Happy Birthday Jim!

Happy Birthday, Jim (not Number 5, but Jim the Wiser)!
I love you!

(Don't miss the Thanksgiving post below)

Thanksgiving

This is my first Thanksgiving as a blogger & I've seen that it's customary for many bloggers to list what they're thankful for. On Thanksgiving (last week) I was in a computer-challenged home and couldn't post. Working on the philisophy that one can (and should) be thankful at any time, here's my list. I'm thankful for:
* My husband -- To be married to the same man for 29 years and still love him is a real accomplishment these days!
* My sons -- They're pleasant, intelligent, have integrity and have the character trait I most desired for each of them: a love for and a close walk with the Lord.
* My extended family -- I have a family I'm close to, as well as in-laws I love. I know so many people who dislike, resent and/or war with their inlaws; what a blessing to get an extra family!
* My salvation & the Lord's steadfast love, support & forgiveness.
* My friends -- the church ladies, stitchers, antiquers and gardeners.
* Unimportant things that add a sparkle to life (in no particular order):
Skyline Chili
Books
Chickens (especially my girls)
Turner the dog
Vegetable plants & Perennials
Antique Malls
Music
NPR
London (in fact, the entire UK!)
Art
History
Fountain Coke & brewed Iced Tea
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Beautiful sunny days

If you feel like it, comment with your own list!

Christmas

Christmas is only 39 days away. I know, that seems like alot -- but it's not.

I have always loved Christmas -- from the time I was little all the way into adulthood -- both for spiritual and sentimental reasons. I am so moved by the knowledge that God became flesh and took on all the vulnerability of man. I also really like all things Christmas, and the older (translate: the cheesier), the better.

Cheesy

Today I was showing some people at work a pair of new (old) Paramount electric candles I'd just gotten and one of the Pastors (the youngest one, by the way) walked by and said "cheesy". Yes, they're cheese, but they're great!!

I have boxes and boxes of old 30s, 40s & 50s decorations and always put up 2 trees, though I actually have 4. I usually start decorating on Thanksgiving weekend (it takes a few days) and used to even start my baking in October.

All that is leading up to this: I'm not looking forward to Christmas this year. For the first time I can ever remember, I barely feel like decorating, baking or even (gasp!) listening to a Christmas carol. I don't even care about hearing the King's College Choir "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" -- and it's never Christmas season until I hear "Once in Royal David's City"!

This year, my extended family won't all be together at the holidays, even once, for the first time ever. Also, Charlie's moving to Florida a week before Christmas and we'll officially become empty-nesters. Danny's already told us he doubts that he'll come back home this summer. Jim is vague about his Christmas plans, but sounds like he might not be with us on Christmas Eve (a first) and that translates to probably not Christmas morning. It also sounds like he'll be leaving Michigan at about the time the Ohio family gets here. They're coming up, as usual, but in smaller numbers and only staying 2 days. We haven't had a "normal" Columbus family Christmas in a few years, either -- due to freak ice storms and family illness. I feel like this is a watershed year and the holidays (and life) will look different from now on.

Anyway, I'm not looking forward to any of it with enthusiasm. I'm hopeful that as the holidays get closer I will become more excited. I'll probably do all the things and bake the cookies and send the cards, but I have to admit, my heart's not in it. I'm cheerful, aren't I?

Thoughts, anyone? I'd love to hear them. . .

Family Gathering

All of our guys were home last weekend. With our little family scattered across the country (and due to scatter even more in December), having all five of us in the same house for the weekend was is something that I'll never take for granted.

Jim came into town with his new girlfriend, Bethany, to go to game 6 with his dad. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, but it actually gave us more time together. Saturday night's dinner was so enjoyable -- we didn't even have any fights (though there was the occasional discussion)! In a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit after dinner, Bethany and I routed the men -- we even got the final sports question right! The Jims and Charlie couldn't handle defeat and had to switch to Trivial Pursuit 20th Anniversary edition in order to win.

Here's a preview of our Christmas picture: