Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas....

It's been such an interesting December. And it's interesting to me how different Christmases can be as you get older. And almost as interesting which things stay the same. 

This month a bunch of us were supposed to go skydiving on the 19th for my birthday. In San Diego. But due to an unfortunate series of events, I decided not to go. I still wonder what the best course of action really was in that situation, but in the end we decided not to go until next month. 

I just hope it still happens. And that the weather's good. I'll be so pissed off if it's not. 

So. There's my internal conflict. Besides the fact that I have an awesome job that is still not allowing me to feel the sweet blanket of financial security that is always delightful at this time of year. 

MOVING ON!!

There have been some sweet sweet things that HAVE happened. Bridget threw me a surprise party on the 19th. And we all got together as friends and opened Christmas gifts. Some people that I hang out with often (Brad, Bridget, and John) and some people I very rarely hang out with (Chelsey & Kristine aka Polly Pocket, Bridget & Ariana's roommates), Phil (my hometeacher), Tyler, & Amber. Bridget was so sweet and got me IZZE's, which I love, and an ice cream cake, which I have never had but always wanted. Along with a birthday princess crown (The exact same one I had when I was 27 from other roommates :o)). The coolest was a book that Bridget got me that I read all the time when I was little called Betty Bear's Birthday. She found it on ebay and it was so sweet. 

Brad & Bridget shocked me by getting me Red Salt & Pepper Mills from Sur La Table that I've lusted after for 5 years. THANK YOU!! All the other presents from that night were so thoughtful & fun. It was absolutely wonderful. I also gave John and Bridget and Ariana cool posters of pictures we've taken this year that turned out so cool. Brad helped me make and order them while I was at work, which was so awesome of him. They turned out perfect. 

All of this made me remember a few wonderful Boise Christmases I had. See, until 3 years ago, I had never missed a Christmas with my family. But in 2006, I did. I had to work, and I didn't try that hard to get it off. My roommates were having a hard time all around, and I loved all 3 of them, and we worked hard to have an awesome Christmas together. We borrowed some of my family's traditions and read Luke 2 while putting together the Nativity, The Polar Express while ringing jingle bells at the appropriate time, and Jolly Old Santa Claus to truly get ready for the arrival of Santa Claus. We stuffed each others' stockings, and really got in the magical Santa Clausness of it all. And this was all after we got dressed up and went to a fancy little restaurant called Tapas Estrella for my birthday. The fact that we felt like a little family creating traditions made it such a fun holiday. And so did doing it all over again the next year. I miss my Boise Christmases a little this year. xoxoxo to Jessica, Craig, and Tara. Thanks for those memories. 

This year I'm in Bullhead City. Josh is alone in Alabama and kinda sad. John is working and not here with me. :o( My Boise friends are in Boise, and my Phoenix friends are in Phoenix. 

And I am here with my family. Which, really, is wonderful. I just am not used to wishing I was in 3 places at once!! And I want all my friends to be happy! And with me, whenever possible...

So... 

I slept until noon. I worked Sun & Mon nights and came up on Tuesday on 3 hours of sleep. So I slept for 12 hours last night. Delicious. My dad brought me breakfast in bed at 9. It was so wonderful, and I went back to sleep for 3 hours, interspersed only by random text messages of friends wishing me a happy birthday. (thank u all)

My cool family birthday present?? Well, Adam and Candice have been using my car for a month while we got a Camry Brad bought fixed and ready for them. While they had it, Brad ordered speakers from ebay online and Adam installed them. This is super sweet because I blew my speakers years ago and have had to turn the bass basically off for forever because it would buzz like crazy. It was such a surprise and it sounds so sweet!! And my dad had it cleaned inside and out, which I basically love. It was awesome. 

And Kaitlynn & I opened a few more little presents together (her birthday is on the 26th, but she's too little to really care too much). Candice got me pajama pants to replace my gray ones that are literally falling apart. Yay!! :o)

Kaitlynn and I also shared a birthday cake and also did some last minute shopping. She is such a trip. Kinda hard to shop with....very very busy....but so funny and cute. And we had people over for Christmas dinner and Brad made bacon-wrapped scallops which was cool and different. Amazing how many people have never had scallops. They turned out great. 

I read the Polar Express to everyone, including company. Nana couldn't quite do it this year, which almost made me cry. She's the best reader, but her mind isn't quite up to it this year. She did emphasize a few parts that she can still do better than I can. Which I loved. She's the coolest lady, and I know I owe so much of the Christmas Magic in my life to her. This is a picture of her last year reading to us, which she's been doing since 1987, when the book came out. 

After Kaitlynn & family went home, my brother & I & mom & dad wrapped the last of the presents. It was fun just to be here with them, and even though this Christmas seems a little more crazy and a little more stressed than usual, I realize that I am no less blessed. God still gave Christ to us. Christ still gave His life for each of us. I have friends and family who love & appreciate me and who bless my life everyday. 

I am so grateful for this season, and for the magic we can find in it. 

I've done not enough service this December, and I hope that's something I can make more of a priority this year. And maybe the Christmas spirit will be a little easier to capture. 

Now Brad & I are off to read Jolly Old Santa Claus. 

Because, you know, Santa Claus comes tonight. So you'd better be tucked in tight. I hope you were good this year.