Christmas came and went so quickly this year that it's just plain out depressing! I had Christmas Eve off, so I had a four day weekend, which was really nice.
Christmas Eve we went to my mother's house and she cooked her Christmas Eve specialty, bucket steak and gravy. Oh my goodness, that is the best meal I've had all year. No kidding! We ate our fill, then played Dirty Santa. Rachel was working in Birmingham and we decided to go on over to our house and wait on her to arrive after she got off work. She got to our house at almost midnight and that's when we opened gifts!
Our tradition has always been to open gifts on Christmas Eve and we didn't want to change it up this year, even though it was late! Jimmy got me a digital picture frame, the kids got things ranging from Alabama Rose Bowl jerseys to books, and I gave Jimmy a few things related to his bass-playing. One was the cutest little miniature of a Geddy Lee bass, which is one of the basses Jimmy plays. Mother gave me the necklace and bracelet that my grandparents gave her when she was about fifteen. We all were blessed with lots of thoughtful gifts.
Christmas morning Jimmy and the boys headed over to his Dad's where the men were cooking breakfast for his side of the family. I went on over about an hour later and we had a big breakfast courtesy of the guys. We stayed a couple of hours, then headed back home. Christmas Day is always a day of rest and relaxation for us, and this year was no different. I made some Buffalo Chicken Dip for a midday snack, along with Chex Mix and other goodies. Then that night Jimmy grilled us all a steak which we had with baked potatoes and layered salad. We watched It's a Wonderful Life together. Mother and Rachel had never seen it! This Christmas season we watched Christmas with the Kranks, Christmas Vacation, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story and parts of White Christmas and A Christmas Carol.
Saturday we didn't go anywhere, and on Sunday we decided to go to Madison to church with Layke and Seth. The church there is just what I need. From what Layke had described, I thought it would be all younger people, and there were a lot of them, but there were also lots of people my age. It has contemporary worship music with a full band, not a choir. The atmosphere is worshipful, relaxed and the dress is casual. The sermon was great even though their regular pastor wasn't there. The theology is conservative and aligns with my beliefs. As we left, they gave me a visitor's packet which included a ceramic coffee mug, ink pen, and several brochures and booklets telling all about their ministries.
It makes me sad that I have to travel an hour to find a place where I feel comfortable worshiping. Our church here is a good church, don't get me wrong, but I just don't feel comfortable and don't feel I fit in. When we first joined there close to ten years ago, I loved it. We were in a Sunday School class with people I liked, I was enjoying the lessons, enjoying and learning from the sermons, but over time, things changed, classes changed, people changed, I changed. So...I'm thinking we're going to go back to Madison this Sunday. Whether it is the place where God wants us, I'm not positive, but I think I'll have a clearer understanding after visiting a few more times.
One fun thing about going to church there this past week was going out to lunch and shopping afterwards! We got home about 3:30 and relaxed the rest of the evening. That was my Christmas weekend.
New Year's Eve is tomorrow and I have to work. Yuck. But I hope Jimmy and I can find something fun to do, either out somewhere or at home. I'm hoping and praying that 2010 will bring healthier, happier times to my family!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmas and my Career, what a combo!
It's been a while since I've blogged here, there just hasn't been time. After Thanksgiving I had three weekends in a row where I was out of town having fun and then I had to play catch-up this past weekend in order to get ready for Christmas.
Did I say I was ready for Christmas?! I might as well be! Our family decided to go really simple this year and so it wasn't really difficult to get the gifts purchased and wrapped. I still have a few little things to do, but it's manageable.
I'm up at the crack of dawn this morning for some reason. I'll be sorry in a few hours I'm sure. Only today and tomorrow at work, then I'm off for FOUR days! I live for this. No kidding. I see people bopping in and out of the library all day, busily going here and there and everywhere, talking about how they just don't have enough time to get everything done. Ahem. There I am, stuck in a building from 8-5 and there they are, free as the breeze. It makes me tired. And then on top of it, last night my son tells me that I chose the wrong profession, that I should have gotten into a school library where I would be off half of the year. Thanks, son, that made me feel better...!
Back when I finished grad school, I nearly killed myself to find a job in a school library. It didn't make sense how the doors all slammed in my face at every turn. I had made all A's in grad school; I was the one people came to when they had a question. And there I was, being passed over again and again. I was especially disappointed that I didn't get the position at a school that you can almost literally see from my house.
After disappointment after disappointment, Jimmy heard that there was an opening at our city library. He insisted that I go on the interview. Ok. Why not? So I had an interview with the mayor and city council at 6:30, I went on by the grocery store, got home and they called at 9 offering me the job. Uh. I was shocked! Of course I took it, but when I had my meeting to discuss the particulars, my heart hit the floor when they told me the salary. But it was a job and I had no other prospects.
I remember somebody who had my same degree telling me that they had decided against applying for the job because they were NOT going to work for that much money. That really helped my ego, but I worked hard and now, 15 years later, my salary has doubled and I make comparable pay and have the same retirement as those in my position in a public school. In retrospect, the job I have is the perfect one for me. I don't have to deal with kids all day. Instead I do paperwork and let the other staff deal with the public. Things go pretty smoothly although occasionally there are bumps that I have to smooth over. My boss doesn't micro-manage me and it's a relatively stress-free work environment. I made the right decision all those years ago. It's just when people make comments like my son did last night that I get a pang...I would love to be off right now for Christmas break. But it wasn't meant to be.
My goodness, how did I get off on that subject? Just thinking through my fingertips I suppose!
I'm going to get off of here and make use of this extra time I have this morning. Hope those who are reading this have a very blessed Christmas!
Did I say I was ready for Christmas?! I might as well be! Our family decided to go really simple this year and so it wasn't really difficult to get the gifts purchased and wrapped. I still have a few little things to do, but it's manageable.
I'm up at the crack of dawn this morning for some reason. I'll be sorry in a few hours I'm sure. Only today and tomorrow at work, then I'm off for FOUR days! I live for this. No kidding. I see people bopping in and out of the library all day, busily going here and there and everywhere, talking about how they just don't have enough time to get everything done. Ahem. There I am, stuck in a building from 8-5 and there they are, free as the breeze. It makes me tired. And then on top of it, last night my son tells me that I chose the wrong profession, that I should have gotten into a school library where I would be off half of the year. Thanks, son, that made me feel better...!
Back when I finished grad school, I nearly killed myself to find a job in a school library. It didn't make sense how the doors all slammed in my face at every turn. I had made all A's in grad school; I was the one people came to when they had a question. And there I was, being passed over again and again. I was especially disappointed that I didn't get the position at a school that you can almost literally see from my house.
After disappointment after disappointment, Jimmy heard that there was an opening at our city library. He insisted that I go on the interview. Ok. Why not? So I had an interview with the mayor and city council at 6:30, I went on by the grocery store, got home and they called at 9 offering me the job. Uh. I was shocked! Of course I took it, but when I had my meeting to discuss the particulars, my heart hit the floor when they told me the salary. But it was a job and I had no other prospects.
I remember somebody who had my same degree telling me that they had decided against applying for the job because they were NOT going to work for that much money. That really helped my ego, but I worked hard and now, 15 years later, my salary has doubled and I make comparable pay and have the same retirement as those in my position in a public school. In retrospect, the job I have is the perfect one for me. I don't have to deal with kids all day. Instead I do paperwork and let the other staff deal with the public. Things go pretty smoothly although occasionally there are bumps that I have to smooth over. My boss doesn't micro-manage me and it's a relatively stress-free work environment. I made the right decision all those years ago. It's just when people make comments like my son did last night that I get a pang...I would love to be off right now for Christmas break. But it wasn't meant to be.
My goodness, how did I get off on that subject? Just thinking through my fingertips I suppose!
I'm going to get off of here and make use of this extra time I have this morning. Hope those who are reading this have a very blessed Christmas!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thanksgiving
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I think I had the best Thanksgiving I ever had this year. We had it at my house and when I got off work Wednesday, I was ready to start cooking!Most people complain about Thanksgiving cooking; I LOVE it! Jimmy peeled the apples and I put together the pie filling, I made deviled eggs, cranberry relish, sweet tea and I had gotten smart and when I was home for lunch that day I made my congealed salad! Things were moving smoothly!
Thursday morning I baked the pies, and I must say they were gorgeous! And tasted just as good as they looked. The secret is the freshly grated nutmeg...mmmmm.
Off we went at 10:30 to meet Jimmy's family at Cracker Barrel. We had a very short wait and I enjoyed breakfast. All of the grandkids were not there, but we still had two big tables full.
After we got home Layke put his sweet potatoes in to bake, made his casserole, and I finished up the corn casserole, Brussels sprouts, etc. Mother and Rachel came in with the dressing, mashed potatoes, pecan pie and chess squares. We ate a late lunch and then just sat at the table chatting. That night we all watched our traditional Christmas Vacation and we also watched Christmas with the Kranks. It was a glorious day, so full of blessings!!
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