Whoever paid for my account - Thank You!

[altarflame]

We made it to church Sunday - Ananda, Aaron and I, at least - with flowers in hand. It was a good Mass. Then when we got home, an (unknown) kid came over and knocked on our door. He said he lives two blocks away, and put a kitten in my hands, when I answered, saying that his grandma said he couldn't keep it and nobody else was home so I had to take it O_o We ended up taking it on the road with us to Lakeland to offer to my Nana and Pa, who used to have two cats but are down to one now. It was one little thing in the midst of a busy day, that entertained my kids for hours.








We stopped in Orlando and told them, "Go Wild!"


Oh, Isaac.












Outside the Christian store...I realized I totally spaced out about getting A and A new bibles, somehow, so we went and found some up there


At Nana's - Jake, my cousin Stevie, and Aunt and Uncle Rhonda and Steve




Brother Bob with Nephew Brian


My mother didn't arrive until really late in the day, so I only got to see her for a few hours...but they were great hours. I sat on her lap for awhile in a big easy chair. I love my mom. It's good that we both seem so far to have made it out of this year alive.

Nana and Pa seemed healthier than I somehow thought they would, which was nice. The food was nice, like childhood. And the ride home! All five kids were asleep within fifteen minutes of getting on the road, slept the ENTIRE way including when we stopped for more gas, and went straight to bed in a daze when we got home! Freaking amazing.



Christmas Morning


Opa got this for them. It is AWESOME. It has a second gear that is like 5 miles an hour, even with Aaron on it.


He also stuffed more into the stockings while we were gone - yogurt covered raisins and chocolate mint candy canes, to go with the chocolate covered almonds and cranberries and fruit leather I'd put in. We had an unwrapping feast for breakfast


He loves it


And at Oma's, in the evening...she had some great lasagna and a ton of goodies


I'm happy. I taught Ananda how to play Trouble, assembled Dora and Diego scenes with Megablocks for Isaac and Jake, read them pop up books, rode Aaron's bike around, pitched balls for his bat, and undid like 5 million twisty ties in the name of detaching packaging. Also launched full scale war on the mess in the night, and managed to get floors clear of mountains - MOUNTAINS - of crap so that we could sweep and vaccum and Elise could roam safely again. All whilst this kitten that my Nana and Pa did not want and will probably go to the vet in search of a new home tomorrow pounced, climbed, chased and blended awfully well with the household.

I love Alvin and the Chipmunks singing carols on the radio.
I love peppermint bark.
I love my entire extended family.
I love tolerable weather.
I love having gift cards and the promise of post-feast, layed back, everybody-is-still-on-vacation shopping.
I love Jesus Christ.


I enjoy the season of Christmas, with decorating, baking, Advent and anticipation so much that the actual day always feels a little anticlimactic to me. It seems as though everything is in the lead up and then when the day comes, once the morning has passed, what are you supposed to do for the rest of the day while everything is closed? I'm happy though. Grant pulled out a big Starbucks mug with hot cocoa mix, vanilla biscotti and a bit peppermint straw for me tonight and we had that along with far too many other treats alone once the kids were in bed. I can't think of many things better than him turning to me out of nowhere with everything in his eyes and saying, "Merry Christmas, Tina."

Comments

[greatestislove.livejournal.com]

sounds like a great day. I agree it is anti-climatic. Christmas is suppose to last 12 days culminating with Epiphany. it is hard to do though when most of american society seems to really want christmas to be over by dec 26th. i guess that is because when you start celebrating at halloween you will be a little bit burned out by the end.

[eiretamicha.livejournal.com]

I was thinking the same thing about the kitten. :)

[altarflame.livejournal.com]

We can no way no how afford any kind of vet visits right now - it was really strapping ourselves BAD to do Christmas this year. Even the trip to get him fixed would be too much, let alone if he were sick or needed anything or shots or whatever. Also, I'm pretty unwilling to have a litter box in the house with a baby and a toddler who get into everything. And, the homeowner (Grant Sr/Opa) hates cats.

Basically he put up with mine because it came built in, with us, but doesn't want us getting more. And Sebastion went out to pee/poop. And he had a FREE vet built in (long story, but the vet saw him for free). He's pretty irreplaceable.

This kitten is kind of fun but in general I don't like cats much, and he is pretty run of the mill...he depresses me sometimes actually because he isn't the cat I lost. We're just not ready for another pet yet.

[altarflame.livejournal.com]

I was thinking that if it had occured to me sooner, I'd have come by Gainesville and given it to you. You'd like it, it's playful and clean.

[lovesprout.livejournal.com]

i absolutely loved your family photos!!! it was a great ending to my evening. thank you for sharing.

ananga