Christmas Magic

This Christmas might just be my favorite. Katie is 3.75 years old and this seems like just the perfect age. She asked Santa for a few simple things -- a Dora guitar (which she really had her heart set on), a Barbie doll, and a game. Some of these items, like the Barbie and game, were at the subtle encouragement of mom and dad since we'd already purchased a 7-pack "Disney Princesses" Barbies at Target for 50% off and we'd picked up Candyland and Mickey Mouse Yahtzee Jr. when they were on sale at Target too. We picked up the Fisher Price Little People Nativity set at Target too. I wanted to give it to her before Christmas but she ended up playing with my Nativity set (a wedding gift from Jon & Sue Schultz) and since those figurines are not breakable, it was fine.

Last night, on Christmas Eve, we checked her stocking and found that Santa's elves left her a whole bunch of goodies -- "Nemo" Pez dispenser, Tigger toothbrush, Princess toothpaste, Dumbo book, Ernie activity pad, socks, etc. She was so thrilled with all these "treasures". We left a big mug of Milk and two plates with notes -- cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. (Thanks to my bff Jodie for providing the treats!) Katie was so tired that she fell asleep before we got half-way through the "Dumbo" book.

Katie woke up around 7:00 a.m., which is sleeping in for her. She was cooperative for getting dressed (which usually doesn't happen when it's me getting her dressed) and she was so excited, but cautious, about whether or not Santa left any presents at our house.

The first thing that she saw under the tree was a huge package wrapped in Disney Princess paper. Her eyes grew SO wide when she realized that there were SEVEN Barbie dolls, that they were all Princesses AND that it included Rapunzel! (She & I had gone to see "Tangled" on Thursday. So glad we went, she was absolutely THRILLED about that Barbie doll!)

She opened her Dora guitar, which was very exciting -- until she realized that you can't actually "play" the guitar. Dora sings songs or it just strums so music. I think she was totally disappointed in the gift, but I think the more she plays around with it, the more she'll love it. We could've bought a "real" guitar for about $7 more than the Dora guitar... so maybe we'll think about that for her birthday!

Katie knew what Candyland was; she was also excited about the Micky Mouse version of Yahtzee Jr. We've already played 4 times and she beat me 3 games to 1! We also played Candyland. I think we'll be playing a lot of fun games in our future. :)

She opened the Christmas nativity set last. It was very fun to see how excited she was about her OWN Nativity set. Now she doesn't have to share with mom.

This is my favorite Christmas because everything under the tree was what she asked for...and so much more. She knew what she'd asked for but had no idea that a "Barbie doll" would be SEVEN Princess ones! She had no idea she would get her own Nativity set.

God promised a Savior for all Nations. Jesus is everything we could ever ask for...and so much more. Just when you think you've read the entire New Testament and things have already been covered, re-reading verses are new and fresh again. Perhaps that's why we know God's word is living and active -- it is never 'outdated' or inapplicable to our lives. The gift to ourselves is to remember the thrilling Christmas 'magic' of wonder, love, and appreciation for God's gift of Jesus, each and every day.

Blessings to everyone. - Tanya

Cousins Christmas 2010

Connecting the dots

I don't know about anyone else, but being 36 has been great so far. Honestly. Far better than I could've imagined. Do you know why? Because I finally feel like all the 'dots' are connecting. All the random things that I learned about in school since, well, about 1980 are fitting together like one big puzzle. It is actually really encouraging to feel that "A-ha!" moment when you realize something for the first time and it all makes sense now. Randomness isn't gone but it isn't the 'norm' anymore either. The song that kept going through my mind this a.m. as I was in the shower was, "I wish I knew now what I knew then, when I was older..." I thought about daily growing YOUNGER instead of older. The new wrinkles, small patches on gray hair at my temples, even the small aches and pains that weren't there before assure me that I AM getting older. However, I'd like to think I can keep a young attitude and spirit. Maybe the biggest blessing was having my first child when I was 33. Seemed so old but honestly it is keeping me young, I think. :)

Mardi Gras

Today is Mardi Gras. It is making me think of Pastor Bat. I really miss him. His funeral was a week or two ago. Before the Super Bowl. He was from New Orleans and it was so neat to see all the photos from when he was growing up. I had a feeling that the Saints might win the Super Bowl and that would've just delighted him (if he even cared about football).

I also think of him because I'd never heard of a "King's Cake" until I'd met him and Christa. What a neat tradition. If I'd been thinking about it earlier, I would've baked one and brought it to school. I'm always disappointed when I miss those types of opportunities. Then again, I have to remember that God could be giving me another chance in the future.

Tomorrow starts Lent. This year, especially, it feels like Christmas just barely ended. I want to sit here and ponder the baby Jesus. To smell the hay (and other odors) of the stable. To think of Mary holding her tiny baby and treasuring up all these things in her heart. To think of Simeon and of Anna, waiting their whole lives to see the promise of a savior fulfilled. To think of hope, courage, love. To ponder how much God loved the world to enter flesh and walk, talk, sleep, eat.

I'm not ready to journey to the cross. Ironically, during Christmas vacation, I read Paul Maier's book Pontius Pilate and fell in love with it. The amazing historical and cultural insights I gained. It was as if I was looking upon God's plan and timeline with fresh eyes. Now that the time to teach this has come (at least for my 8th graders), I want to sit and rock a baby. Then again, when I started to teach about Pontius Pilate and the Passion of Jesus, I felt joy I'd never known before in teaching. I felt so filled with enthusiasm and life.

Ash Wednesday starts my own journey as well. I have set a goal of doing the T-Tapp workout during Lent. I'm so bad about being faithful to that workout, even though I know it works. I did so well with Wii Fit and then once I unlocked Advanced or Expert on the majority of the games, the interest leveled off. Sad, I know, but true. So I need to get some sleep so I have energy to do the T-Tapp workout. And then to really focus on the sacrifices that Jesus made for all of us. Sometimes it's overwhelming. Sometimes it's thrilling. Sometimes it just is.

I should be sleeping, but...

I should be sleeping, but...

There's always something else to do, right? I spend the majority of my day on my feet, on the move, NOT in front of a computer... I spend my days talking, presenting, entertaining, guiding, parenting, helping, checking, admonishing... for ME, when I get home, the computer is a nice escape. Connect with other adults. Leave behind the stresses and frustrations of the day. Share the joys and laughter of the day. It is something I really look forward to.

For my husband, he works with computers almost every day. The thrill is gone. The last thing he really wants to do when he gets home is be on the computer. If he is on the computer, it is most likely to look up something to do with sports. I'm OK with that.

I should be sleeping but I don't want to. I want to write. I want to read. I want to think. I want to justrelax. I don't want to sleep. That's what the weekend is for, right? I love weekend naps. My husband never, ever naps. So weekends he isn't up late. It seems so opposite and crazy, but I guess that's how we make it work.