Betwixt the Holidays

My little blog has been on its own version of a holiday break, its owner recuperating from hour upon hour of baking, wrapping, organizing, partying, cleaning, and so on. It's nice to sit here, steaming coffee in front of me, PJ'd kids watching Super Why, side by cute little side under a blanket. It's been a wild, chaotic, fun week for sure.

We had a lovely Christmas at Jim and Michelle's house -- just enough presents to make it fun for the kids, but not too much to make it fall into overkill. On Christmas night, however, I was suddenly slammed with a bad cold/sinus thing which I am still fighting -- bad enough to make me feel like I have balloons inflated in my ears, but not nearly bad enough to warrant hibernation. Life must trudge on.

One of the highlights of this in-between-the-holidays period was the day after Christmas. While most people were still warm in their beds, or shuffling sleepy-eyed about their homes, we were up early (as usual) and were able to do something we never do: we took the kids out to breakfast. A new hip eatery opened up in our town and we've been dying to try it, so with coupon and Christmas tip in hand we piled into the car. I was a bit nervous -- we simply do not ever go out to eat. That's not such a bad thing, really -- think of the savings! -- but it's more due to the fact that Grace can get a little unruly (in an oh-so-cute way!) in public places. She's as cute as the proverbial button, but she's loud, she's rambunctious, she runs, she visits people at other tables, she doesn't sit still. The two times we've tried this in the past have been disasters, so I was a bit leery about this foray into the world of public dining. But to my absolute surprise, she did wonderfully well! She wanted to get dressed up, so she was donned in an adorable lavender corduroy dress adorned with snowmen and multi-colored striped tights. She took along her favorite little purse and pink sunglasses, instinctively knowing she was making her public debut this morning. What a doll ... or a diva.

Breakfast was enjoyable, and afterward we sailed to Ikea to pick up a tall bookcase for the kids' room. I was in my own person Organzing-Nirvana as I once again "re-did" their cramped bedroom, getting rid of an impractical toy box and giant basket of stuffed animals, and using the many new shelves as storage for anything and everything -- books, toys, art supplies, stuffed animals. It completely opened up the room and it looks beautiful. I believe I do get some sort of high from this kind of task.

I do feel a bit blue that Christmas is over. The twinkling lights don't seem to shine with the same spirit and intensity as before. I'm feeling that slight itch to get my house back together already. The red bows and garland seem a bit out of place now. Don already packed away his Christmas vinyl collection and we're now back to familiar standards. And tomorrow we'll be ringing in a new year -- a year of which I already feel pretty ambivalent. I no longer make resolutions or promises or dreams. I'm fighting a fear of the unknown, working my stiff prayers muscles for the uncertainties that lie ahead. The "bad economy" has now come knocking at our door in a way we didn't anticipate, which puts quite a dark blanket over these next few months. The parties are over; it's a testing time. What I need to do is take my own writings to heart:

"Learning a little about life each day. Learning that my dreams and my journey don't always meet. Learning to love it all."

To love it all. To keep fear at bay and reclaim that joy. Is that a resolution I hear? Perhaps. Love came down at Christmas, and no matter what the next days, and months, and 2009 bring that love needs to stay.

Happiness and joy to you, as 2008 draws to a close.
And may you have that Joy of Christmas as the calendar page turns.