Missing: My Christmas Spirit

This Christmas season stinks! It just doesn't feel like Christmas. Everyone seems crabby and there aren't many Christmas lights up. I'm just not in the holiday spirit! There is no joy in my heart, no song in my step. Bah humbug! Christmas is supposed to be a magical time of year but I think we've all lost the magic. We're all walking around like the doughnut man but instead of "Gotta make the doughnuts" it's "Gotta get through Christmas". I feel like we just want it all to be over with already. How sad is that?!

But it's not about lights and it's not about finding that perfect gift. It's about a baby who was born to die for me a long time ago, away in a manger. I think that's what's wrong this year, I've lost that. I forgot. I got caught up in the decorations and the shopping that Christmas became a chore. I forgot what is important. My Christmas should have nothing to do with holiday songs or mistletoe. My Christmas shouldn't be centered around stockings or Christmas trees. My Christmas should be focused on a God that loved me so much, He sent His own son to pay for a debt He didn't owe. That should be MY Christmas. And I need to remember that. So...

Merry Christmas to you and yours! May you have peace and joy this holiday season. And rest assured, you're loved. There is a loving God that adores you more then you could ever imagine. And no matter how strange and lonely things get, THAT never changes.

Until next time....

Lessons learned

Atticus and I had a play date at my mom's today. She needed some rooms cleared out and I didn't want to leave Atti alone so he came along. He handled his fist long car ride very well until we were about a mile from her house. Then he proceeded to throw up everything he had eaten for breakfast. Lovely! Poor thing. So we drove the last mile to her house with the windows down and me trying not to gag. :)

Atticus got to play with mom's dog Woody. He's an aging lab/rottweiler mix that is the sweetest dog. And today I cried for him. Somewhere along the way he got old, he has trouble moving and seems very arthritic. He looks older and older every time I go over there. It's going to break my heart when it's his time to go. The cycle of life is stupid!

There was this silly little show on Saturday mornings called Eerie, Indiana. It was about a boy who lived in this town where weird things happened. One episode he meets the kids next door that appear to never age. It turns out their mom makes them sleep in big Tupperware type beds called "Foreverware" and they stay young forever! I wish Foreverware was real. Then I could keep things just the way they are and I would never have to be sad.

But life doesn't work that way. One day Woody won't be there. And that's going to suck.

Our New Addition!

This is Atticus and we're in love! :) We rescued him from our local animal shelter and we're all adjusting. He apparently now "owns" Daniel's grill and our quilt rack. We don't have much history on our new friend but he seems to be a very good dog! He's not a barker and he seems to be real obedient. We've never owned a dog before so the three of us will train each other. So far he's had a car ride, a bath and a night in his new crate that he doesn't seem to favor. There's dog hair everywhere and we're already talking to him like he's a person. And I'm so happy he's here! :) This is going to be fun!