My favorite day of the year

December 23rd has been my favorite day of the year since I have been in high school. There are always fun things to do and I feel like if I truly thought about it, I might be able to remember every 12/23 for the past 10 years. The anticipation and excitement that I feel for the next few days coupled with fact that I just finished wrapping the last of the gifts and making 3 kinds of cookies with my adorable mom makes me so thrilled for the celebration of the birth of Our King.

Today I am just thankful. Thankful for a Savior who loved us so much that he came to earth knowing that He would have to be the sacrifice for you and me. I am grateful for the love that He is despite my constant sin- not just the love he shows us, the love he IS!

(by the way- I am also really thankful that I am going to see the kids tomorrow)

December 22, 2010

This was yesterday. Lots of presents to be delivered.

 

Here we are on our delivery from today.  This is Meal's On Wheel!

I am thankful that nearly 6000 gifts will be delivered to sweet seniors this week! It is such a blessing!

12.21

Believe it or not, I am completely done with wrapping gifts for Be a Santa to a Senior. To be honest with you, I cannot believe it myself. When this season started, I was worried. Worried was an understatement. I was sleepless and overwhelmed. This has been the busiest season our company has ever had, and I knew that i would not be able to devote every waking moment to micromanaging every second of the program.

If you know me well at all, you would know that I have a bit of a control issue... Again another understatement. So even though I was unable to control every bit of this amazing few months, it has been accomplished... And today as I sit on my couch watching 'The Invention of Lying' I feel relaxed and at peace and for that, I am soooo thankful!

12/20/10

Today has been so productive.  I have sent out two more shipments of presents- totally about 500 gifts to 200 seniors.  It is always so amazing watching the cars, packed to the brim drive away. 

Today I am thankful- more like overwhelmed.  I am so blessed that God has chosen me to work in a place that sees people as top priority, a place that no matter what will cling to relationship.  Nearly 4 1/2 years ago when I started working here at Home Instead.  I met a client named Mr. F.  This little man stole my heart from the first moment that I met him.  He is about 5 foot tall and weighs probably 100 lbs.  We actually provide care for his wife, and he had always done the insurance billing for her.

I will never forget the first time I met him.  He came in, feet shuffling beneath him.  In his hands was an envelope that held all of his wife's insurance forms.  He wanted me to sit and help him fill them out.  After looking through the paper work, I realized that no matter how I described the papers to him, he would still be confused.  The silly papers are simply confusing!  I told him that I would do it for him.  The look that came over his face was relief mixed with joy.  So because of Mr. F, I now bill nearly 50 insurance companies and handle claims for seniors. 

Every year for the past 5 Christmases, this sweet Jewish man sends me a Christmas present.  Today, I was feeling the stress of bills and presents and all, and there in the mail was this card... this card filled with a generous Christmas present!  Today I am thankful for God knowing just what we need, when we need it!  Check out those crazy birds wearing Santa hats!!!

December19th, 2010

Today was a great day.

When I woke up at 7:30 to the sound of my sweet parents putzing around in the kitchen.  I hopped right out of bed to make eggnog scones.  We had a nice breakfast and then my brothers, Rachel and myself went out to finish up some Christmas shopping!  It was a blast all being together!

When we got home, I wrapped all the gifts and put them under the tree.  I don't know about all of you, but there is something about wrapped presents under the Christmas tree that truly brings Christmas to the next level for me.

I get giddy thinking about cute little faces waking up on Christmas morning to open gifts and fish out goodies from stockings.  This year, the kids will be sleeping over on Christmas eve, so we will get to enjoy every minute of that with them!  I can't wait.  Today I am thankful that after 3.5 days of work that I get to be back here with this adorable family sharing Christ's birthday with them!

failure... double failure

life is fast.  it is rushing by!

I don't even have time to think.

As I type this, I am being summoned to help my mom make her bed.

Today I am thankful for great relationships with my whole family.  We all get along great.  As a matter of fact, Slim and Greg have been off gallivanting across town the past 5 hours.  I'm off to make a bed- and then to play some cards!

Please be merciful to me :)  I will promise to do better this week!

failure

Yesterday I was a failure, and did not post a blog.  To be honest with you, I didn't even think about it one time until I went to sign in to post today's thankful post.  Sorry to the two of you who read this.

Well believe it or not, we are a week away.  A week away from a couple days off of work.  A couple days off to celebrate with my dear and darling lovies!

They fly to Florida today from Colorado, and just simply  having them in this time zone makes my heart happy!  I am so thankful that we will be together for Christmas.  Together at my parent's house.  Though it was never my house, it has begun to feel like home.  I love waking up early there.  I love hearing my parents rustle through the kitchen at 6 am. I love wearing my bathrobe all day because just being together is enoug.

Today I am thankful for all of my immediate family being in the same time zone!  Silly as it sounds, I woke up and thought, today much more will be right with the world. 

My grown up Christmas wish for you is family, love and friends.