Welcome home!

As the world has grown smaller with technology and travel options, more and more people have to go longer distances to be with family. That was never a part of the routine for me or Hamp as we grew up, nor as we had our own family. My, how times have changed!! Yesterday found me at the airport picking up the majority of our family so we could be together during Christmas.

Tiffany and Michael (along with Moosey) landed first and after a 30 minute or so delay from his original arrival time, Hamp made it as well.





While it would be easy to be sad over who's not here with us this year, I'm finding that cooperative weather, safe travels, and successful surgery for Matthew makes being thankful for who IS here the better choice. And of course, the reason we even celebrate Christmas at all is because of the love and sacrifice of our Father God in the gift of His Son. May you have a blessed Christmas season this year and I look forward to sharing more with you in the coming days.

Ignorance is Bliss?

I'm not sure who comes up with these sayings we pass down from generation to generation, but I'd like to dispel this one tonight. Ignorance for our family was taking on the task of preparing a house to put on the market right before Christmas with no other family members living in it besides me and the cat. Dictionary.com defines bliss as the following:

1. supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment.

Just being honest here, I'm not seeing anything that resembles the state of my soul these past days. Kit, on the other hand, finally found a moment of apparent bliss yesterday, but notice she was not ignorant about it. She purposely snuck behind the tree up against the wall where you couldn't see her from the front and was hidden out of sight.



As I've gotten the house almost ready for human habitation again, I now get to change hats and be chauffeur, nurse, and mother to Matthew tomorrow as he has surgery #2 on his "good" leg in Rome. It's pretty routine for us now and if all goes well, he'll be propped up on somebody's couch by mid-afternoon. Tuesday afternoon will find me heading to the airport to pick up the rest of the family who is flying in for Christmas. I am now starting to get excited since there are beds for them to sleep in and functioning toilets in their proper locations. It's the little things....

As I've worked in the house this week, I've hit a couple of grief bumps along the way because so many things remind me that life hasn't turned out like it was supposed to. After re-reading some in the book "Experiencing Grief", I was reminded again that grief is a journey all of us will travel, but most of us remain ignorant as to what it looks like and how to help those experiencing it. I think all of us know someone in our lives living through grief in some way this season. Take a minute and let them know that you're aware of their pain, that you care, and that the loss matters to you because it matters to them.

For my friends who number too many that have lost children, I'm praying God will hold you tight as you keep putting one foot in front of the other. While things are not as they should be here on earth, may the reality that someday all things will be made right comfort you through this season of hope through Christ.

Is It Beginning to Look a Bit Like Christmas?

Christmas is in one week. If I were a small child, that statement would probably cause squeals of delight and wonder-filled eyes. But, alas, I am not a small child (although Kit might argue that point after her observation of my behavior last night, but that's another story). So the fact that Christmas is in one week brings a shock of awareness and a panic that grows and ebbs depending on the state of the house.

At first glance, this peaceful scene would indicate that things actually do look a little festive in the living room. But turn around to view the kitchen and you will find a completely different appearance there and in the dining areas.










Maybe things are better upstairs, you wonder? Let's check out our bathroom and my infamous (or possibly now famous) sink. Notice the area to the back left of the picture where the toilet is...not. But can you see how great the new floor looks?



While the intended usefulness of the missing toilet is not available in its present location, if we could work out a few plumbing adjustments, a nightly visit would take far less time!



I think getting the house ready to sell is a small snapshot of what God has been doing in our lives. He's taken the basic structure and left it intact, but completely torn off the old and put on the new. Lest you fret and think all is in disorder, we are slowly getting things finished and there are moments of quiet rest beginning to take place again. (Unless you work for the Atlanta Braves, and if so, then I think Santa might be your best hope).



While it's probably irreverent in some deep theological way, I leave you with my favorite picture of the day. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him". That's Christmas, that's our hope, that's our life. Even if Jesus really wasn't a pea.

Perspective

My brother and his family went on a cruise during Thanksgiving and I got to see their pictures last weekend. There were two that not only made me laugh, but they also gave me a moment of pondering. Both pictures are of the same thing, only one was taken from a front view and one from the back. I think God knew I needed a humorous and visual reminder that life is often about perspective. While I might be able to come up with a deep and profound thought to share with you, I'll leave it to you to discover your own. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Brother!

Hamp got to come home for a weekend visit so we could celebrate Christmas with my side of the family this afternoon. It also happens to be my "little" brother's birthday so I wanted to take a minute to celebrate him publicly for two reasons. One, he has a birthday close to Christmas like Hamp does and it's easy in the busyness of the season to not take the time to honor them well. The second reason is that I forgot to get him a birthday card as we hurried about getting ready for the day, so this will have to do. He would want you to know that he is the only remaining sibling under the age of 50...but only for two more years!

Here we are along with my sister and mom as we took the obligatory family pictures for the year.



Sadly, Tiffany and Michael couldn't get here this early to join us, but Tiffany sent a gift for the exchange. Her cousin Tori sought advice from Tiffany via cell phone as she chose a gift for her carefully.



Nice job, Tori! You didn't choose the singing frog or the sexy santa girl that danced. It was a nice ornament with a nativity scene in it that lights when the switch on the bottom is turned on.



As you know, it's been insanely busy for our family getting the house ready to put on the market and the mess involved in doing so. Taking the time today to be with family and be reminded that we actually like each other and enjoy being together was the heart and soul rest we needed. And it's a reminder that God Himself gives us in Psalms 46:10 - "Cease striving (be still) and know that I am God;"

I leave you with pictures from our time together and would like to thank John and Kim and their family for working so hard to make it such a wonderful celebration.

The cousin picture minus Tiffany and Michael.



My sister, Janet, with all her boys.



My brother, John, with his whole family including Buddy the dog who had as much fun as we did.







Hamp and I with Matthew, the lone representative of our children for the day.



My mom with six of her eight grandchidren.



Not only did we have fun with the gift exchange, but we ate very well! Kim topped the evening off by taking individual orders for stone cold mixed ice cream which was yummy! And the best part of that was I got the same cold stone as my gift; well, after a little help from my brother.





As is apparent in my last blog comment section, baby bro doesn't think I have serious song writing potential. Maybe not marketable, but surely presentable. I'll let you decide as I close with his own personal version of "Happy Birthday" to wrap up his special day.

"Happy Birthday to You"



"And Merry Christmas too"



"You take interesting pictures"



"We are thankful for you"!

Sounds of the Season

Since Christmas is exactly two weeks from today (for another 30 minutes), I decided to add some festive cheer to your reading. Feel free to sing along...and you even get pictures!

"Deck the halls with paint and brushes, falalalala lala lala"



"The house must sell so we are rushing, falalalala lala lala"



"Don we now our rags and cleaners, falala lalala la la la"



"We're making progess as you can see here, falalalala, la la la la"







I have graduated from hot chocolate to chocolate chips right out of the bag, so life is good. Like they say (who is "they" exactly??)..."be it ever so humble, there's no place like home".

What a Week!!

Greetings on this quiet Sunday morning. It seems like ages ago instead of just a week since I had time to stop and catch you up on life in our family. It's been crazy, so I'll just hit the highlights or you'd never finish reading.

First, it was nice to have Hamp home for Thanksgiving, but it was also hard not having Tiffany and Michael here. I understand much better how difficult the holidays can be when those we love are not present for whatever reason. I don't think Norman Rockwell would relate to life as many know it in today's world. We did get to visit with family and friends and Tiffany sent us a picture of the Jones family living on the North Shore.



I was without my computer for several days because I opened a link on Facebook that gave it a virus. Talk about frustrating!! For those that might need a reminder; DO NOT open anything that doesn't seem "right". The unfortunate part about forwards, Facebook messages, etc. is that they come from people you know and trust. But often the viruses attach themselves to addresses within the affected computer and generate their own link. The best rule is never open stuff like that. My computer is working again but only because of the knowledge of others that far exceeds my own.

Hamp and I met with two different realtors last weekend and now have one chosen to sell the house. After living here for over 15 years, there's obviously a lot to be done. Trying to find the balance between updating things, yet getting the money back out of it in today's market along with the holidays is a good recipe for stress. Kit and I have our own ways of dealing with it. I enjoy the fire also, but not usually on the floor.



Hot chocolate works for me!



To end with the week with a bang - literally - I slipped on an icy patch on our deck while trying to run off a squirrel that prefers gnawing on the railings instead of the many trees in our back yard. This is now war and while I've usually been humane in the ridding of these unwanted creatures, I will now consider all options. I am wondering if it's possibly one I've captured and released before because none of the recommended and previously successful baits have enticed it into the cage yet.



Last night was Dinner in December which is held at our church every year. It's a dinner theater program designed to bring people together that might not otherwise be interested in anything church related. It's always a time of good food, fun, and friendship and something our family has done since it began. This year, Matthew and I were the only ones in town.



Joey and his brother Steven were able to join us, but Mason had to work.



Me with my Polirican (Polish and Puerto Rican) "daughter" Nikki. We both missed Tiffany as the two of them used to be very involved in the production of the program.



Here's proof that Joey and Matthew clean up very nicely!



Next week begins the mini-makeover of the house which we are able to partially hire out. It's sad; the house will look amazing - and then we'll move. The sign will go in the yard within the next two weeks or so and we're trying to get as much work done as we can before potential buyers come. Hamp will get to come home next Saturday for a quick weekend visit to have Christmas with my side of the family and then will be home on the 23rd along with Tiffany and Michael. Deep breaths...hot chocolate anyone??