Expect from me in 2009:

More:

• Laughter
  
• Movement
• Creation
• Appreciation
• Travel
  

Less:

• Complaining
• Wastefulness
• Procrastination

So Long, 2008. You were pretty good to me. You were fun while you lasted, but now you are almost gone. Welcome 2009.

My list is too long

I'm starting to think that my Christmas cards are going to be New Year's cards.  

It got up to 8˚ today.

Ed got a goldfish to give as his white elephant gift at a Holiday Party.

That's all.

Enjoy the lovely photo of yours truly contemplating her next viewing of Pride and Prejudice.  (Can you believe I just barely saw the A&E version?  I don't know how I have lived until now.)

Maybe if I stop gazing out of windows and watching 5 1/2 hour long movies those cards would get mailed.  Oh well.

The end.

We were headed west on the I-80, on our way to her favorite store (besides Target) when we had the following conversation:

Her: Mom, I know that the true meaning of Christmas is for Santa to come, but is Halloween really only about children dressed in costumes to get candy from all the people?

Me: Uh, no.  (I explained what the celebration of Halloween was all about, which she found quite interesting.)

Me: Christmas isn't really all about Santa, either, you know.

Her: (Disbelieving)  Yes it is.  You're tricking.

Me:  No, I'm not.  What do you think it might be about, besides Santa?

Her: Presents?

Me: No.

Her: Candy?

Me: No.

Her: Is it the stockings?

Me: No.

Her:  What is it, then?

Me:  You think about it.  I bet you can figure it out.

Her:  Hmmm.

I filed the conversation away, planning to have a discussion with all three of the rugrats, when we parked the car and entered Costco.  Which, although it was only the first of November, was all decked out in Christmas goods for sale.

Her:  (Looking around.)  Is it the wreaths?

Me: No.

Her: Is it the Christmas trees?

Me: No.

We stopped in front of the Nativity Set they have on display behind a glass case.  

Me: (pointing it out to her)  Look at this, isn't it beautiful?

Her: Yes, it's so beautiful . . . Is it the Ornaments?

Me: No!  Stella.  Look. at. this.  (Indicating the Nativity.)  What do you see?

Her:  A bunch of people.

Me: (is it bad that I'm stifling giggles by this point?)  Who are they?

Her:  I don't know.

So then we talked all about the people in the Nativity.  I pointed out Mary, and Joseph, and the baby Jesus.  We saw the Wise Men and the Shepherds and the Cattle who were Lowing.  I didn't once say the word "Christmas."  Her ignorance on the topic was genuine.  

Me:  Does looking at these people and talking about them remind you of anything?  Anything at all?

Her:  Church?

Me:  Yeah, let's go shopping.

It wasn't until she was pausing by the cakes to admire them that I saw her eyes gleam with understanding.  Her eyebrows went up as she turned to me.

Her:  Mom!  Is Christmas about Jesus?  

 . . . Yes, dear Stella, Christmas is all about Jesus.

On a totally unrelated topic . . . 

Yesterday, after church, this one said "I have no idea what Latter Day Saint means, but I did learn today that zombies are real.  I cannot believe that people are going to be climbing out of their graves.  Sheesh."

Clearly I have some work to do.