Away for holiday celebrating!
s is for snowball December 21, 2007
The whole thing seems a little like a snowball rolling downhill, going fast and getting bigger. We have Christmas gatherings, errands, trip preparations. Then suddenly on Tuesday we will climb into the van and the snowball will stop. The promise of two weeks together with friends in a warm place followed closely by Kate’s return. Lots to look forward to.
Last night we enjoyed a great evening with our dear friends, the B’s. All four of them. Delightful. We dined on turkey, roasted potatoes, fresh green beans, salad, and bread. Dessert was delicious pumpkin cream pie and hot fudge pudding cake. It was great to eat together, tell stories and visit. We received a new game called The Last Word, which I am looking forward to playing.
Today I finished up at work and then took the boys out to lunch. We had a nice time. Chris went to play video games at a friend’s house and then to work. Thomas and I have been hanging out at home, and I have been able to get a good start on the laundry and finish up a few Christmas tasks including making peanut candies and wrapping the last few gifts.
Looking forward to a great day with the Peisker family tomorrow!
p is for prepare December 18, 2007
As Christmas is getting close, we are preparing for many things. For Christmas of course. Getting our hearts ready. We are also preparing to celebrate with our families and dear friends. We are preparing for a trip and most excitedly preparing to welcome our daughter home after a long absence. How does all this happen? For me, the preparation of my heart and thoughts happens early in the morning. I have been waking early in the 4’s and 5’s this last couple of weeks. Normally this would just annoy me and wear me out, but this season I welcome it. I welcome the sparkling lights of the trees when I come downstairs and I welcome the quiet. I welcome my buddy Walt Wangerin as he forms his funny sentences that inspire me to see the Christmas story from every angle in his book “Preparing for Jesus.” I welcome the coffee which tastes just plain better in the dark of a cold, cold morning when no one else is up. I welcome a taste of holiday bread for breakfast, baked by a friend and left on my table as a surprise. I welcome facebook messages and on line chats and emptying email inboxes. I welcome weather reports from warmer climates and party planning. And time to think. It’s all too fleeting, but very, very pleasant.
L is for little gifts December 12, 2007
Sometimes God gives you little gifts, like:
1. cleaning ladies
2. quiet time
3. planning a party
4. getting a ride from Chris
5. old friends surfacing on facebook
6. a break in the rain/ice/snow
7. Christmas lights and music
8. a light work load for a couple of days
9. delightful coworkers
10. going to the gym with John
Looking forward to (among other blessings) haircuts with Jen, time with my family, a long drive to FL, adventures with our BFF’s, word from UIUC this Friday, January 12th. Thank you, God, for promise.
l is for longing for sunshine December 11, 2007
I hate to be a whiner, but boy am I sick of the gray, cloudy, drizzly, icy, snowy skies of Central Illinois. It’s been many days since we have seen the sun, and the weather isn’t the only thing that’s feeling gloomy.
A bright spot today – Kate called to say thank you for the birthday package. Yes! That’s right! The Russian postal service delivered her birthday package today. We shipped it in late October (it’s filled with candy pumpkins among other things!) and it arrived today, December 11th. We had given up hope. So my faith in humanity is slightly restored. They are not crooked, just pokey.
Tonight I roasted a turkey and red potatoes, made stuffing and salad. I sliced up some cranberry sauce and warmed a loaf of bread. John just left to deliver it to some friends as Sarah recovers from her surgery. She is doing well and we are delighted to provide a meal. Turkey is not my favorite thing to prepare. It turned out just fine, but by the time I got it out of the pan, onto the carving board, cut it up and removed the legs, and wings, I was a mess. I had to quickly douse all my clothes into the washer as I was covered with turkey grease. Ick. Plus I was wearing a favorite outfit (white blouse, grey slacks that fit just right, and my fair isle babydoll sweater) because I didn’t have the presence of mind to change into play clothes after work. Oh well.
Thomas has been out of sight this week enjoying some video games he rented on Saturday. He rented them for a fun night with a friend and they are due back soon, of course. So he is doing his best to get his money’s worth. It’s kind of neat, because now he knows which ones to buy and which are not worth the money.
I have linked the weather reports from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando to my news feed and that gives me some cheer. The weather there sounds picture perfect! Something to dream about!
e is for end of the weekend December 9, 2007
Friday night – work party; Saturday – shopping, wrapping, paperwork;Sunday – church, filing, lunch, naps, phone calls; And poof! The weekend is gone. Highlights: talking to Kate, my boys, old friends showing up on facebook, Christmas music, not going out in the ice.
We’ve had freezing rain since Friday night and there is no end in sight until Wednesday. The power is out all along the North Prospect area. Target was closed today. Not good for business this close to Christmas. I have added the weather in Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando to my newsfeed and the warmth of two weeks in Florida is very appealing.
I had a delightful call from my mom who only has three more work days until Christmas vacation. And we started talking about Ireland, maybe the summer after Kate graduates. Wouldn’t that be something!
Party on January 19th in honor of Thanksmaseveday! Kate will be here in a month and two days! She sounds great, but tired and you know how moms worry.
Off to a great week of mobilizing volunteers!
m is for more snow December 7, 2007
It really snowed this time – about three inches in our driveway. The best part was that it started after dark. We pulled open all the blinds in our room and turned out all the lights and it just glowed with the bright lights reflecting of the snow outside. Beautiful. It came straight down with no wind at all and big fluffy flakes. It wasn’t coming down that hard so it must have snowed most of the night. It’s so pretty – not looking forward to driving in it – but it sure is beautiful.
Tonight is my office Christmas party. No other real plans for the weekend – Thomas is having a video game marathon with a buddy on Saturday. Otherwise, quiet. I guess more weather is on the way.
Working through some middle school difficulties – with great support from the principal and others who are experiencing the same thing. Teachers are somewhat prevented from maintaining classroom discipline, and the chaos is exhausting to a student who chooses to follow the rules. T is just plain worn down by it.
s is for snow December 5, 2007
It snowed a little today. At lunch time, I looked out the window and saw big fluffy flakes coming down in the bright sunshine, an odd but beautiful phenomenon. It’s very cold and getting colder but the snow was pretty.
I enjoyed a wonderful birthday weekend thanks to wonderful family and friends. Highlights included: delicious oatmeal cake, a spiffy new purse, lunch at Biaggi’s, Papa Del’s pizza, a make it yourself jewelry party and a surprise breakfast at work. Clearly the food theme is predominant. I felt extremely well celebrated.
I am enjoying preparing for the holidays and beyond. I am able to recommend without reservation the new Jars of Clay Christmas CD and a delightful invention called the dark chocolate mint flavored three musketeers bar, which somehow seems Christmasy.
Chris has coined the phrase “Thanksmaseveday” which we will celebrate in January when Kate comes home. In the meantime, we console ourselves planning a trip to Florida, and try to realize that although Christmas will most likely never be the same, it can still be a celebration of what it means.
For God to become man. To put on skin. To come. To save. For peace on earth and goodwill toward men.
i is for ice December 1, 2007
To call it an ice storm would be an exaggeration, but not by much. We’ve had rain turning into ice when it hits the ground for most of the day. It’s warm enough – right onthe edge of freezing – that it’s not building up. But the sidewalks and driveways and parking lots are super slick. It hasn’t kept us down today though.
Have I mentioned how incredible my husband is? Just this morning on our way to weekly coffee, I was sharing my concern about getting everything accomplished in time for Christmas and our upcoming trip. No sooner did I express myself, than lists were being made and items checked off. We almost finished – that’s right, finished – our Christmas shopping this morning. And what’s left is just the fun stuff. He’s amazing. Plus it was really fun. And the rest of the list seems completely managable.
Today we also delivered a high-calorie pie to a friend who’s been sick and needs to put on some weight and dinner to a couple who are caring for their very young son who has been very ill. It was all very happy, and adventurous and in keeping in the spirit of the season.
We’re in tonight. It’s treacherous to be out and Chris was out late last night anyway. It was his friend’s birthday and I think they went to a movie. Thomas is doing is best to shake a nasty cough, but it keeps hanging on. Tons of fluids, yucky cough syrup and lozenges galore.
Tonight I am working on my iTunes, getting my holiday selections reloaded and grouped. I am enjoying the early season greatly. I’m not to the point yet where it has hit me that not everyone will be home for Christmas and so I’ll enjoy the joy while it’s here and maybe the later on will be okay too.
Big party planned for January 26th by the way! It’s bdaythankschristmas or something like that and we’ll be celebrating big time!!
