Thankful Holidays

To make a long holiday short, I am thankful for the safe journey we had to and from Indy for Christmas. We had sleet in Kentucky which turned in to snow flurries the closer we got to Salem. The ground was white the next morning. Not totally covered, but still white snow. It melted, but stuck in certain places such as a certain field out far from the road. It clung to downed lumber and trees which was really pretty & made me wish we could have stopped to take a photo, but we couldn't as it was on the main road into town.
 
Sunday the 20th, the church there had  a fellowship meal honoring the older folks like Don's parents. It was held at a member's house who has a big fellowship room built on to their house. They were deer hunters so we now have new ideas how to decorate our dream house. I have pics of ALL the many mounted deer heads complete w/ Santa hats.  Then we went caroling. This was a 1st for Rhett & myself. I am always doing a 1st when up here. We went to older folks who attended church but can no longer get out. We even went to a store where members of the church who were working that day. This couple was later baptized on Christmas Eve! Don bought a pair of shoes on sale for $10 while we were there! Caroling and shopping at the same time. Who knew? Then we went to the nursing home. I got pretty emotional there. I had to focus on the Christmas tree to keep from crying. Some of the people were able to sing along with us. Then we went to get pizza afterwards. I was thankful for this fun experience.
 
We went shopping for last minute gifts. I still had to shop for my folks too. Luckily we got good deals on everything. I got my friend Nancy a gingerbread that lights up for 69 cents! Sh! Don't tell her! LOL We bought only one roll of wrapping paper which we used up. It had deers on it of course. Sort of wished I'd bought more than one. Then I saw almost the same wrapping paper only a darker shade of green being used at Bass Pro where they were wrapping gifts & the proceeds went to needy kids. I got to go to 2 of my fave stores there Old Time Pottery or the Pottery Barn as I call it & Rhett corrects me everytime. Now I know how my mother felt.
 
The rest seems kind of a blur as it was busy, busy, busy. One thing after another. I did make a new kind of cookie. I'll give you the recipe later...The only artistic thing I did was wrap presents & make a few gift tags besides take photos. Got 1 really really good one that is now my new fave.
I only showed my butt once over Don telling me how to cook speghetti with ingredients I do not use when making mine. They don't buy name brand products up there mostly because the small stores don't carry thtem. I got my feelings hurt by his mom over pictures. She did not want one of the silly ones of the 3 of us I took in church. After I stood in line at Walmart here for a long time just so everyone could have pics. Then she said she had so many she didn't know what to do with them all. It just hurt my feelings. I took to our room. Don thought it was because he wasn't giving me a present this year because he didn't have a job until recently. That wasn't it. I am not that much of  spoiled brat. It is just so hard to try so hard to please everyone whic is what I try to do. I should know by now I cannot. I realize she is an old lady and sometimes says things she shouldn't.
 
I was busy snapping photos of everyone on Christmas day. My daughter-in-law gave me one of THE best gifts I have ever received. I had forgotten she was having something made with my artwork. She was sitting next to me as I opened when I opened it. She gave me a black & red purse that had a pic of a piece of my art on it! It was the mask I did back in the fall. It looks so cool! I cried when I saw it!  She told Jason, "I think she likes it!" I took pics of it of course. Will post them later. I was really thankful for this awesome gift. It made me feel loved.
 
I am beginning to think I must really be going thru menopause now. I seem to be really emotional lately. I had a  reallly bad hot flash the night before we left. But the dr told me my levels are exactly where they should be so I do not understand.

Once safely home, it is still a rush to have Christmas with the rest of our daughters and then my folks always seem to come last. I had a really, really rough week at work. Illy called out sick. The other lady was on vacation. I had to work over just to get things done esp my work done on time. I was hoping it wasn't a sign of how my new year would be. Don got a cold and was the illest-natured he has ever been. I hope he doesn't get sick again because he hurt my feelings several times esp on New Year's Eve. I do not do him like that when I am sick. Rhett & I brought in the New Year with a bottle of sparkling white grape juice. Rhett drank almost the whole bottle! I worried this was a bad sign, but a friend told me as long as the words "Reunite" were not underneath, it would be alright! LOL

Elisa gave me a neat photo/note cube with acid free paper. I drew swirly butterflies on New Year's Eve and was rather proud of them. I was thankful for her gift.

Yesterday was my birthday. I had the day off. My friend Anne drove all the way from Carrollton just have lunch with me and my mom. Due to the extremely cold weather I cancelled my usual celebration until Saturday at lunch hoping it would be warmer for my folks and cheaper on other's pockets. I went to get gas before picking up mom but locked my keys in the car at the pump! Don had to come unlock the car. I waited in a store for him to remain warm. I got Daddy a Bugle Boy jacket on sale for $5 for his birthday next month. I was thankful for this find. I know it was meant to be.

I am so thankful for my friend Anne.

Anne has friends that lost a child. They still had the child in the hospital days after it's death which is unheard of by anyone I know! They wanted Anne to come hold it which she could not do. She drove an hour and a half to the hospital, arrive to a scene out of the "Twillight Zone" which she will never be able to forget now. She had to leave because the child was still there.

Daddy went to pick up Rhett yesterday from school and Mom and I were several cars behind them, but did not know it because he was so far ahead of us! Now I cancelled my birthday until Saturday so my folks wouldn't have to get out in the cold yet Daddy worked and they both were out in it. Luckily it had warmed up.

I was able to do one thing on my today list for my birthday... take my fave jacket to have the lining repaired. It will probably cost almost as much as the jacket cost me on sale about 20 years ago! Don gave me a beautiful watch with THE funniest card. Genie gave me a Vera Bradley bag with a make-up bag inside it. I am sure I had more to be thankful for...

Rhett's book bag was SO heavy yesterday I could hardly carry it myself. I wanted to email his teachers and tell them this! I am sure that would have gone over well.

I have my 1st PC artist guild meeting tonight and sleet & snow are predicted! Anne says it's snowing in Carrollton!

If you would like to share your thankfulness, please join us at Thankful Thursday at the following....