Life Is Good

I just haven't really had anything to blog about lately. It feels as if I should write something... just to keep in practice... but I usually like to write about whatever is bugging me or whatever very, very deep, random thought crossed my mind while baking bread or doing laundry... the well is dry. I have no random deep thoughts or rants today. Sorry to disappoint. Life Is Good.

This Thursday is our 4-H club Christmas party. We're meeting early at a care center here in Nampa to sing carols and then we'll all proceed to the school for our annual Christmas party and gift exchange. We're still debating what to take for Chris's $5 value gift. He's leaning towards beef jerky. I'm leaning towards making another little softie toy. The only thing really holding me back from the softie is that I keep imagining one of the teen boys getting it. It could be funny. Probably wouldn't be that fun for the boy though.

Perhaps if I could find an old tampon box or something to wrap it in the present could be even more fun. If only I knew someone who needed such things.... I think my last box was purchased sometime in 2000.... maybe earlier.... it came from Costco... the box is not in any shape to act as a present keeper. Life seems so normal now that I forget how many (many, many, many) months of my married life I spent pregnant or nursing. I haven't done the math lately but I bet the pregnant and nursing months still outnumber the non-pregnant, non-nursing months. What in the world will happen to my marriage when all the kids leave home? We've never had a time period in our life together that wasn't about raising our family (well, there were those three months when we were recovering from the wedding and moving...).

Sam's been taking puppies to visit his class each week. The kids like to see the puppies and it's fun to ask them how big they think the dogs will get. Last week I took Jazzmine into the school. She loved the attention but the kids flat out did not believe the puppies would be as big (or bigger) than Jazz. One of the teachers keeps looking longingly at the puppies. She almost took one of our last litter so I'm not sure whether to be hopeful she'll fall for one this time. At this point I'm not holding back a puppy for ANYONE unless money has already changed hands. There are still 9 puppies out there and it is time for them to move in with their new families. The first left yesterday, the second will leave tomorrow. Tomorrow I will place the ad to sell our babies. Jake was almost inconsolable last night when the puppy left. "No, no sell Zowie's puppies!!! Get Zowie's puppy back!!! No sell Zowie's puppies......" I'm not sure how sympathetic I can be. We can not (will not) keep 13 Labrador Retrievers. Do you know how much poop is produced by 13 Labrador Retrievers? (If you want the answer, email me... I can provide solid proof)

My goal for the new year is to learn how to do the link thing. I'd like to tell you to visit "Corporate Free Christmas" and you'd be able to click on the name and it would take you there. Instead I'll tell you to check out my blog list and find it on the left hand side of the page. Go visit. I think it's a lovely idea to make the holiday exclusively about the handmade, recycled, repurposed, and well thought out gifts. There will be no Wii's, no gadgets, no "most popular" toys in our home this season. The truth is... we're poor. The economy is not kind to construction businesses at this point in time. The truth also is that in tightening our belts we'll have to revisit the true meaning of the season and find ways to serve others rather than just spending some cash on them. Perhaps God's gift to us this season is an opportunity to grow in his love and reflect on the true gifts of the season without being blinded by the flash and glitter of fancy doo-dads we didn't even know we wanted until the ads came out.

So to sum up our week thus far: Life is Good.

I hope your life is Good as well! Happy Holidays!