. Fine.

So tot went shopping and came home with two baggies. They were all white and labeled, “To Mom” and “To Dad.” They packages went under the tree and on Christmas morning, tot made a huge display of giving them out. I opened mine and there in the baggie was a box with that little angel nestled inside. The next thing I know, the tot cries out, “I picked it out myself, Mommy! The teacher lady said you wouldn’t want that one. That you wanted another one. But I knew, Mommy. You would like that one!”

That sealed it. He took the time to pick out the present. The thing could’ve been made of cheerios and macaroni and I’d have still loved it. Why? Because he put thought into it. He sold me on “I picked it out myself”. I’m sure if DH or I had taken tot to the store and given him cash to pick something out, it would’ve been the same, but this was something he’d done all on his own. The pride in his eyes was priceless.

Seeing him smile is one of my favorite memories of Christmas. The tot sees the angel and even though it’s been a couple years, he still remembers buying it and telling me about the experience. I know one of these days he’ll get bigger and yeah, he might still be interested in buying Mom a present, but he’ll never be little like that again. I keep the angel out all year round so I can remember that moment and relive it. I’m a sap and I know it.

About Wendi:
I always dreamt of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I earned a BA in education at Kent State University and currently hold a Masters in Education with Nova Southeastern University.

I love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my menagerie of animals. I also write under the pen name of Megan Slayer. I’m published with Total-E-Bound, Changeling Press, Liquid Silver Books, Turquoise Morning Press, Decadent Publishing and The Wild Rose Press. Come join me for this fantastic journey! If you like my work, tell your friends and email me. I love hearing from readers!