What Now

Does anyone want a good cry? I sure didn't, but this story didn't care.

That story was found on the al.com blog written by the one, the only, Brian McAlister. Dangit! I didn't want to be all emotional today!

So now, onward to...

THE WEEKEND UPDATE: CHRISTMAS EDITION!

Friday dawned at the same time every day dawns, I guess. However, I didn't wake up on time. Someone, who shall remain nameless (but who's initials are Stephen Pratt) turned off the alarm clock and I was an hour late for work! Actually, that was fine with me, since I knew my boss wasn't going to be there and I could go ahead and take my lunch hour between 8-9. I'll be honest with you, I didn't do much of anything while I was there. This time of year we have so many people out, and no real events to speak of, so I'm kind of in limbo. I did get a call that morning from some people who should really know better than to ask for a large sign at the last minute, but I was able to get it all done. I also learned how to embroider, so it wasn't a complete waste of the day! :)

Saturday I spent the day getting ready for Christmas. I wrapped gifts and finished up some last minute stuff. It was Steve's birthday, so we went to eat dinner with his dad and grandma. We had fun, and I got some video of him opening gifts. We stayed until about 10:00 and then went home to take care of the puppies.

Sunday was kind of strange because we didn't have sunday school, but only the preaching service in the morning. I decided that since I spent a lot of money on a dress and shoes for Steve's corporate party and didn't get to wear it long enough to count, that I would dress up that morning. Everything I had on that day was red. I don't mean red, but RED. Steve has never liked me in red, but he liked it that morning. Then we had lunch with his dad and grandma, and then we went home and slept. It was only supposed to be a nap, but it raged out of control. Christmas Eve was spent back at Mr. Lee's house where we opened our stockings. That was a lot of fun!

Monday I got up late, but it was ok since we didn't have to be at my mom's until lunch. That's the funny thing about my family. You never have a specific time to be there, just "Come in about lunchtime." It never fails! Once Steve and I didn't get to my grandmother's house until noon, because that was "about lunchtime" and we found out everyone had been waiting for about an hour to eat because we weren't there yet. So now, I have to force an actual time out of my mom so that we don't do that again! We packed up Lois with gifts for the family, plus Tommy's birthday cake (which I made, thankyouverymuch) and a rather beautiful poinsetta plant that I got from church, and headed on over to the Martin house. I would have loved to keep the poinsetta, which Mr. Lee had bought in Ms. Rhonda's memory for the alter, but I kill plants. Never on purpose, but I don't have a green thumb and my mom does. I felt that it would have at least a sporting chance to live over there! My sister and her family weren't there yet when we arrived, so we got to eat a little and watch "The Christmas Story" in peace before they arrived. Once everyone got there and had some lunch, we did the gift thing. It was a lot of fun, and apparently the things we got everyone were a hit. My dad REALLY loved his bible on CD and told me he had been wanting one for a long time...so score! Shawn also loved his rolling NASCAR cooler too. Do I know my family or what?! : ) I lied to Steve and told him my parent's weren't going to get him the set of golf clubs he had requested, but they did and he loved them. Now he just has to learn how to play! We all sat down and watched the Pirates of the Carribbean 2 DVD that Logan had gotten and every two minutes someone was asking me what was going to happen. It's the curse of going to see movies when they are new, I guess.
That evening we went back to Mr. Lee's house and had gifts and dinner there as well. All in all, we ate about three hundred days worth of food, but it was good. It was kind of sad with Rhonda gone, and we all missed her, but we still enjoyed ourselves as much as we could under the circumstances. First holidays after someone passes away have their own kind of subtle suck to them though. Luckily it didn't put too much of a pall over the day.

All in all, it was a very nice holiday weekend. I am blessed. : ) I hope your holiday was just as nice and nicer!

More to come...