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Jun
17
I am behind. Behind in blogging, behind in returning emails, behind in everything. I’ve been with my parents most of this week, but in addition to my dad’s health problems, earlier this week my uncle passed away completely unexpectedly. I rushed home to gather clothes for a funeral and am heading back to Kansas today.
This is a sad week. This uncle was my dad’s best friend; they talked on the phone every day, several times a day. His death has sent my dad deeper into the depression he was already sinking into over his own health problems. His brother was ten years younger than my dad.
I will be home for good this weekend; as much as I would like to stay with my family and try to help them right now, I need to get take care of my own family and life here. So I will be back, and will slowly get caught up with everything. If you’re waiting on an email from me, please be patient. I’ll get back on track soon.
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May
10
I’m really not intentionally writing all these “confession of the soul” type posts. I’m actually trying to write what is in my heart, instead of a bunch of chatter just to fill the space. So this is what we have for now.
Supposedly we all have a “fight or flight” response when faced with stress and danger. I apparently am the exception to this. I have a “withdraw” response when faced with extreme stress or anxiety. I’d like to run away, but you can’t run away from life. I either don’t know how to fight whatever I’m afraid or, or I’m just too tired to fight. So I withdraw.
I do this with everyone, friends, family, my husband. I try very hard not to do it with my kids, and for the most part, I succeed. But my oldest is getting too good at reading me, so I have to work harder at hiding my worries from him.
When I withdraw like this, I don’t want to see people or talk to people. I don’t want to go out; it’s so much easier to stay home and wallow in my worry. Not helpful, but easier.
This is not a healthy response, and I know that. But the worst part is that when I’m scared or stressed about something in my life, the more scared I get, the more I withdraw from God. I lose faith in my faith. I give up on hope; I stop trusting. This just empties out my soul, leaving me with nothing but despair.
My world without hope or faith is a dark, lonely world. Without hope, I can’t find any light. I can’t find anything to cling to.
I don’t withdraw because I doubt. I don’t doubt that He loves me. I don’t blame Him for my problems. This is more about self-doubt. I stop believing that I am worthy of His love and His grace. I start to think that I don’t even deserve to pray for help. I start believing that I deserve the dark place I have put myself in, and I stop looking for the light.
I’ve been in that dark place many times, and it’s so hard to get out of it. I have been fighting it for awhile now, fighting it because I know once I get in the bottom of the that pit, I won’t be able to climb out for a long time. I went to church with my family yesterday, but I was going through the motions. Pretending that I belonged there, pretending that He wanted me there. Because it is dark where I’m at right now, and I feel myself sliding down.
Clearly He wants my there every day, but yesterday especially. Our priest seemed to have gotten a memo about what I needed to hear to help bring me back from the darkness. He talked about how we all battle with faith at times, even him. He said that when we give up the battle; when we close the door to the Holy Spirit, there is no wind in our worship. There is no praise in our song. There is no hope in our hearts. But all we have to do is open the door. One simple step.
In reality, it is not a simple step. The door is shut tight and it is heavy. It’s simpler and easier to leave it closed and stay in the darkness.
I don’t want to be in the darkness. I don’t want to shut the door to hope, to faith, or to Him. There is no life without light.
Opening the door to faith doesn’t mean my problems are going to end. I know that. But it does mean that I can trust that I’m not walking this road alone. He’s not leading me down a path to darkness and despair. If I let Him, He will lead me home. I just have to trust and have faith enough to follow.
This is the journey I’m on. Is the road you’re on right now rough and rocky, too? Do you withdraw when faced with seemingly insurmountable problems? I hope we can share and encourage each other; it’s much easier when we know we’re not traveling our path alone.
This post is linked at Chatting at the Sky: Tuesdays Unwrapped
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Nov
19
Have you heard of this book? Its edited by one of the founders of kirtsy and filled with favorites from kirtsy. Imagine how excited you would be if you were a brand new blogger and found out that you were going to be included in that book.
I don’t have to imagine it. A little over a year ago, I was a brand new blogger, and I got the most exciting email from the editor of the kirtsy book, telling me that they wanted to include one of my blog posts in that book! I can’t tell you how that made me feel. At any point in my adult life, if you asked me what my dream job/career would be, I would tell you that I wish I could be a writer. So to find out that
1) people besides my mom liked my writing! and
2) they liked it so well they wanted to put it in a book! It was a dream come true.
I signed the paperwork and sent it back, and then I’m embarrassed to admit I emailed several times to make sure they got my paperwork – I didn’t want to screw this up! But they did get it and said everything was good. I knew the book wasn’t coming out for over a year, but I was still excited. I heard from them one more time, asking me to send in an image for the book, which I did.
I read kirtsy. I read the personal blogs of the lovely ladies that created kirtsy. And I do think they are all lovely, even though I don’t know them. Those ladies are social media goddesses and bloggers extraordinaire! Of course I was thrilled that they chose my work for their book! But more than that, more than being chosen by women I admire to be included in a book with other people that I admire, I was just so excited that something I wrote was going to be published. Dreams do come true.
I kept checking kirtsy for updates and the publication date kept getting pushed back. Finally this summer I read that it would be coming out in the fall. I kept checking my email, but nothing. By accident, I read a blurb about the book at one of the blogs I read regularly, with the book cover and publication date. I thought maybe I should put that on here, but then I thought, wait, surely the book editors will contact the contributors with all that info. (thank God for that little hesitation) So I waited a little longer, then started emailing the same women who I had corresponded with last year.
I never got a response to my emails. Even though I knew better, I was still holding out hope that maybe the emails got lost, but that I was still going to be in the book. But no. My post is not in the book.
The adult in me knows that these things happen, its business, nothing personal. But my inner child feels a little bit like the junior high girl who got invited to the cool kids’ party, only to have them say “just joking” on the day of the party.
Please understand – I’m not saying thats what happened. I’m saying that as someone who experienced that type of thing before, I recognize that feeling, I know that feeling well, and to the part of me that still suffers from that acute insecurity, this feels similar.
I was thisclose to being in the kirtsy book! OMG! I told my family, friends, coworkers and a few bloggers I know. This was a huge deal for me. For everyone on the other side – the publisher, the editor – it is just business and of course it’s not personal. I know that, and I don’t want to even hint that I think there was anything mean about this. But its still very personal for me. No matter what happened, it is legitimate for me to feel disappointed. And hurt. And embarrassed – because who was I kidding thinking I could be in that book.
Whatever the reason, whatever happened, what I really wish is that instead of telling me “You have been selected to be published”, they had said you might be published, but you might not be. If that little word might had been there, I wouldn’t have gotten as excited. I wouldn’t have told anyone that I was going to be in such an awesome book. I wouldn’t have done anything but cross my fingers and hope that I was picked. And that would have been better than the slow sinking realization that this particular dream wasn’t going to come true.
Thisclose is almost worse than not anywhere close at all.
I was considering not buying the book, not rubbing salt in the wound, but ARE YOU CRAZY? Have you seen the list of people who did contribute to the book? That is the most awesome list of writers that I have seen in a long time. So far I haven’t been able to find it locally, but I am going to get it. I am absolutely awed by that contributor list. Some of them I have been reading for a long time, some I have never heard of. They deserve this, and they deserve to be congratulated. Especially those on the list who are being published for the first time – what an incredible achievement. Congratulations, great job, and enjoy it.
I’m sure I’ll love the book, and the sting will only last a little while.
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Nov
18
I was trying to sneak in a bit of blog reading before I collapse from exhaustion when I read on Twitter that Anissa Mayhew has been hospitalized after having a stroke. I don’t know her personally; I won a blog giveaway prize from her last year and we exchanged an email or two, and I have read her blog. Even without knowing her or her family, this makes my heart ache.
Stop for a minute. Look around you, give thanks for all that you have, and say a prayer for Anissa.
You can check this CaringBridge site for updates on her condition. With all my heart, I hope that she will be tweeting her own updates very soon.
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Aug
10
I have several things that I wanted to write today, but it’s looking like a crazy Monday here. You know the days where you have a to do list and you’re determined to get it all done, then the phone starts ringing off the hook and before you know it, it’s noon and nothing is done? That’s my day so far.
I may be able to sit down and write a little later, but I wanted to make sure and remind you that today is the last day to enter my end of summer giveaway. You can until until midnight CST today, so go for it.
And please make my phone stop ringing!
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Aug
3
August. Back to school time, school supply shopping time, school clothes shopping time. All great fun. No one here is ready for school to start. Really, not even me. But it needs to start, and soon.
Why does it need to start? Because we are entering what I call the Dead Zone of Summer. Surely you know about this. It’s when the kids are so bored, having long conversations with the dog is exciting. Even if the dog is asleep.
Yes, I know what to do with bored children. I give them chores. Lots of chores. I keep them busy. But they are still bored, and there are only so many chores I can give them. They tried, but they just were not able to remodel our house for me. oh just kidding. But seriously, I’m trying to keep them busy, and I have made a standing offer to provide transportation for them to go to a friends house or to bring their friends here. But they are still bored. Which can only mean one thing – they are ready to go back to school.
I wish we could take a last minute vacation or weekend trip. But those things take money, which in this house is going to be spent on braces very soon. We spent yesterday exploring the Oklahoma countryside in all its glory,and that was fun. But we need some help, some suggestions to beat the August Boredom Dead Zone. What does your family do when the children are totally, completely, unequivocally bored to tears?
And because August can be tough for all of us, a Giveaway! Leave me your comments with suggestions to beat the end of summer boredom, and enter to win a $50 Target gift card. A little shopping is always good when you’re bored, right?
Here’s how to enter:
- Leave a comment here telling me what you do to deal with bored kids. One comment per person, but there are other ways to enter.
More ways to enter:
- Subscribe to Unexpected Bliss.
- Mention this giveaway on your blog. (include direct link in your comment)
- Follow me on Twitter (@UnexpectedBliss)
- For an extra entry, sent a tweet on Twitter about this giveaway. Leave your Twitter name in your comment. This may be done as often as you want, leave a comment for each tweet.
- Stumble this post
For each of the above that you do, leave 1 comment on this giveaway post, ie 1 comment if you subscribe, 1 comment if you follow me on Twitter, 1 comment for each tweet, 1 comment for a Stumble, 1 comment for mentioning this on your blog)
Open to US addresses only.
This giveaway will end next Monday August 10 at midnight CST.
The giveaway has ended, thank you everyone who entered. I will notify the lucky winner via email. Please respond within five days or I will notify an alternate. Thanks again!
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Mar
13
Moms of teens or preteens, help me out please. We are having an ongoing discussion in my family and I need some outside feedback.
My son is 13 1/2 (according to him, the 1/2 is very important!) We are going through the typical teenage angst, hormones, mood swings, all that fun stuff. He still has moments where I see the child I know and love, which is reassuring. But this child of mine wants to do something that in all of my 40 years, I never thought I’d even consider. Actually I’m not sure that I am considering it, but I want to get more advice.
He wants to dye his hair black.
Now let me clarify that he doesn’t dress in all back or paint his nails black. He just wants black hair. He’s always been unhappy with his appearance and tries new things all the time, like letting his very short hair grow out a little. He has some friends that have dyed their hair and he wants to.
I have a problem with this for a couple of reasons.
- He’s 13. I really don’t want him to start altering his appearance drastically at such a young age. Especially for a child with low self esteem, like my son.
- I am probably the least judgemental person I know, seriously. Years of experience have left me with a “live and let live” kind of mentality. I try very hard to not make judgments or first impressions based on appearance. That said, is there a stigma attached to a kid dying his hair black? Of course, if you didn’t know him, and didn’t know me or his dad, you might think his hair was naturally black. The stigma would probably come from people that already know him, like grandparents or other family.
However, there are some other things to consider.
- Many families here dye their sons hair for sports. Whether it’s blond highlights, complete bleached blonde hair, or even blue hair, I’ve seen it done. We haven’t done it, because the teams we play on have not, but if my sons team had, we would have done it too. Tanner asks me, why is what he wants to do any different, and I am struggling with a good answer for that.
- I colored my hair as a teenager. Granted, it was lemon juice or the ever popular Sun-In, which gave me that nice orange tinted hair that we all aim for. But my mom let me have free rein with my hair.
- He’s been talking about this for awhile, and even though our answer has never wavered from no, he’s finally figured out that his best approach is to dazzle us with good grades and a cheerful attitude. Yes, I said cheerful. The child has been on best behavior, and is racking up brownie points left and right. He was in a slump earlier this year, and started slacking off with homework. Just in the past few weeks, he’s brought up his grades, turned in extra credit work, practiced for his piano and bass clarinet contests and got I’s at both, and is for the most part being more respectful at home. He still has his mood swings, but it’s obvious to us that he’s trying to show us he’s responsible. It’s hard to ignore that, even though we have never rewarded for grades.
Maybe this should not even be an issue, it should be cut and dried. For my husband it is, he is firmly on the “no” side. But even he is impressed with the way Tanner is trying to “campaign” for this. It’s harder for me, because I tell my kids not to judge people by their clothes, or car, or hair, yet I have a problem with this. I truly don’t believe you should be judged by your looks, or expected to conform to a certain look.
I also know that he does think that if you have the right hair and right clothes, your life will be so much better. I really want him to learn that your hair or clothes will not change anything about your life, will not fix anything that’s wrong, will not suddenly transport you to popularity. He needs to know that even if he dyes his hair black, he will wake up and go to the same school and be dealing with the same crap that he is with brown hair.
The other part that’s hard for me is that I don’t want to make parenting decisions based on what I think other people will think. I’ll be honest, part of my husbands firm stance against this is his concern about what Tanner’s grandparents, aunts and uncles will think and say. You can’t get more conservative than my husband’s family. Still, I don’t want to base my decisions on other people, and in this case, we kind of are. Tanner knows this, and it really bothers him, because he thinks we’ll be ashamed if our kid has black hair. I would never be ashamed of my kid, and I want him to know that.
I really want your opinions on this. As moms, as parents, as people without kids, I really want to know what you all think. Tell me, if your teenager asked to dye his hair black, would you let him? Why or why not?
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Jan
9
This morning at 6am I dropped my 13 year old off for a band trip. He qualified for the district band, so they’re traveling 2 hours away, spending today and part of tomorrow rehearsing then performing tomorrow afternoon. It’s his first overnight school trip.
I’m very excited for him and proud that he made it on the district band. But he’s going away! For a whole day!
He’s actually been away before, at summer camp. I always worry about the responsibility part. Getting themselves where they need to be on time, without leaving any valuables behind. Forgetting or losing his money. But it never fails to amaze me how responsible and mature he can be when he has to be. So I know he’ll be fine. And he’ll never learn if he doesn’t get the chance to try.
But don’t we all remember these school trips? Maybe it was just my school, and I know it wasn’t 7th grade, but sometimes those trips get a bit out of control. Hopefully it wasn’t just my school. As a kid I loved those trips, especially since I was from a tiny town so getting to go anywhere was huge. As a mom, I’m scratching my head asking where in the heck were our chaperones.
I don’t want to give the wrong impression. I lived in a tiny town and compared to kids today, or even to city kids back then, I had a pretty sheltered life and a fairly tame social life. But still, teenagers will be teenagers. I am not ready for that!
I keep saying I’m not ready for a teenager, but no one asked my permission and here I am anyway. With a teenager. And he’s gone until we pick him up tomorrow afternoon. I might be anxious for him, except that the thought of not having my 2 boys fighting with each other tonight is so appealing to me. I might be able to get used to these school trips.
What were your school trips like, in junior high and high school? Share the fun memories.
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Jan
5
I posted before that I had to take my computer in to the worked on right before Christmas. When I posted about that, I actually considered it a blessing, to be forced to be offline for Christmas. I spoke too soon.
I am a quiet person, and it takes a lot for me to publicly complain about a service I’ve received. But I can’t keep quiet about this. I purposely waited a few days to post about it, to give myself time to calm down. Just in case I saw things differently after a few days. But I don’t, so here goes. Please forgive this long post, but you really have to get the whole story to truly appreciate Best Buy and the Geek Squad.
I went to Best Buy on Christmas Eve looking for a self powered USB, because my front USB ports weren’t working. I talked to a member of the Geek Squad and he said that would temporarily fix my problem, but that something was causing a power leak and it would eventually cause my pc to quit working altogether. He said the best thing to do would be to replace the power source, which would be a quick, easy, permanent fix for my problem. According to him, it would cost no more than $100 and they would have it finished within a couple of hours, for sure by the end of business that day. I work from home, so fixing my pc and having it done so quickly was very important, so I went home, got my computer and brought it back to Best Buy. If it wasn’t Christmas Eve, I would have called around, but in my little suburb there were no other places open that could fix my USB problem. And it seemed simple and straight forward enough.
I dropped it off with the Geek Squad around noon on Christmas Eve. I explained to the guy that took it everything that I had discussed with the other Geek Squad agent – they call themselves that, so I will too. I hadn’t heard back from them by 3pm, so I called and spoke with Agent Holly. She said they had found some viruses, again easy to fix, but they wanted to check with me before doing that. I asked for the price, and the cost she gave me was higher than the first agent I spoke with, but the difference between the cost for just fixing the USB issue and fixing the USB as well as getting rid of the viruses was only about $60, so I said go ahead. I do want to mention that every time I spoke with a Geek Squad agent or a Best Buy employee, I told them repeatedly that I worked from home, on my computer. I made sure they knew that from the start. Agent Holly told me that even though they were closing at 5pm that day, they still could probably have my computer finished by then, but at the very latest they would have it done by Friday at noon, since they were going to be closed Christmas.
Friday noon came and went, no computer. From the time I took my computer in until Sunday night, 4 days later, I never once got a call from a Geek Squad agent. Even though I asked to be updated, I had to keep calling them twice a day. During that time I spoke with at least 4 different Geek Squad agents, each time telling them I needed that computer to work, and every day without it was a day that I was not getting paid. All they ever told me was “it’s still scanning”.
This went on until Sunday night, then I finally got a call from them. My computer was finished, everything was fixed and it was ready to be picked up. I asked for a break down of what I was paying for. Agent Thomas told me that included in the cost was a USB card, but he also let me know that they were unable to fix my USB ports. That’s why I took the computer to them in the first place. In all my phone calls, no one had ever mentioned that they couldn’t fix that problem. I asked Agent Thomas if they can’t fix them, then why am I being charged for an USB card. He said, Ma’am, I honestly don’t know. He did say that to fix the USB port, I’d have to send the pc back to Dell. I told him that if the USB card won’t fix anything then I don’t want it, he agreed that I didn’t need it so he took it off the bill. I still paid them a little over $300, but by that point I was so relieved to have my computer I just paid it.
It was late Sunday night by then, so I didn’t even try to hook up my computer until Monday. I was able to get it started, but I couldn’t get on the internet. I had my brother come over and look at it, because he knows more about computers that I do. He couldn’t get it to go online either, and he couldn’t see why it wasn’t working properly. I called the Geek Squad and explained the problem. I spoke with the only agent on duty – there was never more than one at a time, and my brother and I both spoke with the Best Buy manager on duty. I was told that the only thing to do was bring the computer back in so they could look at it.
This is day 5 without my computer – I’m not counting Christmas Day, to be fair. But we’re on Day 5 with no income, and I am not exaggerating when I say my nerves were getting a little frayed. The next day was the same, me calling every few hours and getting the “it’s still scanning” response. Finally they said they weren’t able to get online either, and the only thing to do was uninstall and then reinstall the operating system. That would fix everything. At this point, I was desperate to get my computer working. I explained again my situation, and how badly I need a working computer. They assured me the reinstall was quick and would be finished by Wednesday morning at the latest. No, I didn’t believe them. But I hoped.
At one point I called and was told the scan had just ended. I asked Agent Candace if the OS had been removed, she said no. I asked why not, since that had been determined to be the best best course of action. Her response was that they were waiting to get my permission. Which I had already given the day before. I said PLEASE get it fixed, and I was again told it would be finished early the next day.
The next day (Wednesday, New Years Eve) I went to Best Buy shortly after they opened and spoke with Agent Taylor. I told him my long story, in case he wasn’t familiar. He was, and he informed me that they WERE STILL SCANNING my computer. The same scan that the other agent had said finished the day before. At that point I asked for a manager. The Geek Squad manager and the Best Buy store manager weren’t there, but I got some sort of supervisor. This man, whom I won’t name here, was the rudest, most condescending person I have ever dealt with. I will say that if Best Buy requires customer service training for their supervisors, he apparently did not attend that day.
I went through the whole long, ugly story with him, and when I got to the part where they sent it home not working, he actually asked me why didn’t I make sure it was working before I took it out of the store. I was so shocked at that, I’m pretty sure my first response was “Huh?” He said it again, and I said isn’t that what I paid you $300 for, to make sure it worked before you sent it home???
I got nothing from that man but rudeness and sarcasm, so I quit talking to him and asked Agent Taylor what needed to be done to get my computer running. He said as soon as it stops scanning he can remove the operating system and reinstall. He did back up all my files so after the reinstall he could put my data back on. Again I was told it would be ready by the end of business that day or first thing in the morning.
I waited and called several times over that day and the next day. Finally, New Years Day night ( day 8 with no pc) I spoke again with Agent Thomas, who very apologetically told me that my computer was broke and they could not fix it. He didn’t have any idea why it was broke or what was wrong with it, just that they couldn’t uninstall the OS at all and it must be a problem with the motherboard. He said they’d give me my $300 back, so that I could buy a new computer. I don’t even know how to express what I felt at that point. It was not a good way to welcome in 2009.
I went in on Friday and told Agent Candace that I came in there over 10 days earlier with a computer that worked, and now I had a worthless machine. I appreciated them giving my $300 back, but I really didn’t feel like I should have to pay for a new computer since it worked when I left it with them. She called over the Best Buy store manager, a very nice woman who did apologize but said they couldn’t do anything except refund my $300.
In the course of the conversation with the store manager and Agent Candace, I learned that normally when a computer is brought in, they do a hardware scan to check for things like motherboard problems. Agent Candace told the store manager that anytime a USB port isn’t working she checks for motherboard issues first, but that hardware scan was never done on my computer. I also learned that the person who took my computer and my information on that very first day normally worked in shipping and receiving, not for the Geek Squad. I asked for copies of all my paperwork, and I noticed on the intake form there was no mention of my USB port not working.
I told the store manager that all I expected from them was some level of competence. If they had run the hardware scan on the first day, as they admit the normally do, then they would have found the problem sooner. I still would have had to buy a new computer but I could have been back to work within a day or two, instead of this mess dragging out for so long. It is not my fault that they guy who took my computer was not a Geek Squad agent, it was not my fault they didn’t run the hardware scan, but I am stuck with paying for a new computer and losing so many days of work.
I also told her that if they had told me right away that they could not fix the USB problem, I would have taken my computer right then and had someone else look at it. Instead, they kept it for 5 days before ever mentioning that they couldn’t fix the problem it was in there for, and they probably wouldn’t have told me if I hadn’t asked what I was paying for. She apologized, but said there was nothing else she could do.
To make things worse, for my job I have to have Windows XP. Do you know how hard it is to find a computer preloaded with XP? It’s impossible to find that in a store, it has be special ordered. I got my refund from Best Buy and spend most of New Years Day calling around to see if by some miracle I could find a pc with XP, but I couldn’t. The fastest I was going to get one special order would be 7-10 business days. I couldn’t afford to be off work that much longer, so I went back to Agent Candace. She had already told me that if I bought the computer there they could uninstall the Vista and install XP for me. I had no choice but to do that, because I really needed to be back to work as soon as possible. Of course the uninstall and reinstall took several hours longer than they told me it would, but I had a working computer by Friday night. Ten days later.
I don’t think that Best Buy or the Geek Squad will ever know, or care, just how much trouble they’ve caused me. I don’t work because it’s fun, or because my job completes me. I work for the same reason most of us do, because I need the paycheck. I explained to them over and over that I work from home, and if I don’t work I don’t get paid. Right after Christmas, 9 days off without pay was not in the budget. Then on top of that, I had to spend over $700 on a new computer and Windows XP. For me, coming up with an extra $700 anytime is hard, but especially after the holidays and knowing that my next paycheck will be 9 days short.
Since this happened, I’ve talked to several people who do know a few things about computers, and the consensus is that my computer probably did not have any motherboard problem when I took it to Best Buy. There was nothing wrong with it but the USB port, it was running just fine with no other problems, and that should have been an easy fix. I’ve also done some online research which backs that up, and I found several instances of the exact same thing happening to others who took in their pc for a minor, easy to fix problem and left with a broken pc.
Of course I wish that I had never taken it to Best Buy, but at the time it seemed so easy that even they could not mess it up. How that turned into such a huge nightmare, I will never understand. I hope reading this keeps even just one person from taking their computer to Best Buy and the Geek Squad and having to go through this nightmare.
Update: I posted an update on this situation here.
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Dec
23
This has been a crazy holiday season. With the kids getting out of school 3 days last week for bad weather, and the situation with my brother, all my plans have been kind of tossed out.
I really wanted to spend more time this year doing things for others. I had plans for my kids to do things to help with that, and it just hasn’t gotten done. We will be taking a big load of things to Goodwill today or tomorrow, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. Actually, the list of things that I haven’t gotten done is longer than the list of things I did get done, but I can’t worry about that now.
I am trying to take note of how I’d like to do things differently next year. Besides my normal resolution to start addressing Christmas cards in November, there are some things I want to change to make our holiday more peaceful and less crazy. Most of it revolves around me getting started earlier on everything, so if there are any last minute crisis situations it doesn’t throw me into a tailspin.
This is probably the first time that I have my shopping done early, which is directly related to the fact that we’re not buying many presents this year. I think I like that, and will make it a tradition.
I just have some grocery shopping and cooking to do. Normally I don’t enjoy cooking, but I’m ok with spending most of Christmas Eve in the kitchen. Music playing, fireplace going, something yummy in the oven. I can take that.
My son has been asking for years to go to midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. So far we’ve never agreed to that, but this year we are. Of course the only reason my husband agreed is because midnight Mass is not at midnight, it’s at 10pm. It’s been a long time since we’ve voluntarily been out past midnight, lol. I’m looking forward to it though. The service we normally go to is jam packed, so it will be nice to attend a quieter service.
I hope you’re all ready too, and don’t have to brave the shopping crowds today or tomorrow.
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My boys
Where did those little guys go?Cuteness overload
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