The end of 2024

I'll be honest, I had high hopes for the year 2024.  Overall, I'm going to have to say it was not one of my favorites.  It was a really hard year with my kids.  Some of it was certainly of their own doing, and some of it is the fact that they are struggling to adult in a world that isn't really set up for young adults to adult effectively.  They are learning, and I am grateful that we are able to help as we can.  We'll miss Lincoln and we'll definitely miss Abby from this year, but overall we are healthy as we head into 2025.

This year has flown by faster than I thought was possible.  I know I wait all year for the holidays, but they will be here again before I know it.  These holidays felt like I blinked and they were done, but I know even though it's another year to go, they are just around the corner.

I've been sick for several days so we are staying home this evening.  I regret not getting able to hang out with our friends, but I'm completely okay ringing in a quiet New Year with just Andrew (and Maudie, our only remaining cat).  For today and tomorrow, I'm completely okay with just vegging on the couch and enjoying football.  And we don't go back to work until next week!

I didn't take any of this Christmas for granted

This has been a really nice Christmas, and I don't take that for granted.  My heart was so full last night as I went to bed, and both Thomas and Catherine were sleeping here.   I loved it when T told me that Thomas really wanted to wake up here on Christmas morning.  It was so sweet.  We had a lovely morning exchanging gifts and getting ready before heading to my mom's this afternoon.  My sister and mom and a family friend joined us for lunch and then we all exchanged gifts.  By this time, I was fading as I've had a cold for a couple of days but had continued pushing through.  We gathered our things and headed home.

Yesterday was an even better day.  I went with our dear friend to pick up her oldest from the airport.  We went back to their house and joined our families together for a wonderful dinner.  I loved having all of kids together and I especially loved that the significant others have joined.  The food was good, but the company was even better.

It's been a truly wonderful couple of days filled with many people I love, and I don't take that for granted!

We are healthy

It seems as though a new vehicle may be in my future.  I can't even write about this situation right now as it is too frustrating.  This morning though, Andrew and I went out to start the vehicle and it wouldn't start.  A vehicle is not in the budget right now as it has been a very expensive year.

I won't lie, there have been a lot of times this year when I've felt sorry for myself and almost felt like our family is being punished.  It's been a hard year, and I've worked really, really hard at trying to keep things in perspective, especially here at Christmas.

However, this week has been a stark reminder that our family is healthy, and that is what really matters.  I know that, of course, but sometimes, when finances smack you in the face, it can be hard to remember.  This year though, so many others can't say the same about their family's health.  At the beginning of the calendar year, a student at my school lost her mom to cancer.  We had two other families deal with a cancer diagnosis of their mom.  A young woman whom I've known her entire life (she is younger and I remember when she was born) just found out this month that her husband has a very aggressive cancer, and the prognosis isn't good.  He might have another two years here, and their children are very, very young.  A schoolmate of mine reported this week that her 21-year-old son who was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year has been told there isn't anything left to do, and it was recommended that palliative care be called in.  They have found a trial in Chicago, but the reality is that Jordan needs a Christmas miracle.  While I firmly believe that is possible, I understand the horror and fear Karie and her family are facing.  Karie's family has already faced a horrible tragedy nearly 30 years ago, and it breaks my heart that they have to go through another one again.

So yes, my family is healthy and I'm eternally grateful.  It will be okay.  We will figure things out.  And we have an amazing (and healthy) family to walk it with us!

Break has arrived

I am officially on break!  I don't go back until January 6, and this is just a great feeling.  I'm the only one home this morning and I have my candle lit, the trees are on, and the TV fireplace is playing Christmas tunes.  It's a perfect morning, or at least it would be if I didn't have a bit of a migraine.

I am leaving in a few hours to go get my MIL.  I'll spend a bit of time finishing the house before I leave.  I'm so grateful for this break and the family with whom I get to spend the holidays! 

A great weekend for getting in the holiday spirit

This weekend has been wonderful.  It's been a fabulous way to get into the holiday spirit.  I only work three days this week, and I'm ready to get them over with and enjoy 18 days off.  I'll have things to do and some payroll to run, but it'll be greate to have some down time.

It started Friday.  Andrew and I decided to meet at a local restaurant that always has really festive holiday cocktails.  We decided to go ahead and have some dinner as well.  We came home and watched an "okay" Christmas movie.  I was in bed early and happy to sleep.

Yesterday I woke up early and couldn't sleep.  Andrew had to work at a basketball game during the day.  Once Andrew arrived home, we made the trip north and our first stop was to see my grandmother.  We took her a swag for her door, and it was lovely to visit with her for a bit.  Then we had an absolutely wonderful family Christmas at my cousin Mindy's house.  There were about 27 of us there all together, and that included two-year-old Reid, who was just adorable.  Thomas and his girlfriend brought her niece, and it was a blast to have her as well.  It was such a fun evening.

Today we had lunch and met some friends half way at one of our favorite restaurants.  We hadn't seen them since March.  It's a chilly and very wet day, but now that we are home the Steelers game is on and it's a lovely evening.

I'm so very grateful for this weekend.  It's really helped to get me into the spirit of the holidays!

It's my favorite thing about our church

This evening we handed over the gifts for the Giving Tree that we do at our church each year.  Over the years, this has become "my thing".  I am the one that gets the information from the school, creates the gift list, and gets the gifts to the school social worker.  Our church has members that are becoming much older each year, and many of them wish to simply give a financial donation.  That means I am also the one that does the shopping for those gifts and wraps them as well, then gets everything sorted and handled.  I love it!  It is my absolute favorite thing we do at our church each year.  I am so grateful that our church is so supportive and generous with this activity.  This year we were able to provide 61 gifts to two families that included a total of seven children.  It is such a blessing!

An unexpectedly lovely Wednesday evening

We've made it over the hump of the week.  And the best part is that there are only five more working days remaining in the calendar year for me!  Yay!!!

Wednesday is the day we get out of school early, and I only had one quick errand to run before coming home.  Unfortunately, Andrew has to work at a basketball game this evening, but Catherine is here with me.  I was able to finish up the gifts for the church Giving Tree and accomplish a few other things.  The trees are lit, the balsam candle is lit, it's snowing outside, and we put the fireplace with Christmas music on TV.  Catherine was making a dessert for her school carry-in potluck meal.  I had to smile as it reminded me of so many memories of past holiday seasons.  Catherine even mentioned that she wished Thomas was here.  At first she mentioned it was because he was a big help with her dessert, but then later she admitted she enjoys having him around.

Two weeks until Christmas.  Looking forward to down time and hopefully a good amount of family time!

Sixteen years of blogging

It's my blogversary!  Sixteen years of recording memories here on the blog!  I'm so grateful I started this sixteen years ago, and I'm so grateful for the memories recorded here.  I can't really think of a better way to have recorded my kids' childhoods.

We are well into the holiday season.  Today was one of those days when I began to wonder if I'm going to find time to sleep at all between now and Christmas.  In addition to my jobs, this is the busy time with the church job with it being the end of the year.  I'm also in charge of the Giving Tree at church, which I love!  This year, though, most of the gifts are being purchased by financial donations to the church rather than members doing shopping.  It is truly, truly a privilege to be able to provide Christmas for two families including seven children.  It brings me great joy.  I think almost everything is purchased, now I just need to get everything wrapped.  I love seeing the stacks of gifts pile up!

We had lunch with our good friends today.  We haven't been able to get together since August, and we didn't want to wait until Christmas Eve for our next visit.  Friday evening was a gathering with some of Andrew's colleagues.  It's the most wonderful time of the year!

December has arrived again

As Thanksgiving week comes to an end, December has already arrived.  My shopping is almost entirely finished, so I really get to relax and enjoy this month.  I only have 13 official working days this month!  Granted, I'll have things that have to still be done while we are off for the holidays, but that is done on my schedule.  I'm looking forward to doing things...all things Christmas!

Our family has started watching the corny Christmas movies, and we absolutely love them!  I especially love sharing them with Catherine and my mother-in-law also really enjoys them, and I'm looking forward to her being back in a few weeks.  I'm enjoying looking at various Christmas crafts, and I'm hoping to create a few over the next several weeks.

The only downside to Thanksgiving weekend is that it brings the end of the college football season.  Those Saturdays in the fall are my absolute favorite days of the entire year!  I can't even begin to explain what happened yesterday to our Buckeyes.  It was just crazy.  Still plenty of good games to watch in the next couple of weeks!

Happy December!  May it be full of jolliness and lots of merry moments!