All the stress is done. As in childbirth, the pain goes away and you wonder why you worried.
The 4 of us went out last night after I got home from work, ending up at Outback over at Sandbridge. Randy and Lynne showed up at the same place! Of course we couldn't sit together, the place was packed, but they came over and visited some before our food came.
Since Lindsey didn't feel well and I was so tired and hurting from working at church, we delayed opening our presents until this morning. This is the first year I didn't have stockings for the girls. I could only find 1; I'd thought that maybe Melissa had taken one to school with her, buat she said no, she didn't have it. I guess it's still packed somewhere, along with all the name tags for packages. I used magic marker and initials this year.
Danny gave me a beautiful diamond bracelet. Mom loved her new diamond ring that Daddy picked out for her. She even went over and sat on his lap! The girls loved their presents from everyone, except for the little Chef that we'd gotten for Lindsey's kitchen. I knew she wouldn't want it, but it was fun to see her expression. And we didn't have to tell her we thought it looked like TJ...she noticed right away!
Melissa gave me my last present out in the building while we waited everyone's arrival. She played the keyboard for me, sharing her recital pieces. I cried, it was like a dream come true. She did very well and her long slender fingers slid quickly over the keys. All of it from memory I might add. I was so pleased and proud!
We went over Mom's about 10:30 (us being the late ones) to open presents. Then everyone came over here about 12:00 for lunch. By 2:30 it was over. The girls were going to try to get to their dad's by 2, but moved it to 3 when we found we were running late opening the presents.
Now we're all full. Mom & Dad went to take a nap, Dan is probably sleep, the girls are at their dad's house.
I'm doing a backup of my document files to a new web folder on my server, which is taking forever to upload. I really need to eliminate some of those old photos and put them on disk and get them off my computer once and for all. The other day we had a brown out, one tiny second where we saw the stove light blink. My computer was on at the time and I couldn't start it. Dan came out and hit a reset switch in the back. But it made me think I should back up online now.
I guess with the New Year comes the need to regroup, reorganize, and find a sense of renewed enthusiasm for the mundane parts of our lives that somehow lose their gusto. You increasingly say "whatever" and move on, never quite finishing up the way you'd planned. I have to start with a new attitude towards my exercise. I'm supposed to get some Tai Chi in my life according to Dr. Barr. I really want to do the exercise machines, but fixing this attitude may prove to be exactly what the doctor ordered. Right now I'm bummed because the thought of Tai Chi does absolutely nothing for me. I'm disappointed. But I keep reminding myself that if God has a plan for everything then not getting exercise the way I want it could eventually prove a good thing and one that is in God's plan. We'll see how this one pans out. A leap of faith is definitely needed to tackle this one.
Here's hoping your 2008 is great and all your plans are part of God's plans.
