bank grabbers...

Things that happen when My Hubby goes out of town for the week (not necessarily in the order in which they occured--it just happens to be the order in which my exhausted brain is remembering them):

1. Baby Elle learns to say, "Mama!" (VICTORY! It's only fair. Little Leighton's (LL) first word was "Dada.")

2. The freezer (temporarily) breaks. I had to locate our breaker box, too. I knew it was somewhere in the garage. I could not figure out how to open the dang thing. 

3. Little Leighton ROCKS her sweet Christmas Program. She sings with so much expression. It was precious and priceless.

4. The kitchen sink leaks. Everywhere. Because, of course. The plumber has to come two days in a row. Because, of course.

5. Baby Elle sleeps through the night--TWICE. Y'all--this was another VICTORY. The past month (Six weeks? I've lost count.) has been extra rough. Between the never-ending ear infection and teething, we've all had very. little. sleep. 

6. LL wakes up at 2:30 last night. Ready to get up for the day. Because, when one sleeps--the other doesn't. I could not convince her to go back to sleep. Grammy could not convince her to go back to sleep. It took bringing her to my bed to finally get her to doze off at 5:15.

7. My low-tire light comes on. Because, of course. 

8. LL has her class Christmas Party. It was lots of fun. There was Christmas Bingo, an ornament craft and (gluten-free!) sugar cookies. Basically, the best day--ever.

9. During dinner tonight, LL was recounting the rest of her busy day at her Methodist Church Preschool to me and Grammy. It was then that I learned some of the sweet little boys in her class like to play "bank grabbers." (That's in addition to zombies, apparently.) I asked her what that meant. She said they pretend to steal money from the bank. Uh-oh. I kindly reminded LL that her Pa-Pa and Mama were both bankers, and we put our money INTO the bank. We don't take other people's moo-lah out. Grammy nearly died laughing.

10. I visited my dermatologist for my semi-annual skin check. He removed three "suspicious" spots. Lovely. I went to LL's Christmas Program with two big bandaids on my face. I was very "Rudolph-esque," given one spot was right on the bridge of my nose.

11. LL, after much consideration, has decided she'll be ready to use permanent markers and have a cell phone (a purple one from "Grammy and Pa-Pa's Staples," nonetheless) on the weekends when she's 10. She says she'll be much more "good-er" by then and not as "silly." This girl. FUNNY.

So, now I'm headed to bed. At 7:30. No judgement, please. The fact that we've all made it this far calls for some sort of celebration. A Hallmark Christmas movie and comfy pants sound good to moi.

Happy Friday Eve!

blessed assurance...

From Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young:

December 11^th

I AM WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF. Bring me all your concerns, including your dreams. Talk with me about everything, letting the Light of My Presence shine on your hopes and plans. Spend time allowing My Light to infuse your dreams with life, gradually transforming them into reality. This is a very practical way of collaborating with Me. I, the Creator of the universe, have deigned to cocreate with you. Do not try to hurry this process. If you want to work with Me, you have to accept My time frame. Hurry is not in My nature. Abraham and Sarah had to wait many years for the fulfillment of My promise, a son. How their long wait intensified their enjoyment of this child! Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.

PSALM 36:9; GENESIS 21:1-7; HEBREWS 11:1   AMP

Today I head East for a few days. TLC’s Hubby goes out of state for job training. I’m truly looking forward to being with My Girls! The weather here in Texas is cold. Finally. (And, yet, we don’t much like it! Temps in the 50s and 60s are our preference. Of course. Fall. I could love that year round. I'm serious. Well, okay, let’s throw a little Springtime in there, too. For good measure.)

Christmas seems to be approaching FAST—to “big” people. To the “little ones?” The time is crawling. I remember that—don’t y’all? Thinking Santa was taking FOREVER to arrive. Seeing her gifts under their tree, Little Leighton (aka LL aka Biscuit) is becoming frustrated. TLC is actually afraid she’s going to peek. Open them up and then try to get them wrapped back! (TLC went through this dilemma. Actually, I believe she’s confessed to succeeding, a few times, at finding out what were in her gifts. Toot. I was too much of a Rule-Follower. If you told me not to do something? I complied. I’m still 98% that way! Teeheehee. Won’t go into the remaining 2% at this point.) It’s like a slow, confusing torture to our tots. I have moments now, as I did when TLC was a child, of feeling a bit guilty about the stories we tell about Santa. Is it our first, significant disappointment? Deception? I don’t know. Mostly I think of it as a part of life. What we all survived for the lessons we were to learn.

I’m wondering if this time, the Christmas season, is actually the beginning of our children’s/grandchildren’s training to have faith. Faith in the goodness of Santa Claus/Generosity/Kindness. Faith in God and Jesus. Faith in Their holy “time frame.”

Y'all remember: I’m not a patient person. Never have been. Don’t think I ever will be. I do try. I pray for patience. Daily. I take deep breaths. I attempt to distract myself with other things. I force myself to stay busy. I’m also a worrier. Both of these traits/issues? Not so good. Not a testament to my personal faith, right? I’ll keep trying to be/do better. I’ll never stop working on it. Today. Every day. I do so love My Dear Lord God Almighty and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Hope each of you Sweet Peas has a Splendid Sunday and WONDERFUL Week! PLEASE be patient and faithful. Don’t worry. Be HAPPY!

Hugs and BIG Sunday Smooches…

oldish...mostly ish...

I went East Sunday morning for one night. TLC, Her Hubby and Little Leighton (aka LL aka Biscuit) were going to church and then, after lunch, to LL’s first play! TLC and I’ve been discussing the fact, for at least a year, that we needed to take LL to a play/musical. A little community theater group was putting Elf on very close to TLC’s casa. This seemed like the perfect play to take LL to. (I haven’t seen the movie. I believe I’ve said I'd watch it the past six or seven Christmas seasons. Yep. That' not happened yet.)

The ticket prices were very reasonable and the time was going to work out great. Off they went after lunch! (TLC’s Hubby? He decided, after the two-hour play—including a too-long intermission—that in the future—he’d volunteer to keep Baby Elle and I could go with TLC and Biscuit to all plays and musicals. He enjoyed it—was glad to be with TLC and LL—one time. Teeheehee.)

Baby Elle and I had a happy afternoon. She’s continued to be sick. Ear infections. (These have gone on for five weeks.) She has, however, still been SWEET, cute and downright yummy! At least in Grammy’s opinion.

Monday morning, TLC took Baby Elle back to their pediatrician—for the 4^th time in four weeks—and I took LL to her ballet/dance class. After lunch, TLC and LL made a quick run to Hobby Lobby while I watched Baby Elle sleep—on the monitor. Poor, precious Baby Elle—she had to have a HORRIBLE shot yesterday. Another one today. One more tomorrow. If these evil shots don’t clear up her ears, the next step is a visit to a pediatric ENT. Possibly tubes. We’re, obviously, all praying non-stop for healing!!!

I had to head home by 2:15 as I had Bridge Club last night. I missed My Three Girls by the time I hit 121—10 minutes from TLC’s house.

LL and I Facetimed for a few minutes around 4:30 today. Her class—and several other classes—walked over—this morning—to a Senior Citizens’ Home that’s next door to LL’s Church School. The children were “practicing” their Christmas songs for their Christmas Program next week and entertaining the Home’s residents. Two birds (turtle doves, of course...) with one stone!

Here is the conversation LL and I had:

Grammy: So, tell me about the walk to the Senior Citizens’ Home this morning. Did you have fun?

LL: Yes! It was cold, but we had FUN, Grammy. We sang for old people.

Grammy: Right. Well, were they as old as Grammy?

LL: Yes!

(I will remind Y’all, I’m 62. I don’t have plans to live in a retirement home anytime soon. I certainly won’t be opposed to it—if that’s what needs to happen. I’ve told TLC for years: You may have to make a tough decision about me. I may get mad at you. You must do what you must do. I’ll be fine. I’ll love you no matter what happens. She dreads these talks. For many, many reasons.)

Grammy: They were as old as me? Hmmm. Were they as old as Pa-Pa?

(I will remind Y’all, he’s 72. He’s actually 9 years and 11 months older than moi.)

LL (after pausing and thinking for a few seconds): No. They weren’t as old as Pa-Pa.

Oh, Biscuit. What am I going to do with you????????

Hope Y’all are having a wonderful week—and that no one you know thinks you’re older than people that are clearly 15-25 years older than you.

Sheesh. And SMOOCH.

'Tis The Season!

Happy December, y'all!

Yesterday, I took the girls to go see Santa. I think the pictures speak for themselves:

Priceless!

God love Baby Elle. Apparently she missed the "merry and bright" memo. Santa was so apologetic. He felt terrible she cried. I told him to not think twice about it. The crying pictures are always the most memorable!

Little Leighton had spent a long time working on her letter to Santa. She was excited to hand deliver it to him. Santa was beyond patient and kind, reading every word with her. LL requested an "Elena Guitar," "Barbie Clothes," and a "Purple Bike (with training wheels--she dictated this part to me!)."

There is truly nothing more magical than experiencing Christmas with your child/children. Their wonder and joy is amazing. It is simply "the most wonderful time of the year!" (Well, it will be for Baby Elle--once she recovers. Teeheehee.)

I hope you're all having a Splendid Saturday...Seriously SPLENDID!