Christmas Wrap.

A few weeks ago, when our priest asked for volunteers to carry the bowl of flaming incense down the aisle and up to the altar for the Children's Christmas Eve mass, he had many refusals. One notable rejection from Emily at the thought she may have to put on a dress. Then a volunteer spoke up, "I'll do it." It was Wyatt. Before I could have a say in the matter, [the overprotective Mother in me thinking he was a bit small for such a big job] Wyatt was receiving instruction on how to step and dance the bowl down the aisle, a feat he would perform twice during the mass. Along with his duty as incense bowl carrier, he was also a Shepherd in the recreation of the holy family at Jesus' birth.

Fast forward to Christmas eve. My handsome son, the Shepherd. My lovely daughter, the Angel. Proud Mama moment. Until the bowl of incense came into the picture again. I was grinding my teeth hard, thinking the worst. He made it through the first trip down the aisle just fine, not exactly as precise as he had been instructed but he got through it OK. As we sat through the mass he became sleepy and I almost had to push him off of me to send him up for his Shepherd duty, Sarah of course, was fully awake and performed her angel duties just right. My sleepy boy was a bit of a lazy Shepherd, reclining on the step, lids looking heavy throughout the portrayal.

Then came the second performance down the aisle with the incense. He did much better this time, much more in step with his partner, dancing away, swirling the wooden bowl into peoples faces as he came up the aisle toward the altar. What I hadn't noticed was the way his Shepherd costume had dropped lower below the rope that held it in place at the waist.

As soon as he stepped up toward the altar, he went down, bowl of sand and incense flying up, full face plant at the feet of our priest who, in the calmest manner you can imagine, picked up my son, scooped the sand and the burning incense back into the bowl with his hands, and gently pulled the Shepherd robe up and over that rope once again so that it did not drag the ground. He handed the bowl back to Wyatt who, like nothing had happened, finished his task of taking the bowl around the altar and back down the steps. You can see what wasn't cleaned up behind Wyatt on the carpet in the photo of him alone.

Looking back, it was so predictable. Long robe, new shoes, burning incense, drowsy boy, step up. Yes, I have it on video and it is sad and kind of funny at the same time. If you come to my house, I will show it to you but I am not putting it on the internet! It ranks up there with the most memorable Christmas eve masses. Like the one when Emily was the Angel and she fell asleep [cute video]. Or three years ago when Emily portrayed Mary in the recreation of the holy family, and halfway through mass, Sarah, then four years old, pulled the fire alarm. Sweet, happy memories.

Christmas week was a nice mixture of peaceful, restful, fun and crazy. We went ice skating the Monday before Christmas and I discovered that I could still skate!

Tony is back to work this week and we are looking forward to tonight, saying goodbye to 2008, welcoming 2009, and celebrating Tony's 40th birthday with family and friends on Friday.

Farewell 2008 [stop pushing me], thank you for the goodness and the sweetness and the love. So long and cheers!

Party With a Twist.

Wow, I can't believe it's all history already. We had a wonderful Christmas week full of excitement and rest that flowed in an alternating pattern. Tony had all of last week off and we started the week with his Christmas party.

Tony pretty much puts this one together each year, picks the place, the food, plans for most of the other details too. Ravi, a well respected employee who left the company in the middle of the year to work at his own business was invited. Ravi and his wife Jasmine are also dear friends of ours, so when he asked Tony if he could surprise everyone with an entertainer it didn't take much for Tony to agree to it, even after he found out the entertainment was belly dancing. Tony's co-workers represent a broad spectrum of humanity, including Portuguese from Portugal and Angola, Mexican, Indian, African and of course plenty of people just like me, whatever that's called, American I guess (although I have a grand complicated ancestral mixture of European, and American Indian).

That reminds me of a story that my Dad tells about his Uncle Buddy and Uncle George who would tell him as a young boy, "Tommy, you have ancestors and garments covering your body and you're going to die!" My Dad says he would look down at his skin and freak out!

OK, back to my story. In my minds eye, I was expecting a culturally enriching event perhaps with a Christmas twist on the belly dancing theme. Tony and I were the only other couple that knew that the entertainment was to arrive and perform during dinner, something along the lines of a violinist moving from table to table. Having general expectations of what the dancers would be like, I joked with Ravi, Jasmine, and Tony, "what if they are really really old?" We all laughed about that.

Well, guess what? They weren't very young at all and I won't be so disrespectful as to describe the carnage in detail, but I will tell you that they kept ALL their clothes on. Moral of the story: Never hire belly dancers over the internet, always request a meeting with the actual dancers prior to the event. I have no idea how much Ravi paid them but I'm pretty sure it was too much.

Then, the best part of the evening for me. My husband got the best laugh of his entire career as party host when he held the microphone later in the evening after the belly dancing ladies had been long gone. And I quote: "I just want to say a big thank you to my Mother and Grandmother for generously providing the entertainment for the evening."

I love Jasmine, I wish you could have seen her face.

The Shortest Day.

Time is free, but it's priceless.
You can't own it, but you can use it.
You can't keep it, but you can spend it.
Once you have lost it, you can never get it back.
~Harvey MacKay

I was getting emotional yesterday watching all the families in their movements at mass and throughout the rainy day yesterday. This is what stays with me:

The 30 something man with his hand around his fragile grandmothers waist. The care and the love expressed in his touch, the care I felt him taking for her was not possible to measure.

The Mommy taking communion with her little one holding her leg tightly and the littler one snuggled in her arms.

The Grandmother holding her Grandson in her arms for most of the hour, keeping him close and safe as his mother watched approvingly.

The volunteer Mom coordinating the Christmas eve mass for the children saying to Wyatt, "would you like to be a Shepherd or an Angel?"

The Priest showing Wyatt how to "dance" the bowl of incense down the main aisle. Step, step, step, step, bowlie, bowlie, bowlie, bowlie.

As told to me by Tony after the mass:
Tony took Wyatt to the restroom before communion and a woman asked him to help with her husband. This man has Parkinson's and Tony helped him out of the restroom and to his car. The woman shared with him that it was, in fact, their 51st wedding anniversary and her husband had insisted that they attend mass this morning.

Watching Tomasa [Tony's Mother] in her sweet happiness as she celebrated her birthday surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

And most of all, feeling God's love and presence in all these family moments and movements.

Some days, I am so focused on the task at hand or just getting through the current moment to hurry on with the next one. Yesterday I was able to not only witness but to take time to reflect on the beauty of the simple moments of family unity. I think of it as a gift of clarity and am grateful for moments like that that keep me with the correct perspective, and remind me that true love is measured not in what is said, but what is done.

Santa Rejected!

Only my three elder children sat with him. But, he gave her a candy cane anyway.

This is unprecedented, usually Tony and I will get into the Santa photo if necessary to assure that all the kids are represented with the big guy. Somehow, we let Eva get away with it yesterday at our annual trip to the mall. And to add to my woe, she was wearing her favorite sparkly dress that once belonged to cousin Sydney. Here is the complete series of Santa pics in case you missed them last year.

Ho ho, ho well. Next year Santa, don't take it personally!

Let Them All Be Goofy.

How do I get a Christmas card photo from my crew? First I let them be silly!


You don't really think I would show you the serious one do you? It's not nearly as much fun to look at anyway! I know, I am way behind here with the photo taking for the Christmas cards and the posing in front of the Christmas tree is very un-original, I know, I know. Isn't it better than nothing? Don't say no! I should have done something original and inspired weeks ago. I almost let myself talk myself into not doing cards this year. That was the lazy side of my brain trying to take over. I am getting to it! I won't let that lazy side win, though I am tempted by warm fires and cozy blankets on this drizzly day. I love the rain.

And, oh sweet anticipation, tonight is the Survivor finale and I do love that dumb show! This season, I have been a devoted and loyal fan, keeping up every week on the TV or the internet. It's a good season, I haven't been this interested in a lotta seasons and I have been in it since the beginning. It was late in the summer of 2000. I remember the evening so well, at the time it seemed like something so different. I was still an out of the house working girl and all the ladies at the office were hooked too. It was a fun time around the proverbial water cooler. And right there with me, all along, my best Survivor cohort Nena! And guess what? She is coming over to watch the finale with me! I am just a silly woman tonight. Giddy you might say, and, I haven't even had anything to drink!

Ha!

I am blessed. Because I want to be. It's a choice really. I know this.

This has been a magnificent December. Nothing special really. Just regular stuff, but for some reason, I feel it more, the specialness. I am so into it. I am happy.

More to mention, but it will wait. A lot of funny [to me] things happening here. I laugh out loud more than any time I can remember. It's the kids, and Tony too. I can't go half a minute without something silly being said, or done. Life is good.

Oh what a dizzy, unsubstantive post I have created here!

Yesterday, 12/09/08.

I drove through the fog and dropped off seven kids at school.

I spent three hours with my sister in law Maria.

I ate Nena's cheesy rice for lunch.

I can't remember much about the afternoon, I must have spent too much time on the computer.

I made a lentil soup for dinner. Tony has been requesting this recipe for weeks and thought I would surprise him. When it was almost ready he called to say, "go ahead and eat without me, I've already had dinner at the plant."

:(

I tried to pull myself out of a stinky mood but didn't have much luck with that.

I received a phone call from my cousin Brian, stinky mood became less stinky.

:)

Wyatt through a major tantrum over a book. Stinky mood returned.

:(

Tomorrow [today] not stinky, starting off quite well.

Fifteen days until Christmas.

:)

Yesterday, 12/08/08.

I drove through the fog and dropped off six kids at school, retaining only one [child] for myself.

I talked to my Mom on the phone after four days of phone tag.

Sleeping Beauty played with the nativity set.

I ironed fifteen shirts.

I paid $1.45 at Costco for a gallon or twenty of gas.

I took my Girl Scouts caroling with their troops at a nearby retirement home and didn't get any good pictures to share. You know, blurry, dim light.

I had to ask Sarah to stop tattooing drawing pretty pictures on Eva's skin.

I boiled two crabs.

We watched A Charlie Brown Christmas. That Linus is a smart little dude.

Sixteen days until Christmas.

Dashing Through My Hopes.

The annual Santa photo did not happen on this day.

Snap Crackle Pop!

And just like that it's December. Holy Saint Nick I can hardly believe it! Thanksgiving day was very low key, we had an easy morning at home and spent the afternoon with Tony's family.

This photo is from Saturday, here are all of the not fully grown grandchildren in Tony's family. There are five full grown ones that were present but somehow didn't get into the picture. There are two more in Mexico so I guess that makes 19 grandchildren in this family and happily, there is one more on the way for an even 20, heartfelt congratulations Rafi and Miriam who are now expecting baby #4! The occasion that day was the 25th wedding anniversary of Tony's oldest sister. Felicidades to Lupe and Vidal for the big two-five and while I'm at it, on the same happy day, congrats to Mari and Victor for a rousing 14 years together!

We broke out the Christmas boxes Friday morning and from one day to the next we were pumpkin free and done decorated for December. Tony put up the lights on the house and we are now fully festive. Phewww. It feels good. It feels right. It sure feels like December. Notice Eva is still in love with her Snow White dress. She continues to wear it daily. Usually more than once a day. She cracks me up, that one. I'm all cracked, inside and out!
This month fills up so fast too. Already the calendar is loaded with events like recitals, caroling, parades, celebrations and parties of various sorts. I'm ready to bake cookies and make Christmas-ey stuff. I keep the Christmas DVD's put away all year because I want the magic to restore itself once a year that way. I took them out last week and the kids were giddy. We have The Grinch, Frosty, and all the Rankin and Bass classics that I loved and anticipated so much as a kid. My favorite is The Year Without a Santa Claus, it's the one with the Heat Miser and the Cold Miser. We planned our whole weeks around when it was going to be on TV. I think Renee and I would play misers and sing those great songs for weeks after it aired when we were little. That DVD also has Nestor the Long Eared Christmas Donkey and that one is especially sweet.
OK, so glad I squeaked out a post today. I'm off now to pick up Wyatt from school and do other random things that need to be done today. Ciao!

Love This.