winning

Christmas was wonderful this year.  My mom brought my three nieces down to celebrate, and while I did have a bit of angst that I would melt down from the pressure of trying to make things perfect, God had my back.
For starters, He gave me a message at Mass out of the mouth of our pastor, "Jesus was born into an imperfect world to save us.  He comes again this Christmas to an imperfect world."  Oh he said it more eloquently than that and acknowledged that there are so many people running themselves ragged trying to make everything perfect that they miss the whole point.  (me.)  So, hearing that the day before company showed up was permission to scale back.
Besides my sanity, our bank account could not withstand all the plans and activities I had planned to make this perfect holiday for my special visitors.  We did splurge on beef tenderloin for Christmas Day dinner.  That was a tasty treat.  We justified it by saying that it was cheaper than taking everybody out.

So, in case you were wondering how Santa did on #5's list:
Bunny slippers:  the elves don't make bunny slippers in her size, but Santa did bring some really nice slippers that worked.  They are soft and squishy and they look like ballerina flats.  Way fancier than the stuff they wear to WalMart.
Big Hello Kitty doll:  Santa knew she already had a fairly large HK doll, so he got her a ginormous Hello Kitty coloring pad... and twistable color pencils.  Nice!  He must have known she loves to color.
Big Pack of Gum x 2: ayep!  Gone already.
Toy Shark and a whale and a baby whale (bc she wants to take them into the bath):  Santa brought a whole set of plastic sharks, each one different... Mako shark, great white, etc.  They must have eaten the whale family, because there were no whales.
High Heels with "see through":  The big red-nosed elf must have thought himself very clever to have gotten just what she asked for, especially given the size of her feet (I'm not calling her Anastasia or Drusilla, just that Cinderella has some long pedes).  However, it seems as though when he got here to set out each child's gifts, he discovered that the pair of "Hiheals with see throo" those lame brain elves packed was really just two right footed shoes.  What the heck?!?!  Maybe this means that she will be a good dancer one day?  Nobody can say she has two left feet.
Thankfully, he left her a note that said he would see to it that his elves corrected the problem and would ship her the correct pair.  Which she has now received, whew!

No 4, who earlier this year told King and I that he no longer believed, decided that he does actually believe, because he knows his parents wouldn't get him Sesame Street bubble bath. Bam!

Ok, peace out, I've gotta go draw a bath for a certain 8 year old.

the list

Dear Santa,
After we recently spoke to you and agreed that since things were a bit squeezy, you'd bring each of our kids just one thing, we broke the news to our kids.  For some reason the spoiled rotten brats older kids moaned and rolled their eyes, but the same sweet girl who left the list above said, "That's ok if he only brings us one gift, because then he can bring the poor people more stuff."
So, just in case you wanted a few stocking stuffer ideas, I decided to share this list with you.  I know you probably are well-versed in the language of 'First Grade Phonetic', but I thought I'd make it easy on you, seeing how it's so close to The Big Day and all:
bunny slippers, big Hello Kitty doll, big pack of gum x 2, a toy shark, whale, and baby whale (ps she wants it to be able to go into the water), oh and last but not least, high heels with "see through."
Love,
mg

let's move on to the next fad

I am done.  So tired of:
chevron print
bubble necklaces
cowboy boots with dresses or Daisy Dukes
hands on hips "facebook pose"

And if a picture has all four, just go ahead and shoot me.

one beautiful girl + $7k + 2.5 yrs =

Before

First phase: Herbst install

During



After

What an incredible difference two and a half years makes~



move-in day

"You know you have made the right decision when there is peace in your heart."

Welp, we spent the day Saturday getting No. 1 all moved into her dorm room at college.

 

We set our alarms, woke up at the buttcrack of Dawn, then started our two-hour journey, bleary-eyed yet thankful for the warm cup of Starbucks.  When we drove up College Street, we were amazed at how organized the upperclassmen were as they handled the onslaught of over-packed cars loaded to the hilt with bags, baskets, boxes, nervous parents and anxious, overwhelmed freshmen. 

 

One especially cheery-faced girl met us at our car and directed us as to what to do.  In no time flat, we had her clothes hung up in the closet and had her bed in place and made up with its comfy foam topper and clean, new sheets, blankets, and pillows.

 

 

Is this great or what?!

 

We grabbed lunch at Chick-Fil-A, checked out the cafeteria, met the mailroom lady, figured out how to open her post office box, and then went to the gathering where we prayed with the school's president, heard encouragement from an upperclassman to "get involved," and learned the Fight Song.  We then went to Mass and were grateful to stop and worship God for the amazing blessings, too many to count, and then we dropped my sweet firstborn back off just in time to give her a big squeezy hug, a kiss, and a reassuring word:

"ohmygoshIloveyousooooomuchyou'regonnahavethebesttimeeverandI'msojealous!"

before she and her roommate headed off to join the others for a Class of 2017 photo. 

 

I read on Facebook about other mom friends who were also taking their sons or daughters to college and how many tears they shed.  Although I did get a little misty-eyed, I must admit that I have not (yet) bawled.  I have no qualms in stating the fact that the decision for her to go to this particular college was God-directed.  And, because I know how much fun college is, I am certain she will completely enjoy it.  I also am reassured by the fact that she chose to go through sorority rush so that she can meet new people.  The cherry on top is that her childhood priest is a few blocks away, the pastor of an incredible parish and gorgeous, cathedral-esque church.  A Latin Mass even! 

 

So, even though I bought extra stock in Kleenex, and warned everyone I am going to be a basket case, I have reserved the right to cry as much as I want, whenever I want, wherever I want.  But, so far so good.  Everything is right about it, much glory and praise to God!  And I am peaceful. 

surely there's a reason...?

What was God thinking?

college aged children & peri-menopause at the same time

Oy vey!

valid excuses

1. Second Day