Best of Intentions

Well, I feel better today. I haven't watched the news or checked Chattanoogan.com all day! I do so love the Police Blotter section of the Chattanoogan where they report all the men that have solicited prostitutes (names included) and even better, those stupid men who have their money stolen by prostitutes and don't get anything in return (serves them right!). Imagine a prostitute not being honest. They deserve to have their money stolen if they are stupid enough to do something like that. It just makes you laugh and laugh!!!!

My full intention was to come home and fix a nutritious dinner for my family (done) and then spend the rest of the night with a glass of wine, fingernail polish and hot wax (YELP!). I got a phone call from a girl wanting to order something from Thirty-One and now, almost three hours later, I've not mani'ed pedi'ed or de-haired (my eyebrows) at all! Maybe tomorrow night I'll get some grooming in.

I did, however, help Brody write a fable for homework about a Sneaky Snake who had no friends, a Bird named Birdie and a Turtle named Slider. The moral of his fable is that you have to be nice to have friends. Words to live by....MEAN PEOPLE SUCK!

Debbie Downer

Okay, so I was in a weird place at work today. More shaking going on, and that always leads me down bad roads. Anyway..... I saw something tonight that put a true smile on my face and put some Christmas cheer back into my life.

It was Brody's first night up Upward basketball at Middle Valley Baptist. In the same gym, there were special needs kids also practicing. I'm not sure if it was Special Olympics or just a team put together out of a longing for their kids to play with other kids who understand them. I'm telling you, I didn't leave without shedding some true to the bone tears. These children were so loving, accepting and HAPPY it could even melt my Grinch heart. With every attempt each child and family would cheer like the child had won the game of the century. Most of them would then high five and hug each member of the team and the spectators. The more we cheered, the more they loved on us. I have to admit, I cheered just to get some love from those sweet angels. There was one little girl who was so cute that I swear I could have eaten her alive! They totally restored my very weary soul and made me feel something other than tired and jaded. I highly recommend "practice watching" this team. It was better than a night at the movies!

Thanks for letting me be down today and still loving me. I got so many comments from people that didn't want me to post their comments who had similar feelings. It's hard to be depressed during the holidays, especially when you usually aren't depressed about anything. It's easy to say focus on all the blessings when you can't see them for all that is bothering you. I think I've snapped out of my blue streak, thanks to a precious little girl who is certainly special in my book and has a mean lay up! Go Girl!!!

Many questions......

Christmas spirit. I wonder what that means to you. I'm having a pretty hard time this year with the whole Christmas Spirit thing. You know, I have decorated my house, decorated my office, gone to parties, hosted parties, etc. but I cannot "feel" the anticipation and excitement that I normally feel. I wonder if it's because I don't have any Santa believers living at my house anymore? I wonder if it's because times are tough financially, and it's hard to get into the spirit when you are on a tight budget? I wonder if it's feeling pressured to buy the perfect thing for children that admittedly cannot think of anything they want or need. I wonder if it's feeling guilty that when people are losing their homes and being laid off in my own company, we are commercializing a holiday that is supposed to help us remember the birth of our Savior. Savior. That is a word that we use lightly, isn't it? I wonder if we truly focused on the birth of our Savior during this season, would I have the right feeling about this Christmas?

I'm not sure where this funk is coming from, probably the news. Every time I watch it I become more and more De-Christmas-tized. I wonder what the family of that father and daughter slain while searching for "spiritual awakening" in India are going to be feeling this year without their loved ones? I wonder what all the men and women's families who laid down their life for our country over the last year will be feeling this Christmas? I wonder what victims burned and flooded out of their homes will be feeling this Christmas? I'm thinking I should avoid the news for a while. I think I should instead be remembering why we should be celebrating this season, and snap out of it.

Maybe snow would help........

Thankful for my BFF's

So they may be your "girlfriends", or "home girls" or just plain ole' "friends", but I thank God for mine. The eight of us are a group formed through Tres Dias. We came together as a "Reunion Group" to hold each other accountable and encourage each other. I cannot tell you what each of these women mean to me. They are the kind of friends that I could call at 3 a.m. and say..."pray for me, ....." and they would not only pray, they would do it while dressing, getting in the car and coming to my aide. I pray that they know that this is what I also would do for them. In a world where you're never quite sure where you stand with people, where some people would just as likely talk about you behind your back, I'm thankful for these women who I know HAVE my back. We have spent a lot of time together this weekend at Donna's Christmas Tea and my ornament swap, and it just makes me realize why we are BFF's. I am richly blessed!

YEAH GOD!

OK, so I guess I have to pitch a fit and accept the fact that I need help before anything happens for me.......thanks for the lesson God!

I can't change my stupid backgroud!

OK, I've tried everything. I've changed the template to minima, but it goes right back to that stupid Halloween template. I've copied and gone to HTML, but no go!!! I hate computers when they don't work the way you think they should. Anybody have any idea what I'm doing wrong???