random reflections

A Different Christmas

Despite the fact that I was depressed the day before Christmas, our celebrations turned out great. The annual eleven o’clock service at Third Presbyterian on Christmas Eve put me back in the Christmas mood. Christmas morning, Tracy and I got up, read the papers, and went to breakfast at Mykynos. At four o’clock his extended family arrived for dinner, frivolity, and opening of gifts. Grandma’s fun gifts to everyone was 20Q, which provided a lot of entertainment.

Finally on Tuesday, we had our Christmas. Sarah and Adam didn’t arrive in Buffalo until 12:20 on Tuesday morning. By the time we got to bed, it was close to 2, so no one was up any too early. It’s not as exciting as it was when they were little, but it’s still really good. Love my kids, love my husband, love the holidays.

Doesn’t Feel Much Like Christmas

It certainly does not feel like Christmas Eve here. Maybe it’s the weather--warmer than it’s been in weeks, rain not snow. Maybe it’s the lack of vacation time. School didn’t end until yesterday afternoon. Not much time to relax and prepare before the holiday. Maybe--and I think this is the REAL reason--it’s because Sarah is in Washington with Adam and not here for the first Christmas ever. I know I have to get used to this.  We’ll be sharing her with Adam and Adam’s family for many holidays to come. And I really believed I’d be OK with it, even this first year. But when I woke up this morning, it just didn’t feel much like Christmas here.

Star Giving

For several years when Sarah and Matt were teenagers, they alternated giving the prayer at the family Christmas dinner. It was not an honor they desired, but they always did it graciously. One year Sarah surprised all of us by memorizing this poem by Ann Weems. Each Christmas I reread it and remember how proud and  touched I was by her effort and the message of the poem.

Star Giving

What I’d really like to give you for Christmas
Is a Star . . .
Brilliance in a package,
Something you could keep in the pocket of your jeans
Or in the pocket of your being,
Something to take out in times of darkness,
Something that would never snuff out or tarnish,
Something you could hold in your hand,
Something for wonderment,
Something for pondering,
Something that would remind you of
What Christmas has always meant:
God’s Advent Light into the Darkness of this world.
But Starts are only God’s for giving,
And I must be content to give you words and wishes and
Packages without Stars.
But I can wish you Life
As radiant as the Star
That announced the Christ Child’s coming,
And as filled with awe as the Shepherds who stood
Beneath its Light,
And I can pass on to you the Love
That has been given to me,
Ignited countless time by others
Who have knelt in Bethlehem’s Light.
Perhaps, if you ask, God will give you a Star.

Merry Christmas!

Design Journals

I found these cute notebooks with dividers and pockets at the Super Target at Stone Mountain when I was visiting Sarah in November. I've made three of them now; one for me and two for friends. This was for my friend Lynn. It's a notebook for keeping track of great scrapbook ideas you find in books and magazines. Each divider is decorated as well and I added a library pocket to the inside cover with a tag to keep track of the books or magazines that are referenced.I labeled my dividers "Layout Designs/Titles," "Cards/Projects," and "Embellishments/Holidays." So far it's been really helpful.  I have a code for the magazine that is referenced on the tag, then a brief comment about the idea (ie. "tiny tages for dates & titles") and then the page number. Now if I remember an idea I saw, I can usually find it pretty quickly in my notes, or if I'm looking for a layout idea I can go to that section and know which magazines or books to look at. Far faster than leafing through my pretty extensive collection of idea books.

The Search for Star

Yesterday Tracy and I went to the Finger Lakes in search of a wine named Star with a great label to give as part of a gift this Christmas. We stopped at the outlets, bought new sneakers and gym clothes for the ones that were stolen out of the van, a Christmas gift, and a new coat. We stopped at  Goose Watch Vineyard and picked up a case of our favorite red wine, Renaissance Red. Then we got to Lucas Vineyards, only to discover “Star” was a single year production and there is none left. Well, that left me with a real dilemma since a whole series of gifts had already been purchased with “Star” as the finishing touch. So off I went to Marketview Liquor where I cruised the aisles looking at labels. Let me tell you, there are some great labels out there, but not many stars! Finally found an Italian pinot grigio called Stella with a satisfactory star on the label--although not as cool at the one from Lucas. All this for Secret Santa!

It's Catch Up Time

I do know where the time has gone, but I’m not sure why blogging got to be such a non-issue. It’s not like I haven’t done anything to blog about. So in the next few days, I’m commited to catching up. It won’t be in any chronological order, and I’ll probably add photographs later, but at least I’ll be back in business.