Goodnight 2008

Goodnight 2008. How how good you've been to me. Your brother 2007 brought a metaphorical storm that uprooted a half dead tree in our backyard that looked pretty and ornamental on the side facing out, but was half dead and spindley on the side facing in. This uprooting allowed more sunshine and light into our private garden. You helped my soul mate love and nurture me back to health. He was my best friend, my confidant, and the only one who understood. You opened our eyes to the years of famine we had both come to not only tolerate but embrace out of ignorance. We were equally ready to face our failures, and thus equally rewarded for it.

This summer, someone who hadn't seen me in a year looked at my face, cocked his head and said I looked refreshed, as if a burden had been taken off my shoulders. Oh yes 2008, they saw what you did! They saw that the weight I had carried around for many years and had resigned myself to had been lifted. I had no idea it could be read on my face.

2008, you even saved the best for last, because December has been dearest to us yet. I can tell you're opening another door. I can tell the best is yet to come. We're grateful, and our hearts are full.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson

sweet christmas day

Highlights of my Christmas:

Sleeping in until 8am and lingering in bed with Jon for an hour. The kids are beyond the age of waking us up early on Christmas morning.

Eating eggnog french toast made by Jon. Eating fried left over mashed potatoes & onions & bacon made by Jon. Eating additional bacon on it's own. You can never eat too much bacon.

Getting some surprise presents from Jon, even though we had agreed to not buy each other anything.

Seeing Jon's face when I gave him a surprise present of a black soft thick wool hat that I knit, the kind like he's always wanted. I began it 2 days before Christmas!

Not having to be anywhere else but in our comfy home.

Learning that you can make a squash easy to peel by boiling the whole thing for about 5 minutes. Brilliant! Thanks Google.

Eating a homemade turkey dinner with all four of us sitting at the table at the same time (rare!). It was all sooooo yummy!

Getting EXTRA dark Lindor chocolates from Jon.

Enjoying my kids enjoying their presents. They didn't care that this Christmas's tree was not over-stuffed with presents as in years past.

Ending the evening with Jon opening a bottle of champagne and making a toast to our sweetest Christmas yet.

“He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Christmas Eve

Dear Diary,

It's Christmas Eve. Tonight we went to our church's Christmas Eve service. Jon thought it started at 6:30pm, but he was wrong. I normally would confirm the time with someone else, but I uncharacteristically didn't. We arrived a half-an-hour late. I'm kinda glad though, cuz even though it was awkward (eeeeek!!) walking in late, it affected me profoundly. Sounds mysterious huh? Let's just say I was reminded of heartfelt prayers I prayed last December. We'll leave it at that.

It was a nice service, but short for us, ha ha! I'm glad though.

We dropped the kids off at home and went to the house of a friend of Jon's, but just for an hour or so. Faith was not impressed. We had just missed the crowd, so it was just family that we hung out with. It was nice. I'm usually not comfortable with people I don't know from Adam (is that a saying?), but I liked being out of my element and just relaxing on their couch while sipping whiskey that we had brought mixed with Diet Coke that they had. My only concern was getting sleepy and becoming useless for the rest of the evening. Two strong drinks and I'm still operational. Phew! Jon and I plan to crack open a bottle of champagne later. How romantic!

Well I still have presents to wrap, and Jon and I plan to watch a movie and eat some shrimp and seafood dip, spicy, even though Jon wanted mild - I like to expand his horizons. Jon likes it when I expand his horizons.

Goodnight dear diary. May I not forget to be tender-hearted this season and beyond.

my december

This December I've really not felt that tingly Christmas spirit. We only just started Christmas shopping on the 19th, and that's just for our 2 kids. We're pretty much done. It's a quick job when your budget is modest. Jon and I can't afford to exchange gifts. We're not buying any gifts for anyone outside of our little family. School tuition eats up our money (and more). Doesn't it sound like I'm lamenting?! You know what though, it's been our happiest December ever! Never have I ever felt more content and happy. Jon feels it too. He's so relaxed and carefree about this holiday. It's not Santa that has a twinkle in his eye in this house, it's me and my baby!

The kids are just as content. They are off school after all. Faith is happy to be baking sugar cookies. She's happy knowing she'll get a few new things tomorrow morning. She's happy to be watching old Christmas movies with me while Jon is at work and Mitchell is playing his PC games.

Tomorrow we don't need to be anywhere so we'll cook our own turkey dinner. I'm looking forward to that more than anything!

This has been the sweetest December ever for Jon and I. The whole month has been very romantic. I'm so grateful to God for this whole year. It's been the most blessed year of our lives. I almost hate to see December end, because God saved the best for last in 2008.

Merry Christmas!!!

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love." - Hamilton Wright Mabie

sex is...

I watched this youtube video posted on another blog. It's great! It's also a reminder that regular teachings on sex is very important within the church. I wonder how many churches make this a priority? I wonder how many are actually equipped to do so? To neglect such a paramount aspect of life is sad! How many married couples suffer needlessly for years? How many teens are ill-equipped? How many people suffer shame when they don't have to? What are we afraid of? An entire book of the Bible was dedicated to the subject, so God must think it's pretty darn important!

The church is not responsible for people's sexuality, but it could sure help by getting people thinking about it and talking about it. Sexual health is a lovely thing! Sexual fulfillment within marriage is a powerful thing! :o)

the five love languages: the retest

Jon and I read "The Five Love Languages" by Dr. Gary Chapman last year. It was really enlightening. I did this online test last February, but Jon was curious to see if my results would still be the same. The only thing that changed was I seem to love words of affirmation more than ever ("acts of service" and "gifts" dropped!), but what I think is really going on is I get words of affirmation more than ever, and it makes me feel more loved than ever. :o)

The Five Love Languages

My primary love language is probably
Physical Touch
with a secondary love language being
Quality Time.

Complete set of results

Physical Touch:		12
Quality Time:		8
Words of Affirmation:		7
Acts of Service:		2
Receiving Gifts:		1

Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

Take the quiz

"no christmas for me"

This is the cutest Christmas song ever!!! Smooth...ahhhhh...

love.redemption.warm.true

When they blow Gabriel's horn, rip fiction from fact
I want to get caught in some radical act
of love and redemption, the sound of warm laughter
some true conversation with a friend or my lover

Over The Rhine, portion of the song "Here It Is" from the album "Snow Angels", Songwriters: Detweiler, Linford

just you and me and candlelight

I've Got My Love to Keep me Warm
Les Brown & His Band Of Renown (PSAPP'S Lady remix)

darlin' christmas is coming

Wish I'd found this song a year ago cuz the sentiments would have been a perfect fit last December, but it's such a lusciously sweet song that I simply must post it this lovely December.

If I could have anything
What would I want this new year to bring
Well, I’d want you here with me

Tear these thorns from my heart
Help the healing to start
Let’s set this old world free
Let’s start with you and me

Over the Rhine ~ "Snow Angels" album

christmas song

I love Dave Matthew's music. He's such a poet.

Dave Matthews Band ~ Christmas Song

solitude

"Solitude" by Michael Schaffer

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow it's mirth,
But has trouble enough of it's own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life's gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a long and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.

~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox