Great Joy!

The last two days our Powell Family Advent activity had to be quick ones.  Jack had his youth orchestra concert on Monday, both boys were in the Strings in Schools concert last night, and we were putting the finishing touches on a couple of projects (bleck!) that the boys had due, so we didn't get to enjoy the fun until time for bed.  Monday night, we all crawled up in the big bed and enjoyed a story together and last night it was Chocolate Chip Peppermint Milkshakes from the ChickfilA! Yay and YUM!

This lovely picture book, written by Kate DiCamillo, one of my favorite children's book authors, is precious and was my choice for our family bedtime story on Monday night.

I'd shared it with my book club at our December meeting a couple of weeks ago and decided that my family would love it, too.  It's called Great Joy, and it's about a little girl, Frances, who is sad to watch the organ grinder and monkey on the corner stand in the cold day after day.  She wants to invite them to dinner, but her mom says no, so instead, as they rush past them on the way to church, she hollers an invitation to the Christmas pageant.  In the play at church, Frances is the angel that brings the news of Jesus' birth, but she can't seem to get her line out - she's SO SAD and worried for the organ grinder and monkey that she can't seem to say her words.  Then, suddenly, the old man walks through the back doors of the church, and Frances is so proud.  She raises her little hands and proclaims,

 "BEHOLD!  I bring you tidings of GREAT JOY!"

 And then the book says,

 "And, because the words felt SO RIGHT, Frances says them again,

Great Joy!"

That got me thinking.  Christmas certainly, CERTAINLY is a time of GREAT JOY.  There's family and music and good food and gatherings and presents and traditions and parties and holiday specials.  There is SO MUCH to be happy about during the holidays, but, not everyone experiences GREAT JOY during this time.  There are people I know who have lost loved ones in the last month, parents who are watching their children fight heart problems or cancer in intensive care units, folks who need help if Santa is to visit..... the list goes on and on.  Just as there is reason for GREAT JOY, there's reason NOT, too.

Life has seasons of GREAT JOY and life has seasons of great hardship.  So, I think in the times when things are going well, we must NOT take JOY for granted.  Don't miss it.  Has your JOY been ROBBED lately because of the busyness of the season or the traffic in town or the grumpy (and probably VERY TIRED) salesperson or cause the milkshake machine is broken and you have to drive across town to the other ChickfilA?  Yep.  Me, too.

Our JOY can be robbed of us....... IF WE LET IT.

There ARE times when joy eludes us, times of much sadness and difficulty..... moments when joy is just NOT an immediate option.

But for many of us, we really have nothing to be sad about.  We lose our joy because we CHOOSE to dwell on other things.

Things like.....It's only Tuesday, but Joe and I are already tired.  We just wave at each other in the kitchen in the morning as we both run around like nut cases getting stuff together for that day, text each other with the plans and needs for that evening, run here, deliver kids there, somebody needs popsicles for their Mercury presentation in Science and somebody else signed up for donuts for their Strings party.  Max needs to wear his bathing suit to school AGAIN (don't ask) and Jack's tux needs to be pressed.  Mary has stored her pizza crust in the ice bucket that houses her princess toys and Max thinks we've put Buddy's collar on "death mode" cause the red light is blinking and he won't stop worrying about it.  Both boys are irritated that they have to take tests before the holidays, Mary is opening the presents as fast as I can get them wrapped, and there is a "processing delay" with my Christmas cards.  

But, even in the midst of that.... I can find my way back to JOY if I want to..... For example:  My terrible, awful, no good, very bad vacuum won't clean up the granola bar crumbs that are ALL OVER my living room floor.  Why are there granola bar crumbs all over the living room floor?  Because Mary likes granola bars and ate one in the living room and made a mess.  Why is Mary eating in the living room?  Because she lives here and has made herself VERY comfortable.  Why does Mary live here?  Because this is her HOME.  Why is this her home?  Because the Lord MIGHTILY BLESSED us this summer when, through the miracle of adoption, we brought this precious child home and she became part of our family.  See?  I'm smiling now.  Started out with that darn vacuum and ended up with the joys of adding a daughter to our family.  You can almost ALWAYS trace things back to JOY.

So today, I'm choosing JOY.  GREAT JOY.  Because I have no reason not to......

I'm choosing to focus on THIS:

(Ready for the Strings concert!!)

And THIS......

(post concert, Day 4 Advent yumminess)

And THIS.....

(Slaw is one of her favorite foods.)

And THIS......

(Text from the Jackster about his EPIC epic that he'd worked so hard on!)

Hope you are enjoying this holiday season and that you find lots of JOY in your life!

"BEHOLD!  I bring you tidings of GREAT JOY!"

Music to my ears.....

When I was a Freshman at the University, I took a public speaking class - Public Speaking 101, I think.  One of the assignments was to choose ANY song ever written and to SPEAK it to the class.  No music, no singing... just SAY the words like a story.  Pretty nifty assignment for a public speaking class.  Pretty nifty assignment that I COMPLETELY FORGOT about until I got to class.  The teacher got up and asked who'd like to go first, and it dawned on me that I was supposed to have prepared a spoken song for that day.  I WAS A MESS.  Folks were getting up one by one and, in narrative style, speaking the words to Broadway lyrics, country music tunes, and current pop hits.  Finally, the professor looked at me and announced that it was my turn.  So, what did I do?  Start crying and confess that I hadn't prepared?  Nope.  I marched right up to the front of that class, turned around, and began telling the story (song) that was the only one that popped into my mind at the time.....

Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul with a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal.......

It is NOT EASY to speak a song without pausing at all the songy places, but I did it.  Everybody in there just laughed, nodded their heads, and said, "I never would have thought to choose that song, but it worked!"  I was SO relieved.

Why do I tell you this?  What in the WORLD does this have to do with ANYTHING?

Well, that day, for the first time, I really listened to the WORDS to a song.  When you take away the instruments and melodies and harmonies and have JUST the words, you get a whole new take on what the song says.  (And Frosty the Snowman is a CRAZY sad story, by the way..... poor ole fool KNEW he was melting......)

Anyway, since that day, I've paid more attention to the lyrics of songs.... just reading them like a story.
And the Christmas carols that we're all singing this time of year?  WHAT  A STORY THEY TELL.


Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.  The stars in the sky looked down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay close by me forever and love me, I pray.  Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for Heaven to live with thee there.

Oh, come, all ye faithful, joyful, and triumphant.  Oh, come, ye, oh come, ye, to Bethlehem.  Come and behold Him!  Born the King of angels.  Oh, come, let us adore Him!

O, Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.  Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.  Yet, in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light.  The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.  O, Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray.   Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.  No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him, still, the Dear Christ enters in.

Silent night, holy night....all is calm, all is bright.  Round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant, so tender and mild....sleep in heavenly peace.  Silent night, holy night.....Son of God, love's pure light.  Radiant beams from thy holy face.... with the dawn of redeeming grace.... Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!  Let Earth receive her King!  Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing!

Aren't they wonderful?   I so enjoy the music of the season!

So tonight, our Powell Family Advent today focused on music...... we had a little sing-a-long with Jack on the violin, Max on the cello, and Mary in her pajamas "organizing" the music stand.

We had a GRAND time.  

Today also took us outside to the FREEZING cold for a VERY QUICK photo shoot.  It seems that I have signed myself up for a yearly Christmas card exchange with some of my fellow adoptive Moms through Facebook.  I ADORE the idea of watching our little ones grow up through the years through Christmas cards..... then realized that I STINK at sending Christmas cards.  I CALMLY explained to my family that I didn't care HOW cold it was outside, we were GOING to get some nice pictures today after church and you BETTER act like you're enjoying it.

Turns out, it WAS pretty fun.  Here are a few of the shots I got.

 

For the rest of my life, I will cry when I see this picture.  I love, love, love these three humans.

This one might be my favorite.

 Mary kept looking back like, "Hey, y'all come on!"

 I did not EVEN tell the boys to do this, and I just about DROPPED MY CAMERA when I KNEW I  had captured the moment.  I think they love her.

 I have NO WORDS.  And that's saying something.....

 Beautiful boy.

 Max kept mumbling stuff to Jack and got him all tickled.  

This kid is fantastic.  Until he irritates the stew out of me.....

Wanna see some of the blooper pictures?  Cause they funny.

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

And a Happy New Year!

Making Time.

For YEARS, I've said that I would love to have a tiny little device in my purse that I could use to PAUSE TIME.  When I get behind or my to-do list runs amuck or it's 5:00 and I don't know what's for dinner or I have multiple places to be at once..... just hit PAUSE.  Then, while all of y'all are PAUSED, I can take my time getting caught up.  I'd just leisurely go about my business and take care of things, then hit UNPAUSE and resume normal life, all caught up.

Cause WHEW there's a lot of stuff to get done.  I mean, my agenda items aren't national security or life or death or anything, but there's so much that I would REALLY like to get done.  But then, maybe ALL that stuff isn't what is best......

Maybe what is best is taking time on these last TWELVE days before Christmas to do three things:
1.  Study Jesus with my family.  His birth, His ministry, and His love for us.
2.  Do something fun EVERY DAY with my family - just the five of us.
3.  Be still and hear what the Lord has to tell me during this holiday season.

Joe and I can fill the Powell time up with going and coming and running around here and there, or we can fill our time with #1-3. Will we choose correctly every day?  Doubt it.  But we're gonna try....

A couple of years ago, we prepared a set of twelve "Advent" meditations.... some "borrowed" some from our own little brains, and typed them out on cute Christmas paper and gave them out to some of our friends - Joe's deacon families, Sunday School class members, etc.  I was reading through them the other day and came across one that said EXACTLY what I've been thinking about for the last few days.  It said:

525,600

There are exactly 525,600 minutes in one year.  Doesn't it seem like there should be a lot more than that?  That's it..... that's all we get.

525,600.

How will you use those minutes this year?
This Christmas season?
This week?
Today?

Our lives are busy.  We have So.  Much.  To.  Do.  So, I think the only thing we CAN do is PAUSE.  Think for just a minute about what is most important to you.

Who has the Lord put in your life to care for?
What has He called you to do on this planet?
How can you best bring glory to Him?
What is the best use of your time, talent, and treasure?

Spend the next ONE minute praying that the Lord will help you focus on what is most important.  Pray that He will help you order your days to bring glory to Him.  Seek His will in your minutes.

Listen to Him.  What does He say?

You have the next 525, 599 minutes to be faithful to him this year.

525,600.


So, as we prepare and anticipate the birthday of our sweet Jesus, I'm going to try to use my minutes VERY wisely.

And, in keeping with #1 and #2 above, I'm working on a sorta "Twelve Days of Christmas" Advent - Powell Style.  Joe's in charge of the Scripture each day and I'm in charge of the fun!  Here was today's....

NOTE: There is probably some clever way to rotate this picture so it isn't sideways, but, alas, I have no clue how to do it.  So, just tilt your head or your computer sideways and carry on!

As I type this, the boys are digging through the kitchen drawer looking for a spatula to dish up the cookies we just made, The Polar Express is ready in the DVD, and Joe has fallen asleep putting Mary to bed.  So, it might just be three of us watching the movie, but the whole family was at the dinner table when we opened the envelope, so that counts.

NOTE #2:  While I was figuring out how to rotate that above picture (no success), Joe came back downstairs WITH Mary.  Apparently, she is rallying tonight.  As it turns out, I went back upstairs with her and Joe proceeded with the Polar Express fun with the boys.  She finally fell asleep and I joined them right when those two kids sing, "When Christmas Comes to Town" and cried like a baby.  That part gets me every time!!!

I love Christmas.  I love everything about it.  But most of all, I love sharing it and really, really CELEBRATING it with Joe, Jack, Max, and Mary.

Well, there's that.....

So.  Apparently I haven't blogged in a while.  I always wondered what in the WORLD I would do all day if I wasn't at school teaching.  Well, now I know...... but if you ask me, I'm not sure I'll be able to explain it.  I have no idea what we do all day. Does that make sense?  I know we do stuff, but I'm not sure what it is.  But we do stuff.  I doubt very much that you will find ANY of this interesting, but I fear if my mother (along with a few other friends.... you know who you are) continue to see nothing on this blog, my name will be MUD.   So.  Here you go.

These are in no particular order...... like the minutes of my days..... a bit random, but, to me, quite enjoyable......

1.  Mary's first NATIVITY!  I collect nativity scenes and keep them up year round..... and as I've thought about collections that I'd like to start for Mary and add to throughout the years, nativities are at the top of the list.  This week, Mary got the Little People Nativity and she loves it!  She can already identify the baby Jesus and sticks the angel up on the top of the stable.  We have spent much time already pointing out who is who..... and every time we get to Jesus' mother Mary..... our Mary points at herself and then points to her, like, hey, we have the same name!  And at this very moment, you'll find Mary, the mother of Jesus, having a conversation with the Little People Cinderella that came with her Disney Princess set - cause Mary turns her cups upside down and sets them all on top.  So, there's that.  Mary's first Nativity.

2.  These bowls went with us to China and provided MUCH fun for our girl.  Today, they just about did me in.  Cause today, Mary decided to use them for food - FRIED PORK SKINS, to be exact.  Every bowl had ONE fried pork skin in it.... and Mary would "deliver" the food to Jack and Max in the living room.  Trouble is, the bowls have HOLES in the bottom of them..... and pork skins are VERY DUSTY.  So, by the time I recognized what was going on, there were smashed pork skins ALL OVER the living room.  I'm pretty sure I gasped and then moaned cause Mary started pointing and grunting at all the piles of pork skin "dust" like, hey, do you see this?  Look what those silly pork skins did.  So, I went after my vacuum, which is THE SORRIEST VACUUM IN ALL THE WORLD.  Basically, it sucked up the pork skins up through the front, smashed them up REALLY good, and then spit the dust out the back -which will be GREAT for all the ANTS that keep coming into my house.  So there's that.... Bowls and pork skins and that darn vacuum.

 This is the worst vacuum in the history of the world.  

3.  Last week, Mary had some testing done by the sweet folks at the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind.  Our ENT suggested that we go ahead and start working on some speech/communication therapy, so, we sought out the experts in Early Intervention.  This week, AIDB came over and went through the test results with us.  You have to have a 25% delay to qualify for their services.... and our girl DID.  In ONE area:  expressive language.  Yep.  Girl takes it all in, has great gross and fine motor skills, and is on point socially and cognitively.... but her expressive language is at a 40% delay!  FORTY!  Her RECEPTIVE language puts her at the 31 month mark, but her EXPRESSIVE language is like that of a 7 month old.  See that gap?  That's why we sought some expert help!  So, we're going to see a speech expert a couple of times a month, but MOST of the work is done at home through the family.  The first line of defense?  Only give her what she's asking for it she attempts to say the word.  When she points to her juice cup on the table and then signs "cup".... don't give it to her.  Wait for her to at least attempt to say the word.  "Mary, what do you want?  Do you want your CUP?"  ** Mary nods profusely and frantically signs cup.**  "Mary, CUP.  Do you want your CUP?"  ** Mary begins to whine and grunt, points several times to the cup sitting RIGHT THERE, WOMAN and continues to sign "cup" over and over. ** "Your cup?  Is that what you want? Say CUP, Mary.  CUP."  ** Mary falls to the floor in protest and Max walks into the kitchen, hands her her cup, pats her on the head, and then passes on through. ** THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY.  So there's that..... speech therapy.

4.  During our recent Rotavirus epidemic, Mary and I stayed VERY close to home.  Thanks to Pinterest and some crafty friends on FB (thanks, Erin!), Mary had a new little game to play.  She loved dropping those little colored pompoms through that paper towel tube, then dumping the bowl out and starting all over.  Wasn't sure it would actually keep her busy, but it did!  She happily played as I washed dishes, and then I looked down, and she'd changed the game a bit - she'd started sorting the colors.  That girl.  With a little help from Mom, we had them ALL sorted in no time.  She's so clever.  So there's that.... Rotavirus survival games.

5.  I continue to KILL IT at the CVS.  I was a little late getting there this week, but tonight, I scored the following items for $2.31.  And they gave me back $6.00 in extra care bucks.  So there's that...... awesomeness at the CVS.

6.  Max and I have been spending quality time together each evening here in Powellville.  No, we aren't discussing the day's events.  No, we aren't reading a grand book together.  No, we aren't going on long walks.  We are watching DOWNTON ABBEY, baby!  We've already watched all three seasons once (back when we were in the WAITING of the adoption process, DA was a great distraction!), but now, we're gearing up for the January 5th premier of Season 4 and We.  Can't.  Wait.  It's our THANG!  And it's funny..... I now find myself speaking in a random British accent and saying things like, "I fear that Mary has an unclean diaper." and "Perhaps we'd all like to freshen up before luncheon." and "Why must they assign so many bloody projects just before the holidays?"  (said THAT one today!)  So there's that..... Downton Abbey with my Max.

7.  The Strings in Schools Christmas concert is quickly approaching and the Jackster has to have a TUXEDO since he's in the high school orchestra this year.  So, we got one.  And then, we needed to have it altered a bit.  Enter Jenny's Alterations (which is what is says when I google "alterations in Tuscaloosa", but there's no sign of or mention of "Jenny" at the place)..... Anyhoo.... this week, we returned to "Jenny's" to pick up the tux.  I must admit..... I am drawn to this place.  At Jenny's Alterations, they, of course, have a sewing shop.  They also sell videos for $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00 (titles like September Dawn and Boom - ever hear of those?)  AND, if you like, you can visit the tanning bed there, too.  Sewing, video, and tanning beds.  All surrounded by 78 buddah statues and a GIANT fish tank with ONE goldfish in it.   (Is that how you spell buddah?)  But those things are not what make me smile at Jenny's Alterations.  No.  It is the tiny Chinese man that does the alterations. When we took the tux in and he started pinning and marking, he looked at Jack and said, "Do not worry.  I know what I am doing." This past Wednesday, when Jack came out in his newly altered tux, that little man walked all around him and said, very proudly, "I do a VERY good job."  And then he walked away and said no more.  I like him.  So there's that..... Jenny's Alterations.

8.  I am going to be 40.  In 10 months, I am going to be 40.  So, I have made a decision.  For my 40th birthday, I am going to participate (I did NOT say RUN, I said PARTICIPATE) in the Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon.  I have ALWAYS wanted to do this and, in 2015, I AM.  So, because run I do not, I have started "training."  This gets quotation marks - "training".... cause I'm not sure that all the huffing and puffing and staggering that has occurred in this past week is actually considered "training."  But I trust in the RunDisney expert, Jeff Galloway.  He says I can do it, and I BELIEVE HIM.  So, every night after Joe gets home, off to the Quad I go.  If between the hours of 6-9 you pass by and see a lump laying on the sidewalk, please call for assistance, cause those stupid college kids will just walk right over ya and keep yacking on their cell phones.  So there's that..... marathon TRAINING.

9.  Each day, Mary and I are trying to get a little Christmas shopping done.  Mary is not a good shopper.   Oh, she's sweet - never fusses.  But she is an OCTOPUS in these places - ALL HANDS.  AT&T store - pulled down a HUGE banner displaying the new data plans.  Sorry about that.  Barnes and Noble - emptied the shelf in the mythology section while we were looking for something for Jack.  Sorry about that.  Belk - pulled about a dozen purses off the table and started walking around with them on her head.  Sorry about that.  Hobby Lobby - literally SPIT on a plastic Christmas tray and laughed while it streamed down Santa's face.  Sorry about that.  And there I am.... the maniac woman picking everything up and redirecting the little black-haired toddler.  I love her.  So there's that.... Christmas shopping with the Mary.

10.  What else?  Oh, there was Mission Day at church, so we got pictures made in front of the Chinese flag.  Mary has PRECIOUS new red glittery shoes which I have no pictures of, but which have SHED all over our church building.  Jack is working on an EPIC epic project and had every computer in the house tied up at once.  And I have about a go-zillion projects in my mind that I want to accomplish in the next 13 days.  Cause people - Christmas is in THIRTEEN days.  So there's that.

Well, there you have it.
Blog:  updated.

In the mountains. Some poop. A bad back. And a Christmas tree!

You see that title?  Well, that's what I get for getting behind on my blogging.  I'm trying very hard to use blogging as a substitute for scrapbooking..... a documentation of what we're doing so when I'm old and can't remember, I can look back and say, "Oh yes!  I was there!  I remember that!"  Well, so far, November has offered MUCH to be remembered.  Some I'll WANT to remember, some I WON'T.  But, document the memories, I shall.  The good AND the bad.

In the mountains:
A couple of times a year, Mudger and NightNight sponsor a fun trip to the mountains for the whole clan.  We all pile up in a lovely cabin in the woods and have a grand time.  Dollywood is officially decked out for Christmas, so it was so much fun to walk around and see the decorations and lights and hear the Christmas music in the bushes..... PERFECT.

The boys love, love, love every minute we spend together at the cabin.  They play pool, enjoy time with cousins Will and Josh, and ride the roller coasters at Dollywood over and over and over again.  The grown ups in the bunch enjoy rocking on the porch, listening to the boys laugh and talk, and just gazing at the view.  And little Mary fell in love with this family tradition, too.  We weren't sure how she would react to being in a new place or the stimulation of a place like Dollywood, but she did GREAT.  I'm pretty sure we'd still be going round and round on the Carousel if it were left up to her!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend. Thanks, Mudger and NN for a wonderful time!  The last place we'd been was CHINA and that was FAR from being a vacation, so we were ready to get the heck out of dodge.  Good fun, good food, good fellowship.......JUST what the Powells needed!

After a full morning of travel, Mary still had a smile on her face.  She's a GREAT traveler!  She found that bib at the farm the day before and wore it the whole trip.  It says, "I'm the Boss" and every grand kid has worn that thing..... I think those words are MOST true on this person.  She seems to have the lot of us wrapped around her little finger.

I love this person.  He didn't even complain when I told him to turn around and let me take his picture.  

My big and my little..... LOVE.

Hey boys, stand in front of that yellow tree and let me take your picture.  Some are fine with this.... some are not.  Whatever.  

Mary's FIRST RIDE EVER was the CARS at Dollywood.  She LOVES to "drive" and this was perfect for her!  HOWEVER.... do you see them WALKING off the ride instead of actually RIDING the ride?  Well.  It broke down.  Good thing she didn't know any better..... Joe just let her sit there in the STOPPED car for a LONG time and just drive and drive.... car wasn't moving, but she didn't care.... 

Here is what I got when I tried to get a picture of all three of my kids.  Classic.

It got cold.  We bundled up.  

Little kid.  Big tub.  Happy!

There was a lot of this...... (I think Joe's getting beat....)

And some of this......

Then some quality play time with Will and Josh.....

We spent A LOT of time eating..... Joe was delirious from all the food and fun.....

Joe introduced Mary to Howard and Vestal Goodman at the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame at Dollywood.  Special Daddy/Daughter moment..... (according to Joe....)

There was a HUGE train display with TONS of lights.  Apparently, I didn't take any pictures of that.  But I did take pictures of these two.....

While the boys rode the fast and wild roller coasters (over and over and over and over and over), Mary tried out things more her speed.  Her first carousel ride!  She wasn't too sure at first.....

But she LOVED it.  Joe and I took turns and she rode that thing over and over again.  And she had to have the SAME horse every time - the one beside the cat with the fish in its mouth.  Joe didn't catch on to this and put her on the wrong horse the last time around..... she was ticked.... that's why it was the last time around.  Joe couldn't figure out what in the world she was so mad about all of a sudden - I told him - wrong horse.  Honest mistake, dad.

I realize this has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with our trip to Dollywood - in fact, this is Disney World - but I HAD to include these pictures.  Joe emailed these to me later in the week.... Jack - the early years - on the carousel.

And Max a hundred years ago on the carousel.  So sweet.  

More driving fun.  This time, it was a giant duck.

While waiting to see Santa, Mary couldn't stop staring at all the trees and decorations.  

Then it was our turn to see SANTA!  Mrs. Claus was there, too!  Mary was not impressed.  Here, she is getting OUT OF THERE.

But then, Mrs. Claus, understanding that Mary's mother was desperate for a decent picture, took over and showed her that Mom and Dad were RIGHT THERE!  I PROMISE that Mary then turned and smiled at Santa and Mrs. Claus and actually got tickled at something they said to her.

Santa gave us a thumbs up that all was well..... only Mary had stopped smiling at the exact moment that I took this final picture.  But again, I PROMISE she wasn't miserable the entire visit.

But she MUCH preferred to look at Santa from the bench on the other side of the room!

Cabin porch photo op with the Mudger and the NightNight.

And, just before we left, both boys had to do THE HANDSHAKE with NightNight.  

Some poop:

Actually, not SOME.  A LOT OF POOP.  Mary, dear, someday when you are a teenager or grown up and you look back at this blog to relive your childhood, I'm sorry that you'll have to read about your poop.  But, it has been SO SUBSTANTIAL since you've been home that we simply can't avoid it.  Our pooping problems began with a pesky PARASITE that hitched a ride to America with Mary from the China.  She was diagnosed with cryptosomethingorother and was given a LONG round of antibiotics to fix it.  And it did.  Once we filled our EIGHTEENTH (yes) vial of poop for sampling, it was determined that the parasite was gone.  Thank goodness.  Our pooping troubles were over.

Until a couple of weeks ago.  I began to suspect we had some issues with lactose intolerance or something, so I mentioned it to our doctor at Mary's two year checkup.  I think I said something like, "Oh my GOSH I am having to change like seven hundred dirty diapers every day!! Please figure out what is wrong with this child's poop!! This is NOT normal!! This is like something out of a sci-fi film or something!"  (Both doctor and nurse were so very patient and didn't at all think I was being over dramatic.  Or at least they didn't mention it to me.) They called us a week or so later with the results - ROTAVIRUS.  Mary has ROTAVIRUS.  We had no idea.  We'd been so used to ALL THE POOP, that it was just another day in the life around here.  She showed no other symptoms.... no fever, ate and slept well, etc.  Just A LOT OF THE DIAPER SITUATIONS.  But, the silver lining.... my sweet, sweet faculty at school had just given us a DIAPERS and WIPES shower a couple of weeks ago at a "Meet Mary" gathering after school one day, so, thanks to them, we are STOCKED UP on supplies needed to conquer parasites AND rotavirus.  So there.

A bad back:
I'm blaming it on the fact that I have to bend over to change a zillion dirty diapers a day.  Mudger says it's because I rode that one crazy roller coaster at Dollywood.  Joe's blaming it on old age.  But MY BACK HURTS.  Every now and then, it flares up, and BOY OH BOY, it makes things difficult.  Mary very much enjoys being ALL OVER ME all day.  She wants me IN THE FLOOR so she can crawl on me or, if I MUST stand, she prefers that I hold her and continue on with whatever I'm doing..... vacuum?  You can hold me while you do it.  Cook?  Hold me while you stir.  Change out the laundry?  You can do that with one hand and hold me with the other.  I am THANKFUL for this attachment we've got going (that's why I took this year off in the first place!), but having a back issue does not go well with all of this.  So, this past weekend, Joe did all the holding and lifting and such and I tried to just sit still.  We did a little Christmas decorating, but I pretty much just gave out orders and took pictures.  Jack had his ASTA honor strings festival concert, but I just sat really still and enjoyed the music.  Other than that, I pretty much stayed still.  That, plus a crazy amount of Aleve (I heart Aleve) has me on the mend.

And a Christmas tree:
We usually put up our Christmas decorations on either the Alabama vs. LSU game day OR Veterans' Day..... but, since we were out of town on both of those days, we started the process this past Saturday.  We didn't get it all done, but we made a good start...... and I'm actually glad we're taking the decking of the halls slowly..... cause it's SO fun to watch Mary take it all in.  We put up the Disney tree in our dining room and she caught on VERY quickly to how it worked.  She can hang ornaments like a pro!  I made her a little pile of ornaments just for her:  the princesses, the castle, Minnie, Pooh.... and she would come over, choose the one she wanted to hang, then go to Joe or one of the boys, hold up those sweet arms, and have them pick her up so she could hang the ornament.  More than once, the boys would say, "It's my turn to help her!"......and they'd gently pick her up and show her where to hang the ornament.  It was precious.  I thought we'd have trouble with her wanting to constantly mess with the ornaments, but she has done so well.  Several times a day, she goes into the dining room and just looks at the tree.... she walks all around it and just babbles and points to stuff.  We'll see how she does this weekend when we put the family tree up in the living room.  I.  Can't.  Wait.  Cause last year, we had a Mary Jewel ornament, but no Mary Jewel.  This year, we are ALL here.  MERRY Christmas, indeed!

Joe only had to show her once how it worked.  Her first ornament to place on the Disney tree?  Minnie Mouse, of course!

Great technique - stretch that string so it fits on the branch.  

Hanging the castle.....

Max helping here.  If you're wondering, his shirt says, "Vote Bob Ross for President."  Cause that's how we roll.

The BIG castle ornament.  She stared at that thing for a LONG time before we finally convinced her to put it on the tree.  You just wait until March, baby girl..... you're gonna see a REALLY BIG castle!

More help from the Max.

And Jack helped with the REALLY high places.

Love that my boys still love helping with the trees!

They so crazy.

I think Max and Mary forgot to tell Jack that they were going to annoy Mom by NOT smiling.  

I'm not sure WHO gave in to her and opened the piano, but she's been on that thing every day since.  Jack's showing her how it works.  And if you've SEEN the long fingers on this child, you'll know that she is PERFECT for this instrument.  

I asked Mary the next day what she thought of the Disney Christmas tree.  This was her response.  I think she like.

So, November has already been full and busy.  Time is absolutely FLYING.  

My plan for the holiday season is to SLOW DOWN TIME so I can be sure to enjoy it.  I want to mentally record every laugh and sip of hot chocolate and twinkling light and night by the fire and Christmas carol sung.  I want to savor every tradition and be VERY intentional about how we spend the holiday season.  Stress and hustle and bustle?  NO.  My strategy for this involves envelopes and black and white movies and cookies and our neighbors.  There will be conversations about the nativity and a birthday party for Jesus.  And there will be a LOT of time spent together.  It's going to be a MERRY CHRISTMAS.