The great newsletter debate.

The Christmas cards I actually ordered before Thanksgiving arrived today. I admit I was kind of hoping I had exaggerated the not-so-greatness of the photo in my mind. I hadn't. There they were, my four children squinting through the sunshine with forced smiles on their overexposed faces. It's amazing how I can get such wonderful shots of my children individually but put them all together and it's hopeless. I think next year, I may just pick a great individual shot of each of them and do a type of collage. Or maybe actually splurge for a professional photo. Imagine that.

But this year, in an effort to fore go my quest for a perfect Christmas in exchange for a peaceful one, I am sending them as they are. And the picture isn't horrible exactly, it just fails to capture all their gorgeous personalities. Which I doubt anyone would appreciate quite as much as me anyway.

Which brings us to the next part of the Christmas Card process - the annual newsletter. Several years ago, I decided it would be fun to write a newsletter updating the world on what we had been up to that year. Yes, I actually thought it would be fun. I only had two children at the time, and I must have not settled into my roll as "The Family Scrooge" yet.

And I think it was fun the first year. But what no one tells you is once you have decided to enter the world of Christmas Newsletters, there is no returning to the simple days of stuffing a photo in an envelope. Unwittingly I had added one huge item - recap our entire year in a witty, non-boring letter that doesn't sound too much like the previous year, and keep it as short as possible so someone might actually read it - to my Holiday to do list.

And every time I suggest that I might not write a letter that year, a handful of people - most of whom live in this house - let out a loud protest. Oh, and my mother-in-law. She loves the letter. Bless her proud Gramma heart.

But I am finding it increasingly difficult to be witty or original or interesting. And I wonder if anyone - besides my mother-in-law, of course - even enjoys receiving them.

So I am asking you, my bloggy friends, do any of you write a newsletter? And if you receive them, do you like it? I understand by asking people who read/write blogs that I am asking a portion of the population that generally likes reading about other's lives, but I would still like to hear your thoughts.

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And today I am thankful for Brandon. I stay on his case more than any of my children because he is, well, a fifteen year old boy. But every night when I am making dinner, he helps me occupy the weekids. Most of the time, without complaint. And sometimes, like tonight, he volunteers to do things like give baths, or feed dinners. And I am grateful for him. For many reasons of course, but tonight particularly so, because he preserves my sanity.

Day 24

I had a longish post planned for this evening, but The Man and I decided to watch Amazing Grace. , which was inspirational and informative and I highly recommend it. But now it's late and I am tired so just another quick list from me: Today I am thankful for:

• Dictionary.com - which is also Thesaurus.com, and Reference.com. I am such a word nerd and I just love this site. I am there everyday: To make sure I am using a word correctly, to find another word, to check out the word of the day, or to discover the meaning of something I have read on one of your blogs. I think this really solidifies my dork status, you know, in case there was some debate.
• Sunday Afternoon Naps
• Watching Ben & Clara run (crawl? knee-walk?) after each other laughing and screeching with glee. It's a dream come true for me to see my children so completely enjoying each other's company, even for a few moments.
• DVR-Really isn't this just the greatest invention? Before we had this I would rush through dinner and plop myself in front of the TV on the night of my favorite show, obnoxiously shushing any family member brave enough to speak to me - or each other - during the episode. Our new system is a vast improvement.
• A post it note I found on my fridge. Allie put it there before she went to bed. It says: Mommy, Daddy. I heart U. Allison. Sigh - The happy kind.
• A wonderful Thanksgiving weekend spent with my family, which has sadly come to an end. Sigh - The unhappy kind.

Ya know, this thankful thing gets easier the more you do it. I guess that was the point, wasn't it?

I just can't help myself.

So I have been running around the Blogosphere entering contests. Because I recently won a couple things on some blog contests and now I have the contest bug. And because we are broke as a joke this year and I am trying to pad our under-the-tree-offerings for Christmas morning. Even though I recently wrote a ranty post about how that's not really what Christmas is about. I know, I know, I should just walk around with the word "Hypocrite" stamped on my forehead.

Anyway, the one contest I would love to win most of all, is this one for the old fashioned pedal car for Ben and Clara. And while I know, that if I did miraculously win, I would choose this gender neutral work of art, I just can't help but think that this

picture of retro pink perfection is the cutest thing I have ever seen. I mean really, can't you just picture the adorableness of little Clara tooling around in it? Couldn't you just eat it with a spoon?

So go enter the contest already, and if you win instead of me, I promise I won't hate you. Well not forever.
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Oh, and I'll be back in a bit to do my thankful post on the things I ALREADY HAVE in my life. Cause I am. I swear. Even if they aren't pink. And convertable.

Day 23

Today I am thankful for:

• My messy neglected home. I am ashamed of all the times I have complained about it.
• My children, all four of them. Because the break me out of my solemn, grumpy shell and make me laugh-out-loud every day. And sing. And dance. And play games. And tell stories. And hug. Even when I don't feel like it. And it's a balm for my soul.
• Baby Nathaniel, who was Christened today. And for his family, whom I love.
• Footy pajamas.
• "You've Got Mail" Allison and I watched it tonight and I forgot how much I love that movie.
• Pumpkin Pie
• These moments of near complete silence, and solitude, and peace.
• This verse: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Phillipians 1:6. Because lately I feel very unfinished.

Ooomph!

I walked out the door to the garage this afternoon to run an errand. I found Brandon in the driveway playing basketball with Eric; a likable kid from our neighborhood he's been hanging out with for years. I gave a friendly greeting and went to get in the van. As I was pulling out I saw Eric hopping in a red jeep that was blocking me in. I hadn't been able to see it from the garage.

"Sorry" he yelled as he backed out of my way.

I stopped. Frozen in something like shock. It took me a moment to continue my commute out into the street.

That's his jeep. He drove here. My son's friend. He drove his own car to our house, and now he's moving it out of my way, all nonchalant like its NO BIG DEAL.

Phrases like, "Eric, will you move your car?" are going to become part of my everyday vernacular.

It's amazing how I could know something was coming. This new phase. The next step. I even knew that it had arrived; The Man and I had talked about it. Yet somehow, actually seeing it still knocked the wind out of me, like a punch in the gut.

My son's friends are driving.

I think I need a drink. No better yet, I think I need to pray. A lot. For like the next five years straight.

I am so not ready for this.

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What I am grateful for: A lazy day. A clean kitchen. Taking my daughter and my niece to a charmingly gooey girly movie and loving it. All of us.

Happy Thanksgiving

I read a post by Painted Maypole today that moved me on what it really means to be Thankful. So for my Thanksgiving Post, I am going to send you her way.

My gratitude today is for my family. And I will show them being with them this weekend, completely, and patiently and without distraction. Thanks for the lesson, PM.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

Rain

Here in Georgia, the weather has been perfection for the last month. Glorious fall days with temperatures in the 60s and low 7os. Gentle breezes sending leaves spinning from the trees in showers of red and gold and green. On days like this it feels almost criminal to stay inside. And so we have ventured out more this past month than all year. Visiting parks and taking walks. Throwing ourselves into crunchy piles of leaves and lying flat our our backs to look up the contrast of the blue sky through the red leaves. Playing soccer and basketball and football in crispy brown grass. Thinking how heavenly it would be, if it could last forever.

And yet, therein lies the irony. It has lasted for months, and we have paid a significant price in return. In Georgia we are in the midst of the worst drought in our history. All outdoor watering is banned. We cannot wash our cars or preserve the life of our trees. Showers have been shortened as we watch in unfamiliar fear, as our drinking supply ebbs dangerously close to nothing. What will happen if it's exhausted? I don't think anyone really knows.

It paints a picture for me, of how imperative balance is in life. I cannot count how often I have heard people pray for the absence of rain: to prevent flooding, to enjoy a lovely day planned outdoors, to ease travelling, even to win or lose a sporting event. And yet, all throughout Georgia, people are now praying for the skies to open up. For day after day of earth soaking rains. Because we cannot live without it. Because balance is a requirement for life to continue.

It's representative I think, of our own need for duality. As much as we hate to admit it, isn't our joy incumbent on a certain amount of pain or sadness for it's existence? Without this dichotomy wouldn't we also become dull and parched and fade from life? Is it possible that we should thank God for our disappointments simply because of their power to define our delights?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It's supposed to rain. In fact, the forecast for this week calls for rain five out of the next seven days. We won't be venturing outside to revel in the sunshine. Our leaves will become a sodden, brown mess. We will cover our heads, and pies, and children and run for doorways. And yet, we will not complain. We will be thankful for the rain in a way we have not been before. Because we have new perspective, and sunshine, without rain, it's simply incomplete.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Eccl. 3:1

I am taking the day off tomorrow. Not from gratitude, but from blogging. To focus on family and food and our loving Father whom I am grateful for most of all. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. This blog brings me much joy and I count you high in my blessings.