Normally, this time of year does not feel like vacation, despite the fact that my husband’s workplace shuts down and our routine changes. When our guys were small, we made lots of plans with other families and did more entertaining than we do now. During their teen years, our guests were more often their friends than ours, but we enjoyed them nonetheless. Now that so many of their friends have places of their own, the visits here are fewer, and our holidays a bit quieter. But in some ways it feels more like vacation than it ever has. And that’s a good thing!
Normally, when I’m home, I’m pretty driven to keep up on housework or writing projects or shopping or meal planning, etc. These two weeks since our guys came home, I’ve had to remind myself to work. I’ve forgotten what day it is more than once, and spent hours reading and relaxing, watching movies or just chilling and chatting. If I could avoid the computer for a month or more, my tendinitis might even go completely away.
We had a great Christmas – no six a.m. wake-up call this year – we all slept much later, due in part to the two still on California time – not to mention they are all night owls. But it was so nice to have them home, to spoil them with gifts, to just enjoy being with family. At night they invited us to tag along when they went to the movies with a group of their friends to see Sherlock Holmes. Fun movie, good mystery, though some of the characters could have been better developed.
We spent time last week with my folks, seeing my dad for lunch one day, then having more family over on Christmas Eve. Now that Christmas Day has passed, I’m more aware of the days left to us before we have to drive the boys back to the airport. I’m not thrilled with the new heightened security they will have to deal with and am wondering how many gifts we will have to ship to them rather than risk packing in their suitcases. Terrorism is such a selfish act. And of course, it’s always the few that ruin it for the many…
Lots of reading going on around here these past few days as I’m trying to finish two books that will be going back to California with my guys. The first one I finished yesterday – Donald Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years – What I learned While Editing My Life. Well-written, fast read. I enjoyed the book – he made some good points. The book isn’t deeply theological, but it does inspire one to think. In one point I would disagree with his theology, but overall, it made for an enjoyable read.
The second book is by Phil Vischer – Me, Myself, & Bob – A True Story About Dreams, God, and Talking Vegetables. I’m on chapter 7 or 8 and find the book fascinating. I would also read Randy Alcorn’s If God is Good before they leave, but I can’t read that fast, and Randy’s book is BIG! I may need to buy my own copy…
I found out right before Christmas that Abigail got a 4- starred review from Romantic Times Magazine! I’m hoping to brace the crowds tomorrow and pick up a copy at my local Barnes & Noble. I tried last week, but the new month’s edition wasn’t in yet.
We went out to dinner tonight to celebrate Jeff’s birthday belatedly. In a few days, we’ll go out to dinner again to celebrate Chris’s birthday early. I love not having to cook! But I love being together with my guys even more. The only thing is, even after all these years, I still don’t understand some of their humor…You would think living with all men for so long that I would get it. But I fear some of it just goes right by me. I think they find my cluelessness a bit amusing. I told them I need daughters-in-law to have women to relate to…of course, if they marry girls who do understand their humor, I’ll still be clueless and outnumbered!
After Christmas shopping online captured my attention this afternoon as there were some great sales and some Christmas money to spend… And I’m trying to get back into writing Sarai, which has been on simmer in the back of my mind waiting for me to get off vacation. But I still have another week to relax and read and be lazy, so I’ll write if the muse strikes. After they go home, I’ll write because that’s what I need to do, whether the muse strikes or not. :)
For now, I’m enjoying the moment, reminded of the many blessings God has given, and feeling grateful for each person He has placed in my life, each moment with those I hold most dear. I know many people who have lost loved ones this season, making me all the more aware of life’s fragility. If I have one goal for the new year it is to be more grateful, and to cherish each moment, and to bless God for what He has given.
Selah~
es, with books such as Davis Bunn and Janette Oke’s The Hidden Flame (Bethany House Publishers/Baker Publishing Group)–the second in their “Acts of Faith” series (January)–and Jill Eileen Smith’s Abigail (Revell/Baker Publishing Group), the second in her “The Wives of King David” series (February), expected to fare well.
