Whatcha been doing?

Me? What have I been doing? Nothing exciting enough to write about, that's for sure!

We've had one family Christmas get-together, the one with my BIL's family last weekend. It was a great weekend. I took a vacation day Friday and we headed down in the late morning. We hung out with our SIL until my BIL got out of work and then we went out to dinner where my SIL offered to be a surrogate for us. I know. Screech! Stop the record. Yes, she sincerely offered to surrogate for us. And, she offered her eggs if mine aren't viable. Do you know how hard it was for me to tell her we can't do it? Do you know how tempting it was to say yes, forget what the Catholic Church believes? Of course I said no and it was one of the hardest noes ever. And they think it is ridiculous, the reasons why I had to say no. They attend a reformed church, which is fine, but they cannot believe that I am saying no to life. I could not make them understand the church's teachings on assisted reproduction. I probably never will be able to. I believe my call is to bring light to children who have had a dark childhood, not to bring another baby into the world.

Saturday my MIL and SIL and I attended the Prin.cess Dia.na exhibit at the art museum downtown. It was a very nice exhibit and her dresses are stunning but it was a very sad thing all the same. Such a bright life she was and she did so much good with her work but we all saw how easy it was for her to fall into sin. I left with a terrible headache and all I wanted to do after was lay down, which I did.

Saturday night after the kids went to bed the 6 of us adults sat around with the TV off and just talked and laughed. It was a very enjoyable evening.

Sunday we went to church with them and I do enjoy their services. Their worship music is amazing and I was brought to tears several times while rejoicing musically in the birth of Christ. The sermon was wonderful and hopeful while reinforcing our new birth when being a follower of Christ. After the service they had the children's Christmas program. My nieces did a wonderful job! G, age 5, sang her heart out and we could hear every word from her mouth. E, age 3, did a wonderful job with all the motions that went along with the songs and although she did not remember all the words she sang along as much as she could. Little L, age 1, was having his own party in the nursery and missed the whole show.

We headed home mid-afternoon and then chilled at home the rest of the day. We worked all week and E is working the whole weekend. We're doing Christmas with my family Christmas Day in the evening after E gets out of work. That's about it!

It'll be a quiet weekend, that's for sure, but this quiet time allows me to reflect. Reflect on where we have been, where we are now and where we'll be soon. I am amazed at all that God has given me, both material and immaterial. I am amazed to think and dream about all that is to come. The birth of Christ gives us hope and that is something that all of us need so much of.

Merry Christmas to you all and I pray that God blesses you in the coming year in ways that you can not imagine!


***Thank you for your prayers for my friend K. She had 3 vertebrae removed from her neck and replaced with cadaver vertebrae. They also removed numerous bone spurs. Despite her surgery being very long and arduous she went home late the next day and is doing remarkably well. Please pray with me that she continues to heal and is 100% in no time.

****I'll reveal my prayer buddy sometime over the weekend. She has been truly blessed this Advent season but I cannot take any of the credit for it. The Lord was blessing her long before she became my prayer buddy! I cannot wait to see who prayed for me!