Christmas Past

Well, it is Christmas past now...And for some reason, I wasn't as focused on the REAL meaning of Christmas as I normally am. I felt so busy and rushed this year, and I don't feel that I prepared my heart as I should. I had to work a half day on Christmas Eve, and then I had to run around and finish up some last minute shopping. Dan was able to stay home, but he did bring his laptop home and got some work done. As I was running my errands, I got calls from various crabby siblings because of some miscommunications (over silly stuff like who's bringing what appetizer). So then I had to run to the grocery store and things that others forgot or didn't know they were supposed to bring. All that crabbiness really just put me in a Scrooge-ish mood myself. So when I got home, and my dear husband didn't have the dishes done (which probably was not a very big deal), I jumped all over him. It was kind of a ripple effect of bad moods. Well, finally we made it over to my sister's house, and we had our dinner and opened gifts... That was the fun part. I had found a GREAT present for my husband and my two brothers-in-law! My husband's favorite phrase to me is "Yes, Dear." And we were antiquing one time, and he saw a sign that read "The best two words a man could ever say to his wife are 'Yes, Dear." Ever since we saw that sign, Dan has been 'schooling' my brothers-in-law about the importance of this phrase. Well, I found T-shirts on line that sure enough, read, "Yes, Dear" in bold letters. So I picked one up for each of them. I'm still not sure if they were as amused as the rest of us, but it got a good laugh ;-> My sister, Carolyn, and I also decided to treat our husbands to a weekend at Big Cedar Lodge on Tablerock Lake (along with her kiddos, of course). They were very surprised! I also got each of my siblings a photobook of our wedding, with lots of family photos. And I got my mom and dad a 16x20 portrait of the whole family, with all 18 grandkids! I definitely found more joy in giving than receiving this year. It was great.

So onto Christmas Day... I have to admit, that after being single for 30 years, and getting to spend EVERY holiday with my own family, it is very hard for me to "split" time with Dan's family... And don't get me wrong, I love my in-laws! They are great, and we have a really good time together! It's just that I miss all the card games, and Pokerkino, and Pass the Trash that my family plays. It seems that we're all so busy these days, that we hardly get together as a big family...And so when we do...I want to spend every ounce of time possible with them. This has been one of the biggest challenges for me as a "spouse." But I treasure both of our families, and we are both very close with our families, so I should really be grateful for that!

The other part of my Christmas sadness was that my Aunt has been diagnosed with terminal Pancreatic cancer. My sister had thought it would be a great idea for us four sisters to go visit her at a nearby hospital together, and I agreed. But then, they apparently had decided to go visit her on Christmas Day, while I was with Dan's family. They didn't call me to let me know they were going. They just assumed I wouldn't be able to go since I was with Dan's family... and this was not the case. Dan certainly would not have minded if I left his mom's house to go visit my aunt for a short while. Again, it was a lack of communication...I had no idea they were going, but they all thought I knew. I am an "includer" by nature, so it's especially hard for me to be left out. And this certainly was not 'all about me', but now my aunt has been transferred down south, and with all my travels, it will be harder for me to see her.

We did have a good weekend as a family though. We went to see my nieces play a basketball game, and then we all went ice skating (in 60 degree weather). The next day we had buckets of rainfall all day long, so we stayed in and got to play all those games I missed on Christmas Day.
So all and all we had a good holiday! Next year I just need to really focus on the "reason for the season," and not let all the 'stuff' get in the way of the Joy!

NYC on NYE!!

Ok, so I have to admit, I'm very excited about my upcoming travels. Dan and I are meeting my sister Sharon in New York on New Year's Eve. We haven't been to NY before, so Sharon is happy to be our tour guide. We probably won't make it to Times Square to see the ball drop, but I'm not really that upset about it... I'm much more excited about going to the Today Show, ice skating at Rockerfeller Center, The Met. Museum of Art, MOMA, Broadway...Ahhh... The list goes on and on. I've always wanted to do New York at Christmas-time, and we're finally getting to! Who cares that it's going to be FREEZING!!?? (ok, I do care a little)... But still. I'm having a hard time focusing at work, because I'm so darn excited! Hopefully, I'll be able to post some pictures when we get back.

LITTLE BLESSINGS

I had such a fun night tonight with my 6 year old neighbor/niece/Goddaughter Emily.

I like to have Emily and her sister Lauren over on separate nights, at least a couple times a year.  That way we get our one on one time.  I had to do a little shopping, so Emily and I headed over to Costco.  She just loves trying all of the food samples.  And she didn't want to walk (because she has a sore on her foot), but she didn't want to ride in the "baby seat,"  so she just held onto the end of the cart while I wheeled her around!  I just love seeing the world through a child's eyes!  Then when we got home we played Wii for what seemed like hours.  Em's getting really good.  She beat me the first round of tennis, but then I came back and swept her in the second match.  We tied in baseball, and I beat her in golf (Whew... I had to take her in something!)  And then she took a bath and played with my little snowmen ice magnet thing--just watching the penguins spin around and around on the "ice".  Just the simple things!  I love my kiddos!  I feel blessed to have them next door!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had!  This year was supposed to be the "small" year, where many of my siblings and their families go to the "in-laws" houses.  So...Dan and I offered to host the remaining siblings as well as Dan's family.  Well, the gathering was a little larger than expected, and so our first Thanksgiving sat 24 people!  Dan's family tradition is to grill their turkey, and ours is to roast one, so we did both!  Luckily Carolyn was "on call" next door to help me with the turkey preparation...I had never made a turkey before.  Once we got 'em all thawed out, it was smooth sailing.  

We went to Mass at Assumption with Carolyn and the family, and Fr. Joe Kempf gave the most awesome homily.  He talked about how as parents, we always want to document our children's firsts...first word, first step, first haircut, etc.  Many of us put these "firsts" into a book of Firsts.  He went onto question..."What would we do if we had a book of "lasts"?"  How would we act toward one another if we knew this would be our last Thanksgiving with a loved one, or the last time your pre-teen did not feel embarrassed by snuggling with you...Or if you knew it would be the last time you would celebrate Mass?  How would we behave if we knew so many of the things we experienced would be our last?   This homily really hit home with me... I feel so blessed having my mom and dad still around, and even better, I get to see them almost everyday!  And even though my siblings may cause me stress (some more than others ;->), there is no place on earth I would rather be! Even though the meal preparation was a little hectic (with feeding 24 people), I really tried to stay calm and really, truly enjoy the moments of the day.

And it was such a good time.  We talked.  We played cards.  We drank wine.  We played Rockband and the Wii.  It was a wonderful blessing to have our families together.  And for that, I was truly Thankful!

Surrender

Wow...so it's been over a month since I've posted anything on this site.  I've been struggling with some health issues lately.  Due to recurrent sinus infections and a nagging cough, I asked my doctor for a chest xray.  The xray was abnormal, and so my doctor ordered a CT scan of my lungs.  The scan showed 2 enlarged lymph nodes, as well as a "mass", which she determined was most likely just my thymus.  Needless to say, I was freaking out.  She gave me several options of how I wanted to proceed, and I chose to have some bloodwork done, as well as to meet with a cardiothoracic specialist (which my doctor felt might be overboard right now, but was fully supportive of...)  The bloodwork was all negative (Praise God), and I met with the specialist.  As my doctor suspected, the specialist does not want to do anything right now.  He ordered another CT scan for 3 months from now.  He said that the risks involved in a biopsy outweigh the chance that this is anything to be concerned about.  Uggh!  So now I wait...  Everyone I talk to tells me to hand this over to the Lord...My response, "That's what I always tell OTHER people who are having difficulties!!"  It's not so easy when it's me!  

But, that is what I have decided to do... Surrender!  Surrender my worries, surrender the uncertainty, surrender the fear.  I am trying my best to submit to His will.  I know He loves me and wants the best for me!  He will never let me fall below His resting arms.  I will remain steady and peaceful (as best I can).  I feel the prayers of all those around me, and it is a truly wonderful feeling!

My ACTS retreat is this weekend.  Thirty women, including myself, have spent 13 weeks preparing for this retreat.  Our theme for the retreat is "Come, Share your Master's Joy!"  I pray that the women who attend this retreat will be touched by the Holy Spirit, and will share in His Joy!

Under the weather...

So I'm under the weather tonight, and getting ready for bed.  I had a really nice weekend at the B&B with my sister and our childhood friend.  We went to Sugar Creek winery and had a great time--the weather was gorgeous!  Today I had plans to attend a "Day of Renewal" at church, but since I was feeling so sick, I decided to come home--and it was a great day.  I got to spend the day just relaxing and watching TV and just being with my husband.  I am so incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful person in my life.  I am so thankful for my handsome husband, and I am just grateful that he and I share our life and our faith together as well.  We really are good partners and good friends.  And he takes great care of me when I'm sick!  

Bountiful Blessings...

What a weekend.  Friday night Dan and I had a "date-night" at the St. Louis Symphony.  The program was the Lord of the Rings Symphony!  It was incredible.  They had to extend the stage because of the number of instruments.  We ended the night with Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, which is an "institution" in the Saint Louis area.  

Saturday morning I had my mini-retreat for the ACTS team that  I am a part of.  It was amazing.  Again, I watched the Holy Spirit at work...  My small sharing group was awesome.  They were the two ladies that I needed to be placed with-- I just LOVE how the Spirit works like that.  I feel the team just growing closer and closer as the retreat approaches!

As I mentioned in the previous post, our lifelong girlfriends and their hubbies came over for drinks and RockBand/Wii night.  We had alot of fun.  Now that we're all married and most have children, we don't get to see each other nearly as much as when we were younger.  We had fun catching up.  Not everyone was ready to step up and try the RockBand instruments, but we still had fun.

Today, my brother Greg, the priest, came over and spent the afternoon with us.  He LOVED RockBand!!  That really surprised me--and he was a great singer!  He stayed for dinner too.  It was really a nice evening.  We don't get to see him as much as we used to, now that he is down in Washington, MO.  

I had a blessed weekend.  Now I've got to get ready for a new work week!

Good Times...

Well, it's been a week since my first post. I guess I've been a little busy lately.
My oldest brother, Phil, was in town from Alaska. On Sunday, we all went to
my brother Tim's house for a BBQ. Then, on Tuesday, Phil treated Dan and I
to an amazing dinner at Dierdorf and Hart's. See, Phil was 15 when I was born,
so by the time I was old enough to have any memories, he was in college.
His kids gave him some trouble because at my rehearsal dinner, when I was going
around the room saying a little something about each of my brothers and sisters, I
didn't have a whole lot to say about him. His smart mouthed son Sam, (my Godson),
said, "Gee dad, she didn't say much about you. It's like she doesn't even know you."
So Phil wanted to spend some time getting to know Dan and I (especially since Dan had
only met him once before the wedding). I thought that was really awesome of Phil
to do that. The three of us had a great time!

So this weekend is going to be equally busy. Tonight I have my weekly ACTS retreat meeting.
I always look forward to Thursdays. It is just awesome to see 30 women, ages ranging from me at 31 all the way up to 75, come together to pray and prepare the for retreat. I feel so blessed to be a part of the team!

Then Friday night, Dan and I are going to the opening night of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. They are playing the Lord of the Rings Symphony!! How awesome is that?
We have such an awesome symphony here in St. Louis, but it is often shadowed by our sports teams (which aren't doing so well...so maybe more folks will start coming to the symphony).

Saturday, we have have our "Klogel" friends coming over for a game night. This is a group of ladies that my sisters and I have been friends with since grade school. They are sisters who are all our ages. We have been friends for more than 20 years! This time we're inviting the husbands too...we're all playing RockBand and the Wii...

I'm sure I'll have pictures!!

Gratitude

Wow...I did it!  I officially created a blog!

Since my sister over at "my special place" created a blog, 

I figured it was finally time for me. 

 

Tonight, I'm just feeling very thankful.  I'm grateful

that I get to go camping with my hubby and some of 

his work friends.  I'm grateful that I get to leave work

early to go camping!  I'm just feeling very blessed.

I am co-directing a retreat which is put on by 30 women

in the parish.  We meet for 13 weeks to plan and prepare for

the women who will attend the weekend retreat.  We are

only in our 5th week of meeting, but already, I can see the Holy Spirit

at work.  And I'm grateful for that too.

I'm especially grateful tonight for living next door to my sister,

her hubby, and 3 awesome children.  I miss them, though, because

I haven't seen them much lately (even though we're next door).

But last night, for example, I had to run over to their house, 

and I got swamped by my two

little nieces (which I'm sure I will post about often).  I was only

over there for 15 minutes, but it's good to see them for even

that short of time.  

I'm grateful, on this 7th anniversary of the terrorist attacks,

that we live in the USA, and that there are men and 

women who serve everyday to protect and defend this great 

nation of ours.  And even though I'm sick to death of all of the

politics, (which I'm sure I'll blog about at some point), I am 

grateful to live in a nation where we are free to have and express

opposing opinions.

So that's what I wanted to start my blogging with....just

a grateful heart.