If I could describe in a picture how happy the month of December makes me feel...this may just sum it up.
Goodness. I know that some work days I don't look my best, but perhaps I could find something that portrays me a little more accurately in my second Christmas of motherhood.
Nailed it.
One of the lines from the final song of our "Born is the King" Christmas musical was, "I've got Joy!" That phrase has stuck in my head for weeks. And I'm not complaining!
Here is a little preview of our behind-the-scenes warmup.
Emerson had the BEST time running around afterwards and visiting everyone. I can't imagine where she has seen anyone do that before.
Last weekend Ryan's family visited us for some Christmas shopping. Here are the many faces of Emerson during our car ride.
About halfway to the mall I made a startling discovery...
WE FORGOT THE STROLLER!!!
Ryan's parents said not to worry, because they would have something we could use at the mall...
For $5 you can rent a one person firetruck. For a tricky $7 you can accidentally rent a two person truck. Oops. Oh, well. at least it held the diaper bag.
And don't count on getting your fifty cents back when you return the cart.
But we need every bit of change possible, because.....
Ryan FINALLY got a new vehicle after eleven years.
For months he has been researching options, going places, making phone calls, sending smoke signals, and doing everything possible to find the perfect one that was the right price.
He was also smart to go by himself that day instead of having these two hooligans in tow.
Sales Prevention Specialists
Emerson has even caught onto the truck fad.
Here is a trip down memory lane of the year that Ryan's first car was made...
And at this rate he's going to keep the new truck so long that he will offer my urn as an additional trade-in to seal the deal circa 2084.
"Excuse me, sir, but that is not the price we agreed on."
But yuck, I don't want to be cremated. I want to go down in history with my body in tact and wearing a fabulous outfit. It will be my last soiree. And why not throw on a Birthday hat? After all, I won't be turning any older. Like, ever.
I'm willing to bet that no one has ever worn one of these to their own funeral. Leave it to me to be the first. And last...as the case may be.
But we have another fabulous fashionista in training. Look while Emerson exasperates Dada in the shoe section of Academy sports.
And then Sportsman's warehouse. See? You can even find cute things in there. My Dad always says that I could go in a coal mining store and come out with something.
Last Sunday was a long anticipated day! It was Megan and Josh's gender reveal party! We received a precious invitation in the mail and were asked to wear red if we thought it was a girl, or green if we thought it was a boy.
My actual vote was for a boy, because I just had a feeling that that's what Baby P was. However, my green shirt and red vest combo would allow me to be correct regardless of the outcome!
It's....A.....GIRL?!??!
Megan and Josh were shocked. The guests were shocked. The doctor will even be shocked! Apparently they were told early on by a doctor that they were almost certain it would be a boy. They had a name picked out and everything. Don't you love it when God throws a curve ball?
Megan always loved the "American Girl" song by Carrie Underwood. It's about a Dad who dreamed of a little boy since the day he got married, but...
"When the nurse came in with that little pink blanket, all his big dreams changed.
Now he's wrapped around her finger, she's the center of his whole world.
And his heart belongs to that sweet little beautiful, wonderful, perfect, all-American girl!"
Girl$ are $uch a $pecial $urpri$e, aren't they??? And worth every penny. And dollar. And entire paycheck.
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas this year, alright. But it has nothing to do with snow.
Our house is covered in white this year...from the elves at Palmetto Baptist and soon to be McLeod of Dillon. Those white envelopes keep coming in the mail each week, and I shudder as I read the word "statement."
I received another bill last week for an amount that shall remain nameless. I called the "billing inquiry" for some clarification. When asked what the charge was- because there was no indication- I was informed that it was for the "assistant" to the anesthesiologist.
The assistant to the anesthesiologist!??!? Are you kidding me!??
I have now come up with a breakdown of my hospital costs. *These numbers are approximate to protect the innocent.
Hospital portion.....$1,200.00
Surgeon...$1,500.00
Anesthesiologist....$1,000.00
ASSISTANT to the Anesthesiologist ("Please hand me that mask.") $600.00
Two thread-count bed sheets. That's not a typo...$25.00
Guy refilling the vending machine in the lobby...$20.00
Gift shop attendant....$15.00
Interior decorator (from 1975)....$8.00 And that's generous.
Note: I have the upmost respect for all those in the medical field. Please do not misunderstand me, but when does it stop?!?
At least we did get somewhat of a break when our insurance company determined that the extensive hail damage to our roof earlier this year entitled us to an ALMOST free replacement.
"Up on the housetop, reindeer pause..." They BETTER pause and take a good look at those new shingles and not mess them up. I wonder how many calls State Farm gets on December 26th for hoof print damage? It's worth a shot, I guess.
Nothing was going to steal my joy of having my annual Christmas soiree last Wednesday, even if I did get miserably sick the day before and had to go to the doctor. That 24 hour bug totally threw me for a loop, but fortunately I was cleared to go to work and was told that it was safe for me to be around other people.
Poppy came on Tuesday night and kept Emerson while I recovered and worked on many projects. It's the one time of the year that I don't mind being in the kitchen.
Photo booth props can MAKE a party. Ryan came in the house that afternoon and asked what on earth I did to the wall. He saw something unnecessary; I saw good tidings of great cheer.
Both Daniela and Megan are having GIRLS!!! I can't wait to meet them. 2015 is going to be so exciting!
After lots of picture taking and eating dinner we decorated and filled our own Christmas ornaments and played some hilarious Scattergories games.
Then Jamie gave me one of the most AWESOME presents ever...shadow cutouts that I can fill with pictures for Emerson's room. I adore princess Aurora! She knows me well! But duh, it's JAMIE! We are an irreplaceable twosome.
Mama Jamie always takes over. I want to know what it will take to hire her full time.
The next night we took Emerson to meet Santa for the first time, and she LOVED him!!!
He told her that she had "absolutely fabulous hair." I couldn't agree more, Santa! I have to blow dry it now, because it's so thick.
And of course one of my favorite Christmas traditions include the annual pictures and cards. One afternoon during one of Ryan's many unsuccessful truck shopping excursions I played dress up with Emerson at home and took pictures of her inside and out. I was pretty happy with how they turned out!
I am officially HOME for Christmas break and could not be more excited. Uncle Jay has started off on an incredible foot by taking care of Emerson while Mama, Daddy, and I got some last minute shopping done this weekend. (Ryan is working).
And last night he and I even went to see the AWESOME new Hunger Games movie at Plaza Cinemas! I am SUPER stoked that they reopened; it is so convenient, and I have so many memories of that theater.
The smell of that place still makes me a little nervous, because I remember going there every Friday night in junior high and getting all dolled up while I forbid my parents to drive up front to pick me up or drop me off. I refused to be humiliated. Every kid on the planet was going to be there, even if we didn't really pay attention to the movie. I'm fairly certain that I saw Patch Adams and Titanic three times, but at $2.00 a price, who could complain? It was Dillon social hour. Included in that $2.00 would give you a (literal) front row seat to who was sitting next to who, who was - oh my GOSH- holding hands, and any other pertinent information you'd need to know about before school on Monday. God help you if you weren't in the loop. It would throw your entire week out of whack.
Those days seem like just yesterday. And yet sometimes they feel so far away. It dawned on me that my care free days as a fifteen year old are half a lifetime away. Regardless of your social status, career, or the amount in your bank account we are all at the mercy of time. Some of us will get a lot more life than others. Some will have theirs cut short in an instant.
As another Christmas is rapidly approaching it will be the last for many people. Some of those don't know it. Make this Christmas count however you wish, whether it's baking cookies with your Mom or siblings, watching a (good and clean) family movie, playing games, enjoying each other's company, not being buried in your cell phone (that goes for me, too), talking with your grandparents (they are vessels of wisdom), visiting your neighbors, giving to someone in need, and the list continues.
Remember the Tiny Tims of the world and make sure you do some giving this Christmas season; after all, we can't all be Bill Gates or assistants to anesthesiologists.
The next few days are some of my absolute favorite of the year- parties with family and friends, our annual Communion and Christmas Eve services, gatherings, praises to the KING, and just all of it. It fills me with so much joy that I can't even keep it all in. I hope you feel it, too!
Merry Christmas. To all of you. I can hardly wait to put together my year-in-review, because it has been absolutely wonderful. Make an effort to attend the last church services of this season. God wants to speak to you. He wants to show you things. The extra errands and things you need to get done are no match in importance to the message and worship taking place in your local church. Cast aside anything hindering you or any reasons why you shouldn't go, because I promise you. You are wanted.
So laugh, be merry, eat a little more than usual, tell your family you love them, and reminisce about Christmases past. You probably don't remember exactly what gifts you received each year but instead...the people with whom you shared unforgettable memories.
Years from now let's let Christmas of 2014 be one for the books, too!
