The Christmas Season

I love this time of year. Of course, it's taken several years for that to happen again after dad died - having kids certainly helped with that. Changes the entire experience when you get to experience it on "the other side." The festivities started with a staff party for GCC at Knollwood Country Club. It was a great time - hanging out with our best friends, eating great food, entertainment, gifts, and then downtime afterward with conversation and coffee. Good times.

Next was the staff party for Pages at the Turners - an absolute blast! I'll admit, I'm pretty picky about group games. I have very high standards! But Julie pulled through with some winners - and the "Elf" team (me, Keisha, Jeri, Jamie, Patty, Kimi, Michelle W., Jenny) cleaned house!! Fortunately, Mark got the best parts on tape so we'll have proof of what a slaughter ocurred on that wonderful December evening.

The next big event was the Christmas Eve service at GCC, for which the kids joined us in "big church" for the candlelight service. They thoroughly enjoyed the music and media. Abby's favorite part was "When Love Comes to Town" and Jacob liked the media "with the microphone with the blue light like the ipod commercial." Following the service, we went back to the McMullens for a gift exchange with our closest friends last night. All of the kids drew names, and all of the adults did the same. It was all kept as secret as humanly possible, and then the adults had to guess who bought their gift. It was a blast - the kids were thrilled not just to get their gifts, but in the buying for their very good friends. The whole thing was almost too much fun.

Adam worked most of the day today, with a short break for lunch at Martin's and a movie with the fam - Charlotte's Web. The kids really enjoyed it. Abby's favorite part was "when she saw the babies" and Jacob liked "when the girl stopped her dad from cutting up the little pig." Have to admit - I shed a tear over the death of a spider during this movie. A first (and probably last), to be sure. We dropped Adam off for the evening services and headed for the only open store in town - Meijer - for the very important cookie-making supplies that I had, as of yet, neglected to buy. That was an experience. Being that it was the VERY last store open, (Target and WalMart had closed at 6), everyone was at Meijer. The lines at the cash registers were miles long. Fortunately, we were in no real hurry and the kids were moderately well behaved, so we survived the experience. Afterall, Santa doesn't come if there aren't cookies, according to Abby. How does a parent argue with that??

The kids and I spent the rest of the evening making Christmas cookies, finishing up some Christmas gifts, playing XBox, and opening their Christmas Eve gifts from mom and dad - new jammies for each of them. Finally, they were off to bed and slowly to sleep. The excitement has been almost too much to bear. The wait is almost over!

Now for a couple of hours of wrapping...

What a week...

We started with my baby's 6th birthday. Abby is such an incredibly spirited and fun-loving little girl. She's so cuddly and affectionate - she wears her heart on her sleeve. She's a terrific student and loves going to school everyday. She like to sleep in, she loves to draw and write, and she's an animal lover. She lives for the moment - she's fully in to whatever it is that is happening right now. She's dramatic, emotional, and absolutely hysterical. Her deep brown eyes sparkle. She likes to swim like a fish in the bathtub, sing with the radio (she's got her mother's "skills"), and cuddle with daddy. She is a gift from God and I cannot imagine my life without her. Her smile brings joy to my heart.
The week, however, took an ugly turn when Tammy informed us later that night that their kids were vomiting (Tyler threw up at Culver's on Sat. night). They passed the torch to Daryl, who blew chunks all night on Sunday, and then Adam joined the action on Monday afternoon. By this point I was sure it was coming for all of us and the outlook for survival was bleak. Fortunately, the kids and I were spared.

Did I mention that Monday was Tammy's birthday? That's right - she spent her birthday caring for three sick kids and a sick husband. That HAS to be the worst birthday ever. So, we decided to postpone her birthday until everyone was healthy enough to actually help her celebrate it properly.


Speaking of my friend Tammy, I'd like to take this oppurtunity to make sure that everyone knows what an incredible person she is. I know I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again. I could not do life without her. She is the most sensitive, caring, supportive friend on Earth. She loves on my kids when I'm at work like a second mom, she holds me accountable when necessary, she monitors our marriage faithfully, and she puts up with me. THAT says it all right there. She's an incredible woman of God and lives it everyday. She sets an example that I aspire to. I pray that our daughters grow up to be just like her (with just a bit of me thrown in there for a little excitement!). I'll never understand how I was lucky enough that God would put her in my life, or how she can stand to be around me most days - she's basically my polar opposite - organized, considerate, thoughtful, insightful, and so much more. I just hope a little of it wears off on me from all of the time we spend together.

Tuesday and Wednesday were work days, but that didn't stop the excitement. I get a call from Tammy at work yesterday and she reports that a high-speed chase just ended in her backyard. That's right - a real, live episode of COPS right here in Granger, IN. Check it out: here and here.

Can't wait to see what the rest of the week brings...

Random

Have you ever opened the closet and thought, "I have nothing to wear." That's not to say that there's nothing in the closet - far from it. Plenty of stuff in there. But none of it appealing in any way whatsoever. That's where I'm at lately. I've got a few pairs of jeans that I could live in, but nothing to wear on top. Unfortunately for me, the weather's getting a little chilly for that fashion statement. And I have no intention of being arrested for indecent exposure.

The month of December is already flying by in a blur. Abby's 6th birthday is this coming weekend and I'm not at all prepared. Ok, I've got her "number 1" gift, but other than that - not ready. The house needs to be cleaned (when doesn't it), groceries bought, activities planned, cake baked... and have I mentioned that this is Thursday night? The party is on Sunday (the day of her birthday) and we've got a packed-full schedule from now until the morning of. I work tomorrow, GCC Christmas party tomorrow night, GCC Food Drop Saturday morning, pine car derby with the kids on Saturday afternoon, church Saturday night. This isn't going to be easy. The worst part of it is that I'd really like to be able to relax and enjoy this time - preparing for such an event should be fun and memorable. That's what I want for her. I think the biggest issue is procrastination. It's my middle name.

Have I mentioned that I have only barely started my Christmas shopping, haven't given cards a second thought, and we don't even have the lights on the tree yet...?