Christmas Snapshots

My next few posts will be different snapshots of my Christmas. Although this was not the first thing that happened (I'm jumping sequence), this was the thing that made me cry and will go down in the books as one of the most tender Christmas scenes I've witnessed.

Here's the back story.

My younger sister Hannah has been in Germany as an exchange student since the end of July. Since I live two states away from the rest of my family, I'm used to not seeing her. But it was particularly difficult to be home for Christmas without her there. I have two sisters, Abby & Christine, that are younger than Hannah and they are the ones who miss her presence at home on a daily basis.

Well, for Christmas Mom told Abby & Christine that they were getting a really big present. On Christmas day, after all of the presents had been distributed and we were opening them one-by-one, Abby & Christine got to a small, rectangular box. Mom said, "Okay girls, open this one up together, it is your big present." The two girls tore into the box and pulled out this.

Two Ziploc bags full of travel-sized accessories.

Christine asked, "Are we going on a trip?" Abby said, "Do we have bad hygiene?"

While they were trying to figure out their "big present," Mom wheeled in this behind them.

Perched on two new pieces of luggage, one for Abby & one for Christine.

The two of them were quiet for a moment while they registered what this gift meant. Then Abby put her hand over her mouth and said, tearily, "We get to see Hannah? I miss her so much!" No, "Whew whoo, a trip!" Or, "Yay, a week off of school!" Or even, "Yes! Our first time on a plane!" Instead, it was all about seeing the sister that they've been missing.

I was really glad that we were there to see that.

Funky Food

A couple summers ago my sister was working in the kitchen at a camp of sorts. Her job was to prepare food for university students who were studying the biology of Lake McConaughey. She ran across tons of food with 'tude. Here is a sampling of what she saw.

Oblong orange.

Conjoined strawberries.

Extra long curly fry. I know that the zoom makes it difficult to see just how long this sucker is, but trust me...it was long. (keep your "that's what she saids" to yourselves)

Pointy egg.

Green pepper lips.

To Christmas Letter or Not to Christmas Letter

My absolute favorite part of the holidays is reading Christmas letters. There's just something about seeing a year summed up in a page (Christmas letter etiquette), getting a new photo of the fam, and seeing how cleverly people try to wrap it up with an overall theme. My father-in-law is a pastor, so his house is a Christmas letter magnet. I read every Christmas letter, whether I know the people or not. I know, I know, cut me off....

Anyway, I've been itching to write a Christmas letter myself. I thought that the year after I got married would be a good time to get one going. That season came and went. So did the next few. Then I thought that the year my son was born would be a good time to get one going; lots of news & updates. But I was so busy with him, that it didn't get written that year either. Then I got pregnant with my daughter & life got crazy.

Now life has settled down a little bit and I am once again considering writing a Christmas letter. But, since I haven't taken a Christmas picture of the kids, or finished Christmas shopping, and the fact that Christmas is indeed only about a week away (factoring in mailing time, etc.), I think that this season may pass me by as well. Next year, though?

Double-Speak

Warning: provocative, non-empowering, women-are-sex-kittens photo ahead. Viewer discretion advised.


"Look, I think all women on some level just want to rage against the machine," she says. "There are too many movies out there that don't empower women, movies in which their only way of being happy is finding a man. And you know, that's not my favorite theme."

Yes, she looks good. But if she's concerned about empowering women...don't you think a business suit would have been a bit more appropriate?

Naked

I forgot my purse in Iowa over Thanksgiving. It's weird being without a purse--all of my necessities are out of my reach. Things like my driver's license, credit card, cell, and even my cinnamon gum (mmmm, cinnamon gum). Being without a cell phone has made me stop & reflect a bit about the phenomenon of having a phone with you at all times. Here's what I've noticed:

• A cell phone has totally eradicated the need to plan ahead. Go off in different spots at the mall? No worries, no pre-arranged rendezvous point, you're just a cell phone call away. Ring, ring. "Hey, where are you?" "Oh, I'm checking out these totally overpriced, genetically-mutated strawberries dipped in chocolate." "Ooooh, I'll be right there."
• Now that I have a cell, I do not have ANY phone numbers memorized. (Unfortunately, I haven't copied down any of the phone numbers and saved them on my computer either--see above bullet point.) I can't call my sister to coordinate buying Christmas gifts, can't call my husband to remind him to pick up the kids, can't call for Dominos.
  
• Without a phone, I am not available at a moment's notice. Once someone gets a cell, you expect them to answer or be available at all times of the day. They are, after all, carrying a phone around on their person. Remember when people used to have answering machines? (The old version of voice mail, young'uns) An answering machine at least gave you the illusion that the person you were trying to get in touch with was not home. With a cell, a person is expected to always be available. If they can't physically take your call, a text will do just fine.
• Because I carry a phone around, I have no need for a wrist watch. Unless my cell battery dies. Again, refer to the first bullet point.

Fortunately my cell hiatus was short-lived; my purse was sent through priority, next-day delivery mail.