Two weeks ago, I was innocently volunteering in the library at my kids' school.  This time spent in the library is enjoyable to me, and you'd think it would br pretty harmless. UNTIL... duh, duh, duh...

a few books started to fall and I proceeded to catch them. Then - SNAP - pain, and now I have a wrist that is in a cast.  I am trying to make some lemonade with these enormous lemons.  I've been taking it pretty easy, relying on my sweet hubby, my wonderful kiddos, friends and family to help out in all of my daily tasks.  I can do a lot, just limited; I am more than aware that there are folks out there who are in much dire sraits than I am. This is just my plight for now. 

I have been drinking tea.  Typically I dont like hot tea, but I have a new fav! To add insult to my injury, I came down with a stomach bug the past few days, and my usual coffee craving just sounded gross! One of my sweet friends brought this to me, and it just hit the spot.

 Im reading this right now. I love having a good Chrismas book to read at this time of year.

On Saturday I was given the privilege of being the maid of honor at my friend's wedding.  The Tuesday prior to the wedding, I hosted a shower for her.  My house was so full of love that night! I dont have a fancy house and was a little intimidated about 20 people arriving, but the size and quality of my home was not the focus of the shower.   Go figure!! I stress myself out about the dumbest things. My house is a gift.  Literally.  Years ago, my house was going into foreclosure. It was a desperate situation.  A wonderful, generous, compassionate couple saved my house and gave me the money that I needed to rescue it.  It was an enormous miracle, and I remind myself often that my house is a gift.  The night of the shower, after I recognized my foolish heart, I was able to simply enjoy having Polly's wonderful family and friends here.  My kids loved it too,  They absolutely adore it when I start getting the house ready for a party. They helped me move furniture around and get food prepped. 

It was such a wonderful weekend to celebrate my precious friend.

Last Sunday afternoon we made our anual trek up to the mountains to find our perfect Christmas tree.  We couldnt have asked for a better afternoon! The experience was freezing cold yet magical!!

The house is now all decorated, the gifts are slowly being delivered,  the holiday spirit is brewing.  We listen to our favorite Christmas music wherever we are at.

Everyone has their favorite tune,  and it is the background noise to everything that we do.

The girls are preparing for their piano recital where they will rock their

own tunes on the piano in a week. 

Holidays and Family. They go hand in hand. Now, Im just going to have to try to figure

out how to wrap gifts with only one hand!  It might be a gift bag type of year!!

Special

The month of November is closing.  We've kissed Thanksgiving goodbye and we've spent many moments celebrating our sweet Marky - moo.  At 13 years old, my precious first-born is such a special girl.  She is incredibly artistic.  She is beautiful.  She is courageous and intuitive. 

I love listening to her process things.  She is wise beyond 13. 

 She has fashion sense that would make Stacey and Clinton proud.

Music flows from this girl.  She loves to sing and play the piano.

Her favorite store is I-tunes.   

 Her heart expands to include others and she has such a sensitive spirit towards people that she loves. 

She loves God and delights in following Him with her heart.

 I couldn't be more proud of who Marky is.  Every day I am blessed by her presence in my life.  I absolutely enjoy her as much as I love her.  Marky introduced me to true love.   She came into my life, and I have never been the same.  My values are different, my priorities have changed.  I see so much of life differently since I became a mother when Marky was born. 

Thirteen BEAUTIFUL years is just the first layer of color on this portrait that God is painting of my lovely daughter. I am absolutely, completely in love with you, my dearest Marky. 

You are a PERFECT first pancake!!

Happy 13th Birthday to you.    

November ramblings - Try to keep up!

We are half-way through our November.  The days of late have been freezing cold with a wind that ignores your coat and makes its way straight down the front of your shirt, chilling you to the absolute bone.  I am not a fan of wind.  "I am not a fan" is Meredith's newest phrase to describe things that she doesn't like.  I guess she actually listened when I corrected her whenever she said "I hate...", so she came up with this alternative.  It's kind of funny when she says it.  I have had an aching neck that has slowed me down the last couple of days.  The pain has been intense and has forced me to take it a little easier rather than running around with both barrels loaded.  I've had a hot rice pack hanging around my neck everywhere I've gone the last few days and just so you know, you can't move very fast with one of those clinging to you.  I'm not exactly sure where I picked up this painful crick, but I'm feeling more sympathetic to people who carry constant pain around with them.  I am NOT a fan of it.  We celebrated our sweet Marky's birthday.  Thirteen and wonderful.  Thirteen and not-so-wonderful.  This is how our days go.  Up, down, back, forth.  The ride is intensely rewarding and challenging all in the same.  Every once in a while, I feel like I'm on Space Mountain... spinning in the dark.  I take one turn at a time, praying like crazy that I don't fall out of my seat, hating that I can't see what is around the next corner.  If I could see, if would probably scare the hell out of me and I would JUMP, so I close my eyes and hope, and trust, and try not to take anything too seriously.  I am not good at that.  I tend to take EVERY thing too seriously.  I care WAY too much about WAY too many things.  Can you say Control Issues????  After  sabotaging 3 cameras over the last 2 years, and being without one for the past few months (have you noticed the lack of pictures on the blog?), we purchased a REAL camera.  Now I just have to take a class to learn how to use it.  I'm really excited about what this piece of equipment can do, but man - it's not a point and shoot that's for sure!!  Thanksgiving is next week.  We have family coming from Portland to visit us over the next week and then we will go out of town to visit other family.  Having to being more still the last few days has caused me to look around.  To listen to the sounds around the house, to soak up the hugs and compassion that my kiddos have offered to their hurting mama, to appreciate all that I have been blessed with.  I'm grateful, so grateful.