The Girl Who Got a Tree

Many of you read my post A Treeless Christmas. This is an update.

My husband is really the sweetest man in the world. He claims he is a hopeless romantic, but by his definition this is "someone who is romantic, but hopelessly bad at it." This week, Dear Husband scored some points for the home team.

I went to work on Tuesday. It was a normal day. I got up, looked around my treeless house, sighed s small sigh (reminding myself that Christmas is indeed not about a tree or lights or presents, but about the Incarnation), and left for work.

Matt had several tasks for the day - one was to go by Toys'R'Us to find small nerf-type balls for the homemade slings we made our nephews. The traffic is horrible out there...so, I was pretty proud of my husband for "taking one for the team" and sparing me the hassle and possible downfall.

I ended up getting some fun news that day (my business is now officially an L.L.C) and I wanted to share it - I called Hubby on his cell phone. He was really short with me, stated that he hadn't made it out to the toy store and pretty much gave me the "I'm shopping for you excuse" - which immediately serves as a question blocker as all of my gifts must be shrouded in secrecy. I was a little hurt - but, new he was busy, traffic was bad, and I would have been the same way.

When I got home, I walked in the front door and behold - crammed in between our sofa and our love seat was a huge, lit Christmas tree. Husband had spent his day driving 3 hours round trip to his parents house so that he could retrieve the tree and surprise his wife. Good man.

So, I aptly named this story: The Girl Who Got a Tree.....from the most romantic man in the world.

A Postable Christmas Project

This year I am taking part in a cookie swap. Tonight I made 96-100 Big and soft ginger cookies. It was a new recipe and it ended up being sooooo tasty. Gingery, sweet, and soft. Perfect with a cup of hit apple cider or coffee.

A Treeless Christmas

Christmas is my favorite holiday by far. I have memories of sleeping under the Christmas tree trying to catch a glimpse of Santa, big family breakfasts, waking up to my parents singing carols, and yes, even 24-hour drives across the country in order to surprise family (at my parents' whim). It has always been a time of excitement, childhood fantasy, miracles...and a little magic.

The last two years, Christmas has lost it's magic.....please, don't misunderstand me here. I still believe in Santa and I still see the miracle of Christ and marvel in wonder at its beauty.

My husband and I have spent 3 Christmas seasons married, sadly, each becoming more and more drained of it's Christmas wonder. Traveling here and there, sprinting across the state.... we spend so much time away from our home that Christmas has become a chore, lonely, and unfamiliar. Combine this with law school and the demands and strain that it puts on life and you can picture our current state.

This year, as I write, I look around my house. No garland, no wreath, no lights, no tree, no nativity...a pretty magic-less Christmas. A big part of me wants to cry and scream and fight and be angry about my loss of Christmas - how it is continually being stolen from our little family. But, I recollect and realize that I still have my family - I still have my husband - our marriage has not splintered (as it easily could have) under the law school strain and we are still very much in love.

So, I'll sacrifice a tree and some garland this year....and revel in a magic-less Christmas with a wonderful husband.

Homemade Holiday Update: Part II

So, as I have previously posted, I am painfully behind on my Christmas projects....painfully. So, last night a dear friend asked me if I would like to come over and wrap gifts. Since I had no gifts finished and ready to wrap, I thought I would take the opportunity to get out of the house and finish hubby's super secret surprise gift. I've been trying to practice my ninja crafting skills by keeping an eye on the door and using hubby's time out of the house wisely, but to no avail. He is now done with his exams and will be en casa for the duration of the break. Hence, my journey to a friend's house last night in order to have some hot cocoa and much needed work time.

It was a really sweet time. I don't get to hang out with those wonderful ladies much and I must say sitting on a couch, watching "Christmas in Washington" and sharing our little Christmas memories was just what I needed. Might I add that I have a lot to learn when it comes to wrapping gifts...Melissa, Katie, and Missy, you guys are pros.

Another reason for my mid-week activity: I also was able to give a wonderful friend of mine some of my bibs to show to a local shop owner....I hope she likes them. That would be AMAZING. Just what my little business needs to get off the ground. The Purple Martin is on hold right now, waiting for our L.L.C. paperwork to go through. I'm so ready for this - once that hurdle is cleared we can set up shop (so to speak). The Christmas hiatus will be good for the creative juices, however.

All in all, I feel like I'm ready, but not ready. Confusing, I know.

Anyhow, I am almost finished with 3 of our big gifts for family and I now have one of hubby's homemade surprises finished. I really wish people I knew didn't read this blog so that I could post pictures of my pretty works...but, I have a feeling that curiosity would get the better of most of my family and Christmas surprises would be ruined.

I'll just have to post all the pictures after gifts have been received.

I still have a lot left to do...like put up our tree.

I am not a teacher!

Sorry, I just had to tell myself that once or twice. Not in an effort to deny that I do in fact teach, but in an effort to remind myself that although teaching is my profession, it is not my identity. While I love intricacies of grammar and imagination - my self worth is not wrapped up in how my students perform or if they like me that day.

I am simply me - and I'm pretty stinkin' awesome.

Abandoned Cars

This morning on my drive into work, I passed an abandoned car. Not an entirely unusual occurrence whilst driving along the highway. This particular car had a red shirt stuffed in a ball, hanging halfway out the window - which caught my eye.

Was this a signal? A cry for help? A "Leave me be, I'm sleeping" amongst an underground community of shoulder dwellers? A seedy sign of a black market transaction.

My mind was racing.

Most certainly, it was simply a red shirt, shoved into a cracked window, but it provided a wonderful playground for my imagination this morning.

A Homemade Holiday: Update

So, we have about 15 days until Christmas! Unfortunately, I still have a lot of gifts to be completed. I've finished 4 gifts...almost. I still have about 20 to go. Some will go quick and some will go slow....but, I'm a little nervous. I can see why buying something is preferable to so many folks. Next year, I'll have to get started before December 1st. LOL.

I'll check in later.

Homemade Christmas

This year I have really wanted to have a homemade Christmas. Meaning that our gifts and ornaments and other specialties around the house would be homemade or crafted.

I think there is always something very special about crafting a gift for someone - I often think about that person or pray for them while I'm working on a project...so handcrafted to me has a beautiful and significant meaning...now that I am an adult.

Unfortunately, I don't think I held to this belief when I was younger. I remember getting handmade gifts when I was younger...and always wishing that I has gotten the latest "it" toy. I even remember my mom making me beautiful dresses and costumes -while I would longed for the cheaply made store bought items.

It speaks to our culture, huh? When something made with love and care and joy and attention to detail can be seen as "less" than a cheap piece of plastic that can possibly be harmful....(i.e. toys from China).

This year, I'm doing my best to get gifts completed. I'm making homemade gifts for just about everyone in our family - and for some friends as well.

Hopefully, our family will have a better attitude than I did.

Life got nuts.

Well, since my last post, life has exploded. Holidays and business have taken over and I haven't really taken the time to write until today.

So, I shall speak on Holidays.

Thanksgiving and Christmas used to be my favorite Holidays. Obviously, because I have everything to be thankful for and one of those is Christ being born.

Well, I'm through with the "Holidays" or at least with how people are telling me I have to spend them. I'm quite tired of rushing and shushing about to everyone's houses. I'm sick of
having to tally up how much time I have spend with respective sets of friends and family - I just want to rest. Isn't that what the holidays are about...staying home and resting and rejoicing.

My husband and I have a big decision before us and that is - how are all these family obligations going to work out during Christmas....my honest opinion is that we spend Thanksgiving with his folks - my folks should get Christmas and then we'll swap....but, I know that won't fly.

Don't get me wrong....I love my family and my husband's family....I just wish we had some time for our family - just ours, but as it is - I'm looking at my calendar and December and January are looking far from inviting.

Pray that I have a better attitude.