Welcoming The Christmas Season

 I'm one of those people who do not believe in decorating for Christmas until Thanksgiving is over.  Black Friday is the day when all of the boxes come down from the attic and the decorating begins.  This year we have two trees: one in the living room and the other in the basement/rec room.  There's still a little more to do around the house but here are some of the decor.  

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our household and this year I'm pretty excited for the holiday.  

What do you want for Christmas this year?

Thankful

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

This year our Thanksgiving was just the 4 of us spent at home and I loved it!   Messy hair, no makeup, flour all over the countertop, piles of dirty dishes, Macy's parade, dog show, football and enough food to make us full.  

This year may have been filled with a ton of challenges but there is so many more things to be grateful for.  

13

 I am feeling so many different emotions.  Today the boy who made me a mother is 13 years old.   A TEENAGER!  I'm not sure I'm mentally ready to parent a teen but I'll take it one day at a time.  

The years go by so fast.  

13 years went by way too fast!

Matthew you are smart, talented, quiet, kind, and affectionate.  I have enjoyed watching you grow each day of your childhood and you'll always be my little boy.  

It's bittersweet!  I love experiencing each stage and look forward to what's to come but at the same time I wish I could snuggle that little baby in my arms again.  

Over the weekend he wanted to go to a car museum in Hershey.  We also took him to purchase a guitar, something he's been asking for in the last few months.

Today the kids spent the day doing school from home because the buildings are closed the next two weeks.  Then in the evening my sister-in-law joined us for pizza and cake.  

My husband is the baker of the family and nailed it again.   Matthew wanted a Fortnite cake and his dad delivered.

Now we're all sitting on the couch together watching Toy Story.   Hey, some things don't change.  

A Sunny Daze In A Stormy Haze

 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall.  God will help her at break of day.  Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on earth.  He makes wars cease to the ends of earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.  Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.  The Lord Almighty is with us." -- Psalm 46

After a dark night the sun rises creating light for the world.  My first name means Break of Day or Sunrise and I always said my parents gave me the wrong name because I am not a morning person.  However, I have been striving to be someone who brings light in the darkness.  To cheer people up when they are down.  To joke around when there doesn't seem to be a reason to laugh.  I spend 3.5 hours at work every day acting silly and cracking jokes because I love making the other food service workers laugh.  I also know this has been a very difficult and trying time for the teachers so as they bring the kids through the line I always make sure to smile under the face mask and make silly comments.  I also enjoy having as much fun with the kids.  One first grader said I'm her "favorite best friend lunch lady."  At home I act silly and make jokes with my kids, and my daughter usually shakes her head while calling me "weird."  

As I said to a few teachers last week, the world has been crazy lately and filled with a lot of sadness so that's why it's important to find things to laugh about.  There are moments when I stop and think about the things that are going on in the world.  I wake up, throw on the mask and try my best to keep my distance from others and wonder if everything is going to shut down again.  It's as if I wake up and relive the same day over and over since March like the movie Groundhog Day.  When is all of this going to end?  Am I ever going to wake up and find out that we can take off the masks and live as we once have?  Then there's all this craziness with the election and I try so hard to push back that feeling of fear over the future of this country.  Those are some of the things that could easily drive me crazy if I kept focused on it, so I don't keep focused on it.  Instead I realize that even in the worst of times there is always something to be grateful for.  My family, friends, good health and enough financial stability to get us by.  First and foremost, I have a God who loves me and cares for me and will look out for me no matter how bad things seem - when I keep my mind focused on Him every problem seems so small.  I don't know what I'd do without my faith in these times we are facing.  He is the light through the darkness!

I once had a blog named Sunny Daze In A Stormy Haze and it was a place where I could bring some light into the dark world, or at least a part of the world wide web.  So, that is why I've given this post that same name.  I want to be a light to others just as God has been a light for me.  Finding the positive in the midst of the negative.  Celebrating the sunshine after many dark hours.  I am going to be okay.  We are going to be okay.  This country is going to be okay.  This world is going to be okay.  Just as long as we keep being the light!  

And now I present you with my "Sunrise on the Beach" diamond art.  It took me a few weeks to complete this piece.  

    

Just Some Stuff

 "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord." -- Psalm 40:1-3

I could feel fear, sadness and anger towards the recent events of today but instead I'm putting all of that energy into believing that no matter what God is the one in control and He has a purpose for everything.  No matter what is going on around me life is still good.  I deactivated Twitter and Facebook.  Facebook has been an easy and fun way to keep connected with family and friends but it has also been a place for people to share their political views and it's usually not very nice.  I don't care to hear it.  My heart and mind can no longer take it.  It's time for me to focus on having a peace of mind and enjoying all that I am thankful for.  

Yesterday my parents celebrated 50 years of marriage.  In that half century they have been through so much, most of what would end most marriages.  They stuck together believing in 'for better or worse.'  I am grateful for them both!

The weather has been an unseasonably 70+ degrees here in Pennsylvania so it really does make it hard to believe winter is only a month away.  Christmas music has started playing on the radio, and as much as I'm looking forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus with a tree filled with presents, I refuse to decorate until I've eaten every bite of my Thanksgiving turkey.  I'm looking forward to Christmas, more than I usually am but my autumn decorations still linger around the house.  To me Thanksgiving is still autumn, still pumpkins and everything brown, yellow and orange.  

I've been spending a lot of my extra time playing around with my diamond art.  Have you ever heard of diamond art?  It's so relaxing and addicting.  I love it!  I really do need to get back into the works of my book.  I finished the first draft and have been dabbling with it here and there on the second draft but haven't put in as much time as I should.  It will get done no matter how long it takes.  The story is clear in my head.  I just have to figure out the right way to write it.  

And that's probably all I have to say right now.  Until next time ...