a blog is worth a thousand words

i have so many blogs in my head right now; things i've wanted to say, but just haven't had the time to write down. finally i am in the business center of the hotel and free to write for just a moment before returning to my suite to charge my phone and make the hundred calls that need to be taken care of before my silent prince returns from daycare and i need to find new ways to entertain him in our small space.

away in a manger, no crib for a bed...

i want a home for christmas. this just doesn't seem the appropriate time to ask: WWJD? lay his little head in a feeding trough. i want to have a home to decorate, hang lights, put up a tree, remember that this is a time of hope and sparkling things.

we are waiting to hear about a house and an apartment... today, please God, i want to start packing.

the hotel has been wonderful, but i am getting used to this life and i'm getting tired of the eloise syndrome that has taken over my daughter (and me perhaps.)

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

it snowed like crazy last friday. at least 8 inches that covered everything and created an inescapable winter wonderland.

years ago, when i was a teenager and beginning to feel the effects of depression undiagnoised until my thirties, i remember sitting at my bedroom window and wishing it would snow. actually it was more a prayer for snow. i wanted to replay a memory of dancing under street lights and big white flakes with the pobble, her sister and my brother when we decided to go christmas caroling. i don't even remember stoping at any homes, just singing and dancing in the purity of the beautiful whiteness that the snow had created. it had made me feel clean and that night at my window i felt dirty and deluged by dark thoughts. "make it snow." i prayed, but it was the middle of march and springtime was trying to make it's way into the world. i went to bed feeling defeated by life and woke in the morning to my father's announcement that there was snow on the ground.

who says prayer doesn't work?

God rest ye merry gentlemen...

hubby is a huge sports fan and despite the fact that the eagles can't buy a win he continues to be an eagles fan.

the hotel where we are staying is not far from ESPN and so it caters to several sports personalities, most of whom i don't recognize... until the saturday after thanksgiving when mike ditka was checking in at the front desk. i wanted so badly to go up to him and ask for an autograph for hubby, but it wasn't the best timing nor was the second time that i saw him... until the wintery weather covered all the cars in the parking lot with frost and the poor man was using a credit card to scrape his rear windshield as we were putting the kids in the car for school.

"would you mind shaking my husband's hand?" bless his heart he was pleased to do it and hubby, who would have lent it to anyone in need, offered him our ice scraper to clear his car.

it's possible i got a bigger kick out of it then hubby, but he's having fun telling the story.

on the first day of christmas, my true love gave to me...

Happy Holidays!" yes, i said it... that dreaded "h" word: HOLIDAYS!

again... a long time ago, as a teenager, working in the malls at christmas time i would say: have a happy holiday to the customers who came through our door. not because i was trying to take christ out of christmas, but because i was very aware that more than just christians shopped in our store and i wasn't going to try and make assumptions about which people were what. i wasn't trying to be pc, just smart.

so here's the thing. it's not christmas yet. it's actually advent so if christians really wanted to make a stink then they should insist that target put up advent candles and not christmas decorations in their stores. and employees should have to say: "happy advent" to the customers who came into shop for presents.

but that's ridiculous. the secular season is all about getting people to spend money. the religious season is all about waiting for christ to come. i'm not suggesting that christians don't do secular things at this time of year... but don't tell me that the stores need to uphold some religious principal this time of year. they wouldn't be able to do it and instead they'd function as hypocrites. let them be who they are. in other words don't put up a baby jesus to sanction what i buy...

well, that's all for now. i think i've said enough and it's time to make those phone calls.

God's peace y'all