Ok! I feel I have handled Christmas so much better this year. Maybe I am missing something and I will fall into a panic at some point but let's hope not. I don't have a lot of money to spend so I bought something small and fun or useful for everyone. If you don't think it is fun and/or useful then REGIFT!! The gift I am giving to myself is a wee bit of time on the couch with TC. Look how cozy she looks.

Harrison and I finished up our Christmas shopping in Lucedale yesterday (ok I have two more gifts to buy, but I am not stressing) and he even picked out a shirt for his sister. It was really sweet because I think she will actually like it. I came home and put most of the presents in gift bags. With a little extra ribbon on the handles of the bag and some snazzy paper (that I bought after Chirstmas last year, I don't feel like I am cheating anyone on the gift wrap. Why did I drive myself crazy for so many years especially when the kids were so little?

A Day "Off"

Why does the day seem so much shorter when I am not at work?  I really didn't feel well and haven't for two weeks now and I woke up late so I decided to take the DAY OFF! Well, after I got the kids to school, I spent an hour or so at WalMart and got to spend some time with Jamie. I hemmed Harrison some pants because all five pairs of his uniform pants have the knees ripped out.  Wow. What a thrilling day. Ok it was good.  I did not work in the nap that I had planned. 

I sent Harrison to school with 10 dollars to purchase his parents a gift at the Santa shop.  Guess what he came home with! A plastic dinosaur and a spiderman that grows in water. It only takes 3 days to reach full size! I can't wait! We returned to the Santa shop this evening and I gave him some more money to buy me a gift; some nice potholders I think. I stepped outside so my gift would be a surprise. Then we went to the dollar store to buy gifts for the stocking Harrison's class is putting together for Salvation Army. He is gradually learning to think of and to buy for others. I really appreciate this project his teacher has put together. Learning to share is difficult.  I want to give a fabulous gift to everyone but these days it's just not possible. Sometimes sharing simple gifts has to be enough.

I finally got the tree up and it is complete with real candy canes you can pick and eat. 

"A voice cries out:

In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!

Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!" Isaiah 40

The Advent of Joy

Now this is the reason for making a little magic in your house for the holidays! This was two years ago but Harrison is still excited about Christmas. I think I will put up that tree tomorrow. If I turn on only the tree lights when I get home in the evening I won't even see the dirt and dust on the floor! 

"The deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. (Isaiah 29:18) 

This is the miracle of the advent season to me; that these words can travel through centuries to rouse hope in weary souls. There is hope and light in the darkness! And it is all around me.

A headache woke me up at 3 AM. I should have seen that this was an omen of  what the sunrise was to bring. My daughter had a sore throat that I could see in her eyes when she woke up and she managed to get dressed and get her ipod perfectly fixed inside her jacket but at the moment of take off from the carport she realized that SHE COULDN'T FIND HER BOOK BAG. Well what is the use of going to school without a book bag? She was left at home and not without a great deal of hysteria. I found her bag at my school right where she had left it the day before. She really does feel bad and I envied her day off. Probably at the same time all of this was happening, some where in America a truck driver lost control of his truck and lost his load of pigs. According to the news report, no pigs, nor the driver was injured. However, the pigs ran lose everywhere and took quite a while to corral.  I am certain that his, or her, day started off worse than mine or Mary's.

I enjoyed wine and pizza for supper and wondered when that Christmas tree was gonna come down from the attic. My sinuses are bothering me much too badly for ME to climb  into that dusty attic to get it. Also I really need to have the whole house cleaned and my life in perfect order and all those socks in the laundry room matched up before I can decorate the perfect tree. I wish I could spend every Christmas in Disney World where everything is neat and tidy and perfectly decorated. It also can snow and no one has to drive in it.  And for about 12 dollars you can buy a mug that will get you unlimited refills of hot chocolate. You can drink 'til you're shaky. It is great just thinking about it.

Lenten Friday

Something tells me that I should have eaten ice cream last night. Or maybe it was that one chocolate covered Girl Scout cookie I ate (even though I gave up chocolate for lent) that God is punishing me for.  Well the morning wasn't that bad - just my son having a nervous breakdown in the car all the way to school.  He has to retake a spelling test and spell "straight".  I would be having a breakdown too. At least I am not in my classroom that smells like poo poo.  You see, when the wind blows just right the vapors from the toilet inundate my classroom.

Today I am learning how to blog!