Catching up

Here it is less than a week before Christmas and I have resigned myself to the saying, "It is what it is". This was not the Christmas I planned for this year, not in a million but with or without me, Christmas is going to get here so the thing I need to remember the most is it is NOT about being organized and having everything perfect. In fact, maybe it has meant more to me that God sent this little baby in this world because I am NOT perfect and God needed Him to be perfect for ME.

The last six weeks have been a blur of emotions for our whole family. Taking care of my uncles estate, doing it right and doing it quickly has been my number 1 focus. My second focus has had to be work. My boss retires a week from tomorrow and I still don't know that I really feel ready to take on the other things she did. The deal is, I want to keep MY job and do the things I have always done and so the roles are really changing. To top it off, my assistant and I have committed to making the LIHEAP department work with two people instead of three. Until we get our rhythm down, that may be scary too, I just don't want to miss something I am supposed to be doing. In the midst of this, sometime in the next month, we need to move offices around.

So, most Christmas' I make all my friends homemade gifts, homemade goodies, take homemade goodies to my church kids, send homemade Christmas cards, decorate the outside of our house, decorate the inside of our house and have this grand Christmas. Early in November I had picked my "song of the year" for Christmas--Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and that is exactly what we are having this year. Fact is, I am planning on finishing the estate stuff tomorrow evening which really puts it in to perspective that this IS worth what didn't get done around here this year. Last year, I got sick the day before Christmas eve and ended up spending more time running back and forth to the hospital than I did at home. I am feeling really good this year and part of it is because I have to learn where to draw the line and I may not like it but it is better for me.

Now, that all felt like downer stuff and I am really not down about any of this anymore and I have honestly been more in the "Christmas Spirit" since a week ago last Monday, getting ready for our sisters weekend.

So now, we move on to "the good stuff". I left Friday morning for Fairview Heights, did some final Christmas shopping and went to the hotel at 2 to see if I could check in early because I had a coupon for a free upgrade if it was available at check-in. You are not supposed to check-in until 3, but the Drury Inn down there is always great about early check-ins. So, sure enough, I got us a suite. Just icing on the cake. So, I went and did a bit more shopping then talked to Sis, and figured she would be there around 3:30. We sat and visited for a while, then I drug her to one more store and then to Chili's for dinner. A guy I had sold Junior's cars to had told us to go to Lotawata Creek for dinner but when we pulled in there was no less than 200 cars there. I want to try it sometime but we decided that was not the night. After Chili's we drove to Our Lady of the Snows Shrine to look at the Christmas lights. They are always just simply beautiful. We used to make a road trip every year when Robert was little because they have lots of other activities, especially for kids. They have added a laser light show since we used to go so Sis and I went to see it. We were only going to go to the traditional one but the people coming out convinced us that we had to see them both. Okay, the Christmas story told to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody and Jack and Diane, I have seen it all......

We then went back to the room and talked until about 11, WAY past my bedtime. Saturday morning we got up, I went to exercise, we ate breakfast, went to the JC Penney outlet, then to the Spaghetti factory for lunch and then the highlight of the weekend--WICKED!!!  The show was great as usual, Sis loved it which tickled me. She had never been to the Fox so that was a new experience for her too.

 

 

 

So, we both made it back to our own houses about 7:30 Saturday night, great weekend, I SO NEEDED THIS!!

 

 

Sunday we did our Christmas Caroling at church, we used to have so many people to go see, this year we went 4 places, so many of our older congregation have passed on. That part seems sad until you realize who they are singing with. We had a very nice after party at Gary and Sharon Jackson's, just made for a really nice weekend.

 

 

Throw a little Weight Watcher's in for good measure, I was down a pound Monday. Still heading for the 35 but back on the right track, I am 8/10th's of a pound from 35. I go weight Monday at 9:30 and yes, I am shooting for the 35.

 

 

Last night was our AWANA program at church, so we are winding down the steps until Christmas. The program was really cute and the kids worked hard. Our boys had the opening which they were very happy about, they were seen but didn't have to do that much. Perfect for them.

 

 

Tonight, we are going to Plainfield's cantata, I love cantatas. I miss our church having a choir but holding out hope for someday.

 

 

Tomorrow is our Christmas play day at work, I also have a phone interview with a guy who is writing his thesis on Poverty and Energy. I was fine with helping him out until I found out he is going to school at Harvard. That's a little intimidating but I am really just enthused that something in his life has made him realize we have a whole population of people who get overlooked on a regular basis. So, looking forward to that too.

 

 

I haven't heard from my stove yet. Andrew got the new face put on my dishwasher so I know have a black fridge, black dishwasher and a white stove...patience.....I must have patience.  

 

 

I think that is it, I am caught up. At least it feels good to be caught up on "paper" if nothing else :-)

 

 

I have big plans for next year, we will see how hard God laughs at them when the time comes.

 

 

Happy Thursday everyone.