The Christmas Mindset

This is my LAST year for a live Christmas Tree, even though L. wants one all the way through college graduation. My gosh! She's a high school senior...that's a long time for me to pretty much handle the whole tree thing all by myself. Still...I do love the smell of pine midst all the ornaments and lights. The LIGHTS...that's another whole issue in and of itself! G. and I LOVE the multi-colored lights on the tree...the kids only want white lights...like everybody else. So, to compromise the fact that artificial is on its way for next year, I told L. that we would put on white lights. "Ha!", she muttered..."you hate white lights. You're lying...you'll put up colored lights again." I do resent the whole lying accusation...seems like a big protest from someone who bails outs over hanging up all those tiny ornaments.

This is also a tough Christmas because S. is in Iraq until late January or early February. He made it home on leave so we could have an early Thanksgiving...that was so great, but watching him leave again was pure heartache! I finally got one of his Christmas packages ready and the APO-AE zip code was 1 number off...which meant that I couldn't get it mailed. It was mailed today...I'm believing the Lord will get it to him in time for Christmas. Me and L. are planning to head out to Ft. Hood when his company makes it back home...we're also hoping to see J.'s family from Chicago, too!....along with J. of course! This will probably be early February, 2006!

May your Christmas be peaceful...hopeful...even though things may be different...and thankful and blessed because of the family and friends you have with you right now. Keep praying for your loved ones in Iraq and across the miles (wherever they may be).See ya!