Is it over?... Good riddance

Well the day was here and now it is gone. The proof is that I am at work, the guy who is standing out on the corner holding the sign that directs you to the mattress store... Is proof. I was not fortunate to still maintain "vacation" status like many others, and it is so very boring and slow today at work. I slipped out at lunch and brought my boys back to the office with me. They are playing with their new electronics and I am typing this blog. I could think of other productive things to do, but sometimes you have to let things be the way they are. I am grateful for the job that I have. To be able to bring my boys in when ever I want... That is a pretty nice luxury.

Christmas was a very nice holiday this year, like the rest of this year it was gone too quickly. I finished my 12 days of Christmas to a family I chose. Every night I delivered, I discovered something new. One of the boys was in my son's class, the mother always donated all of her time and effort to that class. I don't know if she was recognized for it at all if any, but I wanted her to know that I thought she was a pretty special person to do that. The first 3 nights I delivered I discovered that she did not have a door mat. I purchased one for her and it was out the next night. The night after that... A Christmas tree was put up and following the tree was the lights.
I saw her Christmas come alive, I would like to think it was in part by me. What I did not realize until 2 days before Christmas was that her husband is a long haul truck driver, that explained why I never saw him and then suddenly a Semi was parked in front of their house. She stays home taking care of home and family all day long every day, that is exhausting work. Christmas Eve, it was I who received a surprise, on her front door was a brown bag with a card that read "To our Secret Santa", She expressed her gratitude for our gifts and sweet thoughts, how much they loved the attention and promised to "pay it forward" next year. Inside the brown bag was an angel ornament, I can only guess that is because she thought of us that way. I am blessed to have brought love to another, and only wish that it was more common for others to help out. I was only trying to show appreciation and it was obvious that our secret visits brought much more. Next year we will find another family to share with and continue to pay it forward.

For the family, me, my Mother and twin sister made scrapbooks full of memories of my dad, for each and every kid (6 of us) and then a Grandpa and Me book for all the grandkids (too many to count) because my sister and I were involved in this project she made my scrapbook and I made hers. We exchanged them and admired the work and love that went into these books. I opened mine up and cried at the first page. I can't say it will ever get easier to look through these pages and not cry out the memories I have. This Christmas was about so much more than material things. I didn't officially bring the "real" meaning to my boys, we shared no stories of the birth of Christ, but I still felt a wonderful Christmas spirit and that's what was apparent to my boys and is good enough for me.

10 days and Counting...

Its almost here... and just as fast,it will be gone. All that hype, energy and effort and then Christmas will be yesterdays news... last years news and thoughts of the Christmas coming in another 12 months will be on our minds.
Last night was the company Christmas party. No spouses invited (not that I have one to invite anyway)... that is the trend these days only employees can go and drink merrily with their co-workers and we can behave un like our professional businessselvess and act stupid. I work with a bunch of bank people and I have had "funner" parties, but for what it was... it wasn't too bad, after all it was a bank throwing the party and the drinks and food weren't half bad. What was bad is that my office is in another state and I had to drive with the flow of the states yuckiest traffic to scoot myself over to the "Couv" as we Portlanders call it. I left my office at 330 and arrived in the Couv at 600... this drive on normal hours (non rush hour) is normally 40-45 min's.
Yep, Fun times. It also was national news about the storm that was coming in. mix the crap weather with this drive and that party was so very welcomed in my head. I bailed early because unlike the rest of the bankers I had a 45 minute drive home in a storm, I had 2 glasses of wine and with the wind jerking my car I was sure I was going to get pulled over for erratic driving as I could not maintain my lane with the wind. As I pulled on my street, everything went black and then there was no power. sometimes I am in the dark about things, but literally this time I was in the dark. I got power back by 4 in the morning.
So with 10 days left, I have the shopping thing out of the way. I will be sending out the remainder of my Christmas cards (no "brag" letters) I dont really have anything I want to brag and share about anyway, it would be more of a "glad the year is over and all the crap that came with it". I will just wait out the rest of the year at work like any normal day in hopes that nothing else can happen to make this the most "worstest year ever".

Holiday Cheer

I have my list, checked it twice, changed it 4 times and purchased almost everything on it and then some, except for one thing...
I rejected the idea of waking up at 5AM and making a mad dash to stores to pick up Christmas presents on sale. I knew what I wanted and what I wanted included room for my cart to buy these things. That is something that is un realistic with grumpy, pushy people the morning after Thanksgiving. So I waited and maybe even procrastinated a little to buy a Nintendo Wii (just like everyone else) I was under the impression there was plenty to go around and instead have found myself on the phone making calls to every store that could possibly carry one to find out when their next shipment is coming in. I found one place that actually knew the date of their next shipment and how many they were getting so today I left work right at 10am to go to the store and pick one up as they open their doors. I walk in to find out that the last 2 were sold to the 2 people right in front of me and that the shipment only had 5 of them not the 50 they had thought and now they don't know when the next shipment is coming in. Back to where I was...Empty handed and with no clue.

I don't NEED this Wii and I am not going to wear myself out trying to get it and absolutely refuse to pay anything over the normal retail price for it, but man how cool it would be to have one under the tree for 2 little boys...
And I guess if my only gripe is that I cant find this one item, then really there is no gripe. Christmas will still be a great time for us, The boys and I will each be picking a name from one of those tree's you find in stores and malls with someone's name on it and we will be going and buying the gifts this weekend. I want the boys to feel how good it is to give and not just receive. This year will also be our first year doing the 12 days of Christmas to a family in the neighborhood. It's been a down right crappy year and I can honestly say that it isn't turning out half bad.
The Christmas Spirit is alive and well in my house and my heart!