THE FINAL STRETCH...

The last two weeks have felt a wee bit like a triathlon. The week before Christmas found the MCs and I shopping like mad people during the day and staying up way too late at night. HH spent the week hunting. MC 1 would have gone, but he just got an expander put on his top teeth and didn't feel dad was up to the challenge of cranking it every day for a week. The boys were real troopers Thursday. We shopped until about 8:00pm when MC 1 told me he felt weird. One look in his eyes and I knew what it was....shopping fatigue. He was weak with hunger, and much like his little brother, his boots were no longer made for walking. MC 2 gave out about an hour before. So after a quick refuel at Chick-Fil-A we hit the last stop on our list- Wal-Mart. Honestly, the mall freaked me out more. At least in Wal- mart I know where I am. Maybe a million people with me, but I know where I am. The mall....oh well...that was too much.
To their credit, the MCs were up and ready to go again Friday. MC 1 loves to shop. I blame his aunts and grandmother spending his formative years taking him to Dallas. I had hopes Friday would be much calmer compared to Thursday, but then we went to Academy. Along with everyone else who lives in a 60 mile radius of our town. My word! We were doing good until we had to move to another part of the store. And that is where we lost him. M...C...2.
No clue where he was, no clue where he thought we were headed. I had MC 1 go left and I went right and we did not find him. I conceded loss and walked up to the manager and said I am sorry but my son has walked away from me only to have MC 2 walk right up to me carrying Aggie golf club covers. You mamas know....relief and anger all at the same time.
The weekend was spent with family, lots of gifts, too much food, and many memories. Rarely am I ever able to surprise HH with his gift. This year - I did! He was shocked and pleased all at the same time and that made me very happy.
This week has been a recovery from last and preparation for next. House cleaned, laundry done, MCs room culled of clothes and toys.
So we prepare today to run this final stretch of 2011 watching the Aggies play (oh please play) and more family time.
Have a great and safe New Year's Eve and I'll see you in 2012!

ALL THAT BLAH BLAH BLAH....

Yesterday, after church, we were talking with the MCs about what they did in kids church and got their version of the nativity story. We talked about angels and shepherds and the MC 1 ventured in to Joseph's part of the story.

(All though not verbatim, because,well people, that was yesterday, it is a pretty close summary and the key points remain the same).

And the she told Joseph and he got mad at her because he thought....(pause)....well he thought...(pause).....because he thought she was blah blah and all that other stuff.

Yep - exactly how it reads in Matthew.

HEART PROMPTS

A Martha Heart

A CHRISTMAS ROMANTIC

I love Christmas lights. I don't know if I always have, but I remember as a teenager being enthralled with the beauty of our Christmas tree. I would sit in the dark room, alone, with nothing but the tree lights on and love every minute of it. It was peaceful to me. At A&M, the city of College Station would decorate its park and I would always try to convince a friend to go with me. I love driving around and looking at lights as well. It is a passion I have passed on the MC 2. He LOVES Christmas lights. He loves spotting them. He loves describing them as we drive by. He uses words like beautiful and bright and Santa Land.

One word I often think of when I look at lights is romance.

Romance?

Yep, you read it right. I think Christmas lights are romantic. It is odd I am sure. It is not like I ever had a romantic moment one under the magic of some Christmas lights. Granted, HH, did confirm our engagement at Christmas of 1997, but I don't really count chunking a stuffed animal with a ring attached at me and saying here you go terribly romantic, even if it was Winnie the Pooh.

But it never fails, every Christmas my heart swoons with romance at the sight of Christmas lights.

Lights....Bing Crosby....Nat King Cole....fireplace roaring.... I would be one big old Hallmark movie in the making.

Thinking about it tonight, I think maybe "romantic" isn't such an odd choice after all. I mean the story of Christmas itself is full of what I call romance. A girl willing to stand firm on her faith in God, regardless of the cost. A man willing to stand firm on his convictions, his faith in God, and right beside the woman he loves, or at least likes a little if he was willing to marry her. A couple setting off together, with no one to count on but themselves and God, not knowing where they are headed or what lies before them, but confident they can face whatever comes together and in the strength the Lord provides.

However, those are not the greatest examples of romance in the story. A Prince, willing to humble Himself to a pauper, out of love for His Father and His people. A Father, who saw His people's demise coming, saw their weaknesses being preyed upon by His enemy, knowing they could do nothing to save themselves, willing sent His Son on a mission that would end in His suffering and death.

All out of love.

What is more romantic than that?

What is greater love than that?

So maybe when my heart swoons at Christmas lights, perhaps it is only responding to the reality of what Christmas is.

The greatest act of love mankind has ever known.

The ultimate sacrifice made for each and every one of us.

In all our frailty.

In all our sin.

In our mess ups.

In our prideful flare ups.

Love.

Constant Love.

Abiding Love.

Secure love.

Wooing us to a better life.

Drawing us to a destiny that will stand the test of all time.

Now that's romance......

A DAY WITH STREPTOCOCCUS

MC 2 and I spent the day together, thanks to his diagnosis of strep throat. We cleaned house, we did laundry, we totally got our Christmas on listening to Toby Mac's new Christmas CD. MC 2 desired to hear it so badly he braved to cold to get it out of the truck. I would have said my truck but my truck is dead so it is a loaner per the in-laws. So is the one HH is driving because his truck went belly up this weekend as well. Like it got the stomach virus and strep throat all at the same time.
We are waiting on getting a tree until school is out. Honestly, I could wait until Christmas Eve, when they all go one sale and you can get a glorious tree for SUPER CHEAP! I am afraid HH won't be able to hold out though. He may just show up with a tree one of these days. I do have 2 presents wrapped which is huge for me because I am a fan of Christmas Eve shopping. I plan on taking the MCs this year to buy for our immediately family, but they will go one separate days because that was a fiasco LAST YEAR!
Tomorrow it is back to the grindstone. I am sure the darlings missed me....yeah... I am sure they did.
Have a great Wednesday!

IT HAD ITS MOMENTS

The weekend was jam packed from the start. At least that is how it was planned. Friday was to be our only night home. The MCs and HH went fishing while I cleaned a little bit of house and made up some good ole chicken fried steak. Saturday was our last rodeo. I had a picture, but my new iPhone, which it seems can track my every move and keystroke, can't seem to email me my own photos. The boys did really well and walked out with a halter, spur straps, and the all important belt buckle. We dashed home, took naps, and HH and I got gussied up to see David Crowder in his last Texas performance. We dropped the MCs off with the MIL, and headed to dinner and the concert. The ill fated concert that was not meant to be for three songs into it we had to leave. MC 1 decided to throw up EVERYTHING he had eaten all day. We ran by the dollar store to pick up supplies, worked through HH's reality check that the term "dollar" store does not necessarily mean A dollar, and managed to get out unscathed when he said he could get Lysol cheaper at Wally World. I attribute our safe exit to my charming rapport with the cashier and the fact that he didn't see the dirty look she gave him. Recalling a comment from Big Mama's blog, I gave MC 1 Coca-Cola, the trademarked stuff, to see if it would help. Seems it did and he slept the night away. MC 2, however, got up twice to tell me his throat hurt. Why he couldn't tell HH, who was right next to him in bed, I don't know, but it would appear these things only a mama can hear. Sunday found us at home, recovering, and watching it rain.
The countdown is on for the end of school. Plans are being made for teacher gifts, holiday shopping and traditions to keep up. Hope you guys have a great week!

Isaiah 9:2 (NKJV)

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined."