Good Tidings.

December 14, 2016
Day 95

For little jingle bells.

For songs sung by three year olds at a Christmas program.

For pretty dresses and handsome shirts.

For my mom who took my kids to the dentist today.

For Matt's mom who knitted Adelyn a Christmas scarf.

For hugs from my husband. I'm glad he loves me so much that he never goes a day without hugging or kissing me.

That my entire family takes up about three rows at Christmas programs. Our kids will always have the biggest group of fans in the audience.

For warm chocolate cake and the best icing ever. Patty makes the best cake.

For the way Higbee lays on the lazy boy.

For the cold.

For my warm home.

For the sound of a guitar.

For the way Tobin sings this line: "Good tidings are for Christmas!"

Thankful.

Bells Ringing. Toes Tapping. Merry Christmas!

December 13, 2016
Day 94

I'm reading Little House on the Prairie to Adelyn. Tonight, we read this: "Pa always laughed out loud and his laugh was like great bells ringing." As soon as I read that line, Adelyn interrupted me and remarked, "Just like you, Mama. When you laugh, it's like great bells ringing." Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote glowing descriptions of her father. She adored him. Even his laugh made her happy. I never thought that someone might think that way of me. But Adelyn does. And it makes me feel so full and warm and thankful. Adelyn has always been a light in my life. She always shines brightest when the days are dark.

Thankful. 


I was out for the second time tonight picking up something for Matt at the store. My hair was a mess. My sweatpants were full of dog hair. The aisle was empty except for me and another woman. She was looking at a display of frozen fish. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," was playing. As I walked past her, I noticed that she was tapping her toe to the beat of the song. And I'm not sure why, but seeing that woman peruse boxes of fish while she tapped her toe made me happy.

Thankful. 



Have you ever felt like you were on the verge of doing something amazing? Or discovering something you never knew before? And not just facts and information. I'm talking about a revelation. Have you ever felt like there was this bubbling up of something in your soul that you couldn't quite explain, but the thought of it...the feel of it, made you feel excited? Hopeful? The thrill of hope. That's the only way I can describe Christmas. When I'm very quiet, and I forget about all of the appointments and the things to do and the things that haven't been done, I feel about Christmas the way a person might feel about a new puppy. It's altogether perfect and exciting and new and wonderful. It doesn't come around that often, so when it does it's very special. And it's something to be marked with joyous celebrations. Merry. I think it's one of the loveliest words I've ever heard. And when it's paired with Christmas, it's absolutely perfect. I like the way it feels to say it and to write it. Merry Christmas!

Thankful. 

December Sunsets.

December 12, 2016
Day 93

For the way that Tobin always wants to walk with me when I take Higbee out.

For Tobin's sheepish smile whenever he asks me if he can have just one more Christmas cookie.

For the way that Adelyn looks in the mirror when she's brushing her hair in the morning.

For the way the house smells like bacon for long after bacon has been cooked in it.

For Higbee's sweet brown eyes.

For the blue of Adelyn's eyes.

For my husband. God knew I needed him.

For our sweet and cozy home.

For stacks of books in just about every room in our house.

For the way my kids pretend not to hear me when I go in to wake them up in the morning.

For warm blankets.

For the way certain parts of the floor creak when you walk it.

For the smell of our bedroom, and Tobin's bedroom, and Adelyn's bedroom, and our basement.

For the way Tobin gags when he has to take his vitamins.

For December sunsets. I'd rather watch a December sunset than a July sunset any day. The colors leave me awestruck.

For bare trees. I love the trees.

For big glasses full of ice and water.

For a day so full of all things good and lovely that I couldn't possibly list every good and lovely thing that happened in it.

Thankful. 

A lovely Sunday.

December 11, 2016
Day 92

     Thankful for the cold air. Thankful for a fun day and a lovely lunch with my family. Thankful for the silly way my dad dances to make everyone laugh. Thankful for time to talk with my mom and my sister. Thankful to be able to lay in bed next to my husband every night. Thankful for adventures with Patty, Matt, and the kids. It's always an adventure with them. Thankful for the way the kids get so excited over anything Christmas. Thankful for a great weekned. Thankful for time to sleep. Thankful for a lovely Sunday.

Tacos.

December 10, 2016
Day 91


For friends to go out to dinner with.

For tacos.

For strawberry margaritas.

For laughter.

For good conversation.

For cookie baking supplies sitting on my counter.

For the fact that Adelyn and Tobin played "cottage" for about 7 hours straight today. Adelyn was Ma. Her job was to bake the bread, work in the garden, and clean the house. Tobin was Pa, and he was the hunter. He was carrying around his big nerf gun, and he wore a kerchief around his neck. It makes me happy that my children love to play together.

For very cold weather. Very cold weather is good for two things: deep breaths of good cold, invigorating air, and feeling cozy and warm inside huddled up together.

For warm blankets.

For a quiet, peaceful, still home.

For sturdy walls around me and my family.

For Higbee who waits up for me when I am gone in the evenings.

Thankful. 

Santa Worm.

December 9, 2016
Day 90

For Stephanie.

For Stephanie's birthday.

For the smell of candles that have just been blown out.

For the way everyone looks while they sing, "Happy Birthday," in the warm glow of birthday cake candles.

For laughter.

For wine. It must be red.

For a new toy from Grandma for Higbee that Tobin has named, "Santa Worm."

For a very fine Friday night.

For time to lay in bed and watch Parks and Rec until all hours of the night.

For talk of Christmas shopping.

For a weekend so cold, that we all need to stay cozy and together inside baking cookies, watching movies, cuddling under blankets, and reading books.

For Christmas lights everywhere one looks.

For two days at home.

For guitar lessons. Mario is going to teach me how to play the guitar.

For music.


Thankful. 

Howl.

December 8, 2016
Day 89


A long, hot shower.

A clean kitchen.

I can use the water in my house again.

Dinner out with Matt and the kids.

The way my kids love to look at Christmas lights.

Hearing Higbee howl for the first time tonight.

Tobin falling asleep in the car after dinner and staying asleep for the night.

Tomorrow is Friday.

Christmas music on the radio.

Laughing hard with Adelyn over silly stuff.

Halo Top ice cream.

This knowledge: if I mess up during some point in my day, I get to go to sleep, wipe the slate clean, and start again new and fresh the next day.

My husband sleeping beside me.

Books.

Words.

Cold weather.

The bigs. (Casey and Adelyn)

The littles. (Tobin and Sophia)

Wee Bairn.

A beach house named Chocolate Sundae.

Friends at work.

Students who ask me, "Mrs. Sanderson, can I borrow this book? I don't want to wait until tomorrow to read it."

Vince Guaraldi's Christmas music.

One of the books I'm reading right now: Essays of E.B. White

A warm home. Warm clothes. Food to eat. Water to drink.

A glorious sunrise this morning. When I walked outside, everything was pink. It made me happy to be alive.

Breath in my lungs. Step in my feet.

Whispers of snow.

December.

The gift of Christmas.

The thrill of hope.


Thankful.