Daily Journal - Special Christmas Edition

Yesterday was a simply wonderful day. It started off with a quick trip to pick up a couple of gift cards, but not any old gift cards! These gift cards are each worth a one hour massage from our favorite therapist, Renita! Dearest daughter because of her back injury 7 years ago, can really use a massage every now and again. Her hubby, who is trying to beat a PhD deadline, is sometimes stressed & he too can really use an hour of pampering. So - one hour massages are the perfect gifts that don't add clutter to their lives!

After getting the cards I picked up my 89 year old mama. Yep - I'm 60. She's 89. I still call her mama! I'm a southern girl. Yes, I am.

Anyway - back to my story & why it deserves a special edition of its own. My daughter had us & her older brother & his family over for dinner yesterday because it's gonna' be impossible to all get together on Christmas day. She had a wonderful lunch of meatballs, mashed potatoes, green beans & cranberry sauce. I brought Maxine's fabulous homemade sourdough bread & my son brought two yummy desserts. {note to self: the family's favorite seems to be cheesecake!} Afterward we watched, "While You Were Sleeping". . . actually only some of us watched it & some of us napped! :) When it was over, shortly after 4, there was a hustle & bustle of son's family getting coats on, gathering things & hopping into their vehicle, to make a 4:30 appointment with the Realtor to look at the land that's for sale across the street from us!

Now - I could write an entire blog completely devoted to the wonderfulness of having my son & his wife willing and eager to live across the street from his dad & me. It really does humble us. First Amanda & David moved just 15 minutes away from us & now our son is considering moving nearby. We are blessed. . . & we know it. These are the things we ponder in our hearts. These are reasons we live lives of gratefulness and joy.

Back to the story. Hubby & I & mama tagged behind a bit, but we showed up in time for me to walk to the back of the 10 acres & admire the gorgeous piece of property. Mama & hubby stayed across the street in our cozy little cabin.

Once they were through looking, no decisions nor offers were made but it sure would be nice if there was some clear indication this is what God has next for them. . . (just as he did for us) - we gathered at the cozy little cabin for a campfire & wienie roast. Boy! What a run-on sentence! Oh - never mind!

The campfire area is really beautiful. . . hubby has stacked rocks around it & there's a concrete bench near it along with several outdoor chairs. The fire area is really lovely & I really am sorry I don't have any pics of it! We deliberately built it in a relatively cleared area outside the viewing area of the dining room, which is mostly windows! This was done so my my mom & other friends & family who may not want to get into the actual camping area, have a chance to watch the fire from the cozy inside!

While sitting in there, watching the campfire getting lit, mama asked if I thought she could go out there. I explained we'd have to go around the house, because the steps from the kitchen are way too steep. Instead of her cashmere dress coat we put her in one of hubby's heavy work jackets. And a pink hat to keep her ears warm. And a hand-knitted scarf tucked in around her neck. She was READY!

I had a flashlight with us & carefully held on to her hand. While walking to the back of the cabin we admired the moon, which was almost full, & her face lit up as we approached the roaring campfire! My son gave up his seat for her & we got her settled in. She looked around at everyone. . . . my hubby, her great grandchildren (ages 8-19) & their friend, her grandson & his wife, her grandson-in-law, etc.

And she. . . .

Smiled!

And.

She.

Said.

"I Don't Feel 89!"

I almost started crying. What better Christmas gift could she receive than to feel younger than her almost 9 decades of life? She ate a hot-dog & chips & even ate a roasted/toasted marshmallow & she basked in the warmth of the fire & the warmth of her family.

Is her life perfect? No.

Are our lives perfect? No.

But for a little while mama seemed to be completely at ease. You see, she has macular degeneration & doesn't see well at all. She's completely deaf in her right ear & has very little hearing in her left. Even with a lot of people around she lives a life of isolation.

But none of that mattered around the campfire: she could see that!

And while she couldn't understand any of the conversations going on, she could hear they were happy ones without any arguing or politicking or snarkiness. Just her family laughing & having a good time.

The best Christmas of all is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up with one another.

So Merry Christmas, Mama. I'm guessing that soft, fuzzy fleece blanket I got you isn't going to compare at all to feeling younger for a couple of hours!

With love & gratefulness,

Merry Christmas to all!

For Today - December 20, 2010

Outside My Window. . . it is getting light outside.  I've been up since 6AM. . . snapped some pix of the Christmas tree, etc., before camera battery went dead.  It is also very chilly - but that is okay.  After all, it's almost winter!

I Am Thinking. . . that unintended consequences oftentimes turn out simply wonderful!

I Am Grateful. . .that I got to spend yesterday w/most of my family.

In The Kitchen . . . is a bag of marshmallows & bags of chips.  Something that doesn't appear too often in my kitchen unless kids/grand-kids are expected!

I Am Creating. . . .a special posting about my mama.

I Am Going. . . to church, then make a quick visit to a dear friend before he departs for an overseas trip.

I Am Reading . . .nada.

I Am Hoping . . . .for an uneventful day.

I Am Hearing . . . the EdenPURE humming & Shiloh snoring.  And a bird chirping outside. 

Around The House . . . are leaves on the floor & throws waiting to be folded on backs of couches & chairs.  Evidence there were people here.  People snuggling on couches.  :)

I Am Wearing. . .flannel pajamas & a deep red maroon robe.

I Am Thinking . . . that my mama received the best Christmas present she could ever have!

I Am Wondering . . .if my oldest son & his family made it safely home.  No matter how old they are (40), I still wonder.

One Of My Favorite Things. . .Getting together w/family w/o a lot of *agenda*.  I'm not overly fond of having every moment of a gathering choreographed & scheduled.  I like impromptu!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .Christmas is one of my least favorite holidays.  I'm not Scrooge about it. . . . but I'm happy to have others take over the dinners & plays & holiday merry-making.

About Today's Photo. . .Mama - 

For Today - December 9, 2010

Outside My Window. . . It is just getting light. . . . and it is cold!  But not as cold as Oslo, Norway, where my youngest son is visiting until the end of January!

I Am Thinking. . . I need to tidy up the house.  I've been gone since Monday, getting home last evening. 

I Am Grateful. . .that I got to spend the last couple of days w/my daughter-in-law & grand-kids.  They are the best!  I'm also grateful for having much of the Christmas shopping done.

In The Kitchen . . . I am smelling meat pies and franincense!  I bet that is indeed an original sentence. . . one arethat's not been spoken before!  LOL 

Meat are pies  in the oven for breakfast because there are no eggs nor oatmeal.  Nothing else hot to eat!!!!  So out from the freezer came a meat pie from Lasyone's Meat Pie Restaurant in  Natchitoches, Louisiana.  Hubby made a run there not too long ago to buy some to have for Christmas.  He bought enough to have a few extra ahead of time!  The kitchen is getting warm from heating them up in the oven!

There is also the aroma of frankincense.  I bought some resin & burned some in the kitchen this morning.  A wonderful, wonderful fragrance!

I Am Creating. . . .a place I like to be!  I love being at home.  I love tweaking the decor.  I love cooking & baking & laughing & loving here in this little  home!

I Am Going. . . to call mama, do some laundry, tidy house, & vacuum.  And have the 7th of 8th Bible study sessions here today.

I Am Reading . . . my  Bible lesson.

I Am Hoping . . . .my son can survive the Oslo winter!  Current time there: 2 PM.  Current temps: 5 degrees F.! 

I Am Hearing . . . the EdenPURE humming & the oven cycling on/off as it heats my breakfast.

Around The House . . . Frankincense, Christmas decor, and a cat.  We're cat-sitting for youngest son.  She is the sweetest cat there ever was.   Content to travel across country w/son, she seems to be adapting well to the cozy little cabin.  This is not her home of origin - the old house was - but she seems to be just fine.  Even w/our bear of a dog: Shiloh!


I Am Wearing. . . two pairs of socks, Cuddle Duds, velour pants, turtleneck & velour robe.  It's chilly in here!

I Am Thinking . . . there's no place like home!

I Am Wondering . . . how son is enjoying Norway in winter!

One Of My Favorite Things. . .Getting & staying warm!  I don't like it hot - I don't like it cold.  Warm/cool work best for me!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . My least favorite Christmas song is "Frosty the Snowman".  I think I was hearing it in stores/restaurants while it was still  October!

About Today's Photo. . .My son after a whirlwind drive from Oregon to Texas; a quick shower, 1.5 hour nap, and on the way to the airport, 3 hours away!