Playing Catch-up

So it's been a while...and I know you all are just dying to know what's happening in my life. As always, I'll back up...

I made it through November and got my car back. When I got it back from the dealership here in Waco I was not pleased. I took it to Sykora in West and left it with them for a week. During that week they replaced at least one piece, checked all the things I never managed to get the dealership here to check, and recleaned the entire car - inside and out. When I got it back it looked brand new and beautiful! I was so excited to be back in my car! Of course, the Wednesday I got my car back from it being stolen (and repaired) someone was shot and killed in my complex. Don't worry - I don't feel 'unsafe' or anything. I don't even know which building it was in and I wasn't home when it happened. No, I am not moving either...that would require boxing things up and REmoving them...not happening!

Fast forward a few weeks and we have Thanksgiving. I had the whole week off, so on Tuesday I went to Brownwood for Bible Study at Crosslines. I was a 'Crossliner' before there was Crosslines! We used to meet in the back room of Angie and David's house! Now they have a coffee shop and that's where the Bible Study meets. I was highly fortunate to get to spend some one on one time with Angie on Wednesday morning. I also got to go see Jill, Paul, and Meredith Underwood (Sarah wasn't home). I even got to meet Bruiser, their dog! Then, late Wednesday, I drove from Brownwood to Fort Worth. I stopped off in Fort Worth to see the newly married Kelly Conway Mickler. It was good to have Starbucks with my good friend. Then onto Mom and Dad's!

We went to Grandmother's for Thanksgiving on Thursday. As always, it was wonderfully yummy. I would also like to say that my 92 year old Grandmother (she'd kill me for posting her age!) cooked the entire meal on her own! I mean, yeah the turkey was pre-cooked, the pie was frozen, and the bread was brown and serve, but goodness! I am sooo blessed to have her in my life! I will also say that I was most thankful this holiday season for the Christian heritage within my family. I am grateful I was brought up to know Jesus and all that He has done for me.

On Friday we hit the sales. Allison stayed up really late and went to Toys R Us with a friend, but Mom and I let them have that little privelege all on their own! Then about 10 we all headed out to Target, Wal Mart, Kohls, and Best Buy. I got some great deals on sweaters (of which I had few) and presents for the nephews. I think I must have headed back Friday because on Saturday I started working for Morrison's Gifts.

Morrison's is owned by Morris Mebane and his daughter, Sally Dickenson. Morris was the pharmacist who filled ALL our prescriptions as kids. We went to church with him and his wife, Lucy. Additionally, Allison and I were flower girls in Sally's wedding 25 years ago! When I moved back and went to visit them, they asked if I would be willing to work the holiday season. Of course I was and so I did! I worked just about as much as they could schedule me! During this time I also sang in Columbus Avenue's Waco Christmas Celebration, babysat, auditioned for Millie, and taught. It was busy!

Real quick highlight on Millie...while I wasn't cast in the roles I wanted, I was cast and will be performing Feb 12-Mar 20 (with 2 weekends off to be in Ireland!). I will get to tap!!! I'm so excited!

Anyway, so for 3 weeks I was either singing, dancing, or working (or a combination of the 3) as well as teaching! However, we all survived and then it was Christmas break!!!! It's hard to believe it's already been a semester!

Mostly, I've worked through Christmas break! On the 23rd I worked until 3 and then met Aunt Sharon and Uncle Craig at the apartment. They brought Grandma to me so that I could take her up to Mom and Dad's with me. (Grandma has early Alzheimers so it was a real blessing for her to be with us!) Grandma and I drove up to the 'rents and enjoyed some family time. I had the joy of sleeping with my 3 year old nephew, Thomas. That was an experience. Picture this: soundly sleeping at about 5:30 am, when suddenly the little boy asleep to you is crying (loudly) about wanting Cheetos. A now only half coherent aunt is TRYING to figure out why her nephew wants Cheetos when his mom comes in and says, "Don't worry, he's dreaming. You can have Cheetos when you get up." And cue the sleeping nephew. I'm thinking "00000000000000h - k" and lay down to go back to sleep. Just as I fall almost back to sleep, he starts crying for his Aunt Leanne (who keep in mind is curled up right next to him!). Learning quickly from the child's mother I reassure him I'm right there and he goes back to sleep. Ok, so now it's 6 and I'm thinking, PLEASE sleep kid -- I know you like to wake up at 7, but with this hours disruption I'm gonna need to sleep till 8!!! So, I'm almost back to sleep and would you believe -- he cries for cake! Again, I assure him he can have some when he gets up (good thing he didn't remember any of this or he'd have had cheetos and cake for breakfast!) and FINALLY we all go back to sleep. At about 7:30 he wakes up. I stumble out of bed to the TV praying it's on Disney. It is so I stumble back to bed and go back to sleep. At some point Gram came in and got Thomas, but I slept till about 8:30 and don't remember her getting him. It was an interesting sequence of events that left me (in my partially coherent state) a little frazzled, but I quickly recovered with sleep! It was truly a really funny morning.

One I got up, I think I lazed around as late as humanly possible before taking a shower! After showering came the which church, what time debate. However that was remedied by the snow. Allison and I went with Thomas to Prestonwood at 4:30, while the rest of the family stayed home in the warmth. It was a great service, and the snow was pretty - but it was COLD! So we went home, had out 'traditional' tamale dinner and then cleaned up. We taught Thomas to say 'presents' in Mom's famous way. The p and the r sounds get drawn out as long as possible and the whole thing causes lots of spit. Thomas, of course, thought it was good fun and we all got a good giggle! He was so excited! This year was really lots of fun. After cleaning up we had a very short 'papparazzi' session and got into the business of opening gifts. Thomas made out like a bandit! And he was so excited about every gift! It was alot of fun to see him get excited about what other people were getting, as well as his! He was also truly excited when someone opened a gift FROM him and thanked him. Christmas is another ball game when seen through the eyes of young children!

(Just b/c I know your wondering: I got a new small digital camera with case and memory card, an exhaustive concordance with Hebrew/Greek dictionary, a key chain, a Michael's gift card, a beautiful necklace, socks, and money.)

Christmas Day I spent time with the fam and then drove home so I could work the 'after Christmas' sales. Worked Saturday and then decided I wanted to end the year with a Sunday at Living Water. So...I drove up to Fort Worth where I stayed with Val and Ron. We had our little Christmas and I got a Starbucks gift card! Then went to church at LWC on Sunday. Was soooooo great to be there! After church we ate at Joe's. It was the regular Sunday group..and i got to play with Isaiah a little bit! After lunch I had Starbucks with Woody and then went to see Jenn and John in Burleson. Jennifer made me dinner (always a treat) and I just hung out for a bit. Then back home to Waco so I could work Monday, today and tomorrow. Tomorrow after work I am heading back to Fort Worth for another night at Val and Ron's and then working the Armed Forces Bowl game at the Amon Carter stadium New Year's Eve Day. It is a fundraiser for the Ireland trip. After the game I'm headed to Mom and Dad's to see Amy, Paul, Andrew, and Christopher and have round 2 of Christmas. I'm excited to see Amy and Paul and the boys.

I will come home on Sunday and then back to work with inservice on Monday. Also on Monday I start rehearsals for Thoroughly Modern Millie AND Amy, Paul, the boys, Grandma, A. Sharon, and U. Craig will converge upon my apartment for a visit! WOW!

Anyway, that's about it - if you took the time to read the entire dissertation above - KUDOS to you! :)

....and to all a goodnight!