With a little help from my friends

Thanks for the prayer, my back is not healed, not even close but I did manage to get some shopping done with Donna yesterday and hopefully will finish it up tomorrow. People are crazy out there so since a lot of stores will have early hours tomorrow I think I will use the fact that I can't sleep past 5:30 am to my advantage and go shopping sans the Shopanazi's.

I think tomorrow is tree trimming night for us. The tree has been bare except for the non sanctioned angel (it's a star year) and the lights. Tomorrow the ornaments come out and the star goes up and our tree won't look so forlorn.

Our neighbor is having an open house Sunday so we will go and visit with old friends, neighbors, and maybe even meet some (gasp!) new folks. Jo and Les are shuddering at the mere thought. Then we have Christmas Eve services on Monday night at church.

It's all good here at Camp Blaisdell, I'm glad I have my family to share it with.

Blessings to you all!

This isn't going as planned

I planned to get a bunch of shopping done and finish decorating my house and get stuff whipped into shape and... the list goes on. What is happening is I am laid up with a pulled muscle in the middle of my back and getting very little done since Donna is sick and I have not the impetus to soldier on through the pain and get stuff done.

Did I mention I keep trying to get whatever typhus she has? Ya, think homeopathic medicine, I've got it and I'm taking everything I can think of to stave off the cholera she's brought home with her. Okay, I'm being a wee bit melodramatic, but I REALLY don't want to be sick on top of everything else.

Anyway, please pray for a quick recovery for me and Donna. We still gotta shop!

Wow am I a liar

I am such a liar, last two nights I've been too beat to write. So, no blog, but I'm a good morning person.

I woke up this morning and went to my computer. I hoped to catch Aaron to talk to him since I knew he would be down about Donna leaving. He had skyped me about a half an hour before I woke up and was hanging out on his computer doing stuff. We had a nice long talk and I met his mom, sorta. She has a sense of humor, but I could have guess that from Aaron and his humor. He's a good guy and God blessed us with him meeting Donna.

So here I sit, trying not to be all weepy and emotional because my baby is in the air, flying home even as I write this. Words simply fail me, I cannot express just how excited I am and yet I somehow can't believe it either. I've wanted this day to come for so long...I sit here shaking my head in disbelieve that it has finally, finally arrived.

Anyway, thank you God this day had arrived. And in typical San Diego fashion, filled with sunshine and blue skies. Thanks for the smile God, and the warm hug.

Okay so I stayed up too late

Well, I got too tired to write in my blog so I guess I'll just write two today. I had a hard time getting anything done at work yesterday to hopped up on Christmas cheer! I did manage to get some work done. I better get the rest done today cuz today is my last day at work until January 7th, Baby!!!

I went out to dinner with my friend Ellen last night and grandbaby #4 is coming from the House of Billy. I'm going to take the high road and not say anything at this point except, contraception.

Okay, gotta get ready for work and you know it will be hard to concentrate with the ECCC doodah at the Color Me Mine dancing at the end of my day! WOOT WOOT!

Til tonight, I love you Donna and can't wait for you to be home.

Baby it's cold outside

It's been rather frigid in these parts lately, it's no York but...it's not supposed to be! This SoCal baby! It's too early in the year to be this cold. But it definitely makes it feel more Christmasy.

I "stole" a great pic of the girls at their Christmas party in England. Donna looks quite comfortable in her reindeer antlers. It is wonderful to see the girls happy and bubbly. It will be even better to see them live, not memorex.

Hope you are proud of me Donna, I put in a photo!

The day wasn't so bad

Today was supposed to be my hard day. It turned out pretty good! The meeting went well, the caterer did what they were supposed to do. Everything pretty much fell into place. Thanks for the prayer Cyndi, it is workin' girl!

Then for the evenings festivities, Les saved the day by getting the gift cards for my friend Suzie and her family for Christmas AND regular cards as well! Yep, he sooo came through for me. Dinner was nice and Suzette, per usual got great gifts for us. I'm so sad she moved up to Sacramento, I really miss seeing her.

Tomorrow should be a slow day for me, just getting a lot of loose ends tied up. I need to make sure I don't leave anything undone before I go on vacation.

I've been listening to the top songs for Christian contemporary music. There is a song by Mandisa (American Idol loser) called Only the World. She talks about her days being tough typically every day but it doesn't matter because it's only for a short time then she'll have eternity in heaven. It's a great one to listen to when things are rough, keeps stuff in perspective.

Well, I'm going to bed, I feel old and creaky tonight. Until tomorrow...

Ooo Dagnabit!

I made it one day then blew it. I missed yesterday. We got home from the Christmas musical at Sparky's church and I went to bed. I was whipped and didn't think twice. Well, I'm not perfect so I'm not gonna beat myself up over it.

Work was interesting, today we had our holiday breakfast in my unit. We do Cut-throat Christmas exchange with books. It's a more pc title for the "you can steal it 3 times then it's frozen" game. I didn't get the book I really wanted, but I did get one that I want. There was this massive coffee table book on castles that I really wanted for Les. But when you are the 60th person out of 60 people to chose, the odds really aren't in your favor. I did get Eat, Pray, Love so that made me happy.

Tomorrow we dine with the Drake's and we are one day closer to Donna being home. Hallelujah! I mark my days now by how many more days until she's back. It's 4 more now incredibly, and I'm having a hard time not worrying about the weather and her flight out of Minneapolis. But that just gives me more cause to get down on my knees and pray.

Gonna try

Okay, my goal is to write every day before Donna gets back. That means no matter how long the day has been or how many activities there are during the day and night, I have to write at least one paragraph. Sounds easy cheesy doesn't it. Well let me assure you it won't be. I have something going on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday night. Not to mention the craziness going on at work next week. So ya, don't act like ya'll know whatchyer talkin' about.

Women's brunch was lovely, the music beautiful and the food was good. The company was the best. I sat with Cyndi, Heather's aunt Pam, her grandma Lorene, and Janice (Cyndi's long time great friend). I always feel welcomed and loved when I go to Calvery Chapel by the ladies there and the circle I've been accepted into (Cyndi's). It's really a really wonderful experience to know that you are wanted by people that truthfully, don't know you all that well but are willing to bring you into the fold since you have one person's stamp of approval.

It's analogical of Jesus and our salvation. Without His "stamp" of approval (as our personal savior) God cares about us but can't have that relationship that is so freely given once we accept Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life. Then it's bring on the love and care that goes with this wonderful, priceless gift. Praise Jesus I have that gift that I am so unworthy of.

Father God,

Words cannot begin to describe how mind blowing your sacrifice was so that we could have this relationship. As a mother I understand sacrifice. I am not an unselfish person by nature, but my children have taught me to give, often more than I thought I had in me to give. Time, money, love, sleep, patience, the list is a really long one. But it is less than a tiny speck of what You have sacrificed for me and for all of us. For that I am as grateful as this pathetic wretch is capable of mustering. Your grace is sufficient for all that I have done and all that I have yet to do. The sheer depth of Your love is way beyond my incredibly fertile imagination. And though it is not nearly enough nor could it ever be, I thank You. Thank You for Your gift, it is the best one I'll ever receive.

Amen

A week away

So, it's a week away now. That's 7 days Luke! I just got some good news today. My boss said I could take January 2-4 off so that means I am off for 23 consecutive days. The last time I had that much time off was 1999. Next week is going to be busy, but that just means it will go by faster.

Jo has friends over to spend the night tonight. They are going to the winter formal with a whole group of people. She has a nice dress and Whoo Hoo she has shoes that will work and fit her to go with it already. Jack pot!!! I already have the batteries for the camera juiced up and ready to go.

Tomorrow is women's brunch for me at Cyndi's church, I'm looking forward to it. Hey, what am I going to wear? I guess I'll figure it out. I'm sleepy and need to go to bed, my writing shows it.

Ta love!

Inside out

That's how I feel, like wiggling until I'm inside out. This waiting is awful and delicious all at the same time. How crazy is that?! I finally got to the point where the thought "when Donna gets home" didn't automatically pop into my head. And now that is nearly every other thought.

I'm a lunatic, I know, but if God didn't like that about me, He would have thumped it out of me by now. Either that or I'm particularly tenacious! Stop that, I know what you are thinking!