Thankful Thursday

Today (and I can't believe it is Thursday ALREADY), I am thankful for moments.

You know, moments that touch our lives and leave an ever-present fingerprint on our souls. Some moments are shared with dear ones while others are safely tucked into our hearts for our memory only.

In our minds we can review these moments with a smile or a tear or a new moment of pause and reflection. Of course some moments are made of grandeour and elegance while others are created by simplicity and humble circumstances. Some moments are from our varied personal experiences and adventures. Other moments are learned from history or other people's lives: those that have touched us that deeply to be nestled in our hearts with moments of our own.

There are those moments that are so heartbreaking that we will never forget the pain or loss, and there are those that are so heartwarming that we can never duplicate the joy or relief.

Today, I am reflecting on Christmas moments:

• the knowledge of the very FIRST Christmas day: Christ's birth
• Christmas 1979--I was growing in a warm & cozy womb
• Christmas 1985: a tent in the den, a new puppy, and Grandpa J's delight
• the Christmas I learned the *truth* about Santa
• the Christmas I recieved my very own name plate (yes, like the one you get at an office)
• the Christmas I re-learned the real purpose in celebrating
• my first Christmas to walk around temple square
• Family together moments-Christmas in Columbia, Christmas in Arizona
• a white Christmas (rare in TN!)
• first Christmas in Portugal (2002 : insecure, unaware, tears & missing home)
• second Christmas in Portugal (2003 : seasoned, fluent, tears to say goodbye)
• first Christmas as Mrs. H
• my third Christmas in Portugal (2007: traveling, tourists, tears to enjoy the moments)

And this year--this year is perhaps the best of all? Can there be a 'best' when there are so many great memories and moments? Another best, then--this year--Baby J's first Christmas...my first Christmas as a mother.

Last Christmas, with my growing baby bump, I thought often about the mother 'great with child' who travelled to Bethlehem. This year I have thought about the same mother and her baby son. The Son that would save us all from our weakest and most sinful moments, and give the world our most joyous and beautiful ones.

What are some of your cherished Christmas moments?

To Do: Making that list & checking it twice.

I love to-do lists.

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm always making to-do lists. Doesn't mean I always get everything done, but it means I am usually aware of everything I'd like to get done. The addicting part about to-do lists is you can clear your head of everything on your mind that you want to get done, and then you can begin marking them off (admittedly, the marking it off is my favorite part). Sometimes it even helps me to re-evaluate my priorities or let go of a 'to do' that really doesn't have to get done.

I usually make a monthly to-do list and store it in my 'To-Do List' folder on my computer. I also try to have a running weekly list in my planner. When I am in high-efficiency mode, I get most everything crossed off the lists. Other times...plans change, routines are disturbed, babies need attention and it is quite alright for the list to remain intact, items unchecked.

I am learning to love the feeling of both. If I do get everything done on the list--WOW, it's a great feeling. If I don't, then I fight the urge to be frustrated with the thoughts of all the things I did do that are just not on the list (and sometimes I add them just to have something to cross off at the end of the day). I am learning that a day of cuddling, changing diapers, listening to the rain, and making up silly songs is definitely as much a success as any other (and likely, more fulfilling)!

I now have quite the collection of To-Do lists. I thought about deleting all of the old ones (and mark it off my list! ha!) but then decided to keep them. I discovered that it is fascinating to go back and review the things on my old To Do Lists...it gives me insight to what was important to me then and what projects I was working on at the time. Like a journal. Or a blog. Only with less words and with some items checked off or marked through.

A writing professor once suggested that To Do lists were a *type* of journal. I like that idea, because I am not as diligent at writing in a journal as I would like to be. So, keep those To-Do Lists, folks...you'll wish you had them when you're writing your autobiography!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for the internet.

Some things I have done this morning online:

-check my email
-respond to emails from Primary leaders in our stake
-forward emails to my counselors about Primary business
-check my favorite blogs
-upload digital photos to be printed in 1 hour
-look up contact information on the stake/ward website
-read a couple of interesting new articles
-watched a couple of youtube skits that were linked on c jane's blog
-skimmed the 100 hour board
-checked for good deals here
-and obviously, RiGHT NOW I am adding a new post using the 'net

Yesterday I chatted with a long lost friend from my Portugal days on msn messenger. The day before that I had a skype conversation with a new friend in Portugal. And, the day before that I had a nice little chat on facebook with a friend in Argentina.

Isn't it AMAZING what we can do, how we can keep in touch, the things we can learn with just three little w's?

www.

Awesome.
I'm grateful for the amazing ways that the internet enhances my life!

Office Depot Throwing off My Mommy Groove

This afternoon, Baby J and I head out in our fearless four-door ride to our local Office Depot. For those of you who aren't aware, I do not love shopping. I don't like to spend hours in stores browsing shelves & aisles. I wouldn't say I hate it, but I really really really don't like it. It's not on my top 10 fun-things-to-do list.

There are, however, a few very special stores that I do enjoy taking my time and absorbing all that the store has to offer. Office Depot is one of those special stores. Cardstock, colorful paperclips, planners, organizers of all shapes & sizes...*sigh*. My idea of heaven.

I was excited for our Office Depot adventure. I had a small list of things to purchase, and while it was very difficult to keep to that small list (yes, I did have to put some things back), I did it. I made it up to the cash register, no problem-o.

Now was the moment of truth.

Could I be the cool-calm-under-control-hip-Mom that can empty her cart, keep her baby smiling, carry the diaper bag, swipe that card, sign her name with the magic-computerized-pen, have her keys in hand, take the bags and the baby --and do it all with flawless grace before she walks out the sliding doors?

The guy at the register asked if I needed any help. (Do they do that regularly at Office Depot? Maybe so, but I was confident I could do it all by myself. After all, I am that kind of Mom, right?) I said "Oh, thank you, no...I'm fine. Thanks, have a good night!"

I walked out with two bags and my keys in my left hand, baby and bag on my ride side (sans sling)--juggling perfection, I thought to myself.

Two hours later I was reviewing my purchases and realized I did not have 3 of my items. I searched the car, the living room, the diaper bag...where did those multi-colored organizing toys go??

I called the store and guess what. My bag of goodies was sitting there in the exact spot where I said "no thanks, I don't need your help." Do you think the guy laughed at me when he realized I left one of my bags there?

I was too busy imagining myself being the can-do-it-all Mom to actually BE the can-do-it-all Mom. Perhaps sometimes to 'do it all' you have to be willing to have a little help.

Disclaimer: I do realize that going shopping with 1 baby and a small list of items is not considered HUGE to many of you. I don't know why it was today. I don't have all my brain cells built back up yet. I'm still working on getting my Mommy Groove. Baby steps. :)

Time Flies When You're Making Lists

Is it me, or did the month of November FLY by at a crazy-fast rate??

Today is the last day in November.

This month has brought our family a baby-on-all-fours, a job offer that we are *thinking* about, nasty colds for all of us, the official start of winter (cold.cold.cold.), the General Conference edition of the Ensign (yay!), 3 birthdays in my immediate family, and of course THANKSGIVING and the holiday spirit.

I have enjoyed seeing others put up their holiday decor and listening to Christmas songs in public venues. I haven't done a THING as far as festive decor or music in our home...but that, my friends is about to change.

Tomorrow is the first of December. BRING ON THE RED & GREEN! I will make a list of holiday to-do's and start marking them off, one by one. (I am a list girl. Sometimes I make a list of things I've aready done just so I can have some things to mark off. )

Things to Do:

-send Thank You's to those who provided delicious food & gathering places for our Thanksgiving fun
-decide whether or not to send out Christmas cards
-make list of things to do for Christmas cards (if I decide to do them)
-get down boxes of holiday decor
-make hot chocolate, put on Christmas music, & decorate our apartment
-take pictures of Baby J by the tree, Santa
-make sure decorations are OUT OF baby's growing reach
-make cookies to share
-review & revise holiday schedule
-shopping
-new family traditions

AND, I am glad the 1st of December is on a Monday. For some reason, the month seems much more organized to BEGIN on a MONDAY. Monday is a great day for beginnings, dontchya think? Plus, it *might* snow here tomorrow (so predicts weather.com).

What's on your holiday list?

Let December begin!

Thankful Thursday

Today is THANKSGIVING!!

Honestly, I cannot think of a better day to begin a new tradition of 'Thankful Thursday' than today. I have been thinking about gratitude and why it is so important to pause our lives long enough to offer Thanks.

For our family 1 thru 10 THANKFUL list, see our family blog.

Why is it important to be thankful?

I have come to the conclusion that our level of gratitude --for the people, things, events, and circumstances in our lives-- in some way defines who we are and how connected we allow ourselves to be with the Divine.

When we ponder outside of our every-day ME world, we find ourselves standing in a place where we can see clearly the services performed for us, the gifts given to us, and the miracles around us. As we become more aware of the many ways we are blessed, we are filled with gratitude.

For me, the feelings of gratitude are a combination of happiness and humility. It is that humility that pulls our hearts into the need to give thanks. As we survey our lives...we realize the brilliance of our circumstances from the grand to the smallest detail.

We owe thanks. Our thanks doesn't even cover it all, but it is something. Something we can give back for all that we have received, are receiving, and will receive.

On this Thanksgiving day, what a treat we have to spend extra time with family & friends, share delicious food, and give THANKS. It's the least we can do. We are all so blessed.

Let us be sure to take some time today to offer a personal prayer of gratitude. To thank our Father in Heaven for our many, many blessings.

**May you have a safe & wonderful Thanksgiving holiday**

Run-in with Ms. Plaid Coat

Sunday evening we went to a friend's violin senior recital. I was excited for a cultural event and to support our friend and his wife. They had been handing out invitations to the recital at church for weeks, it was going to be great. It was a little bit of a challenge to convince Trevor to go but finally he relented.

We got seats near the back & Trevor sat by another friend from church--perfect. This way Trevor felt less ‘out of place’ at the event. Our violinist friend did a fantastic job, he has a great talent and it is always uplifting to listen to classical music.

I was having AMAZING time, listening to the strong & whistful sounds of the instrument, and imagining stories to go along with the notes. About 20 minutes into our enjoyment, I find myself face to face with the ‘violin instructor’. It seemed like she came out of thin air, I didn't even see her walk over to our aisle. She leaned over in her plaid jacket and said something to me in an upset tone. I didn’t completely understand because of her thick accent and so I responded with a polite, “I’m sorry?”

She repeated herself & I still didn’t completely understand but this time I got the basic idea of what she was saying “GET YOUR KID TO SHUT UP”.

Up until that point, Trevor & I were SO PROUD of Jackson for being so great! He wasn’t wiggly or crying or screaming or squealing or ANYTHING. He did squeal one time in between performances and did a few of his soft vocal sighs and one sneeze. That was IT. She probably made MORE noise with her dialogue than Jackson had made during the time we had been there.


I was mad. More than mad. A new emotion I had never felt before. A sort of primal Mommy-defense system came over me. My eyes locked in place and I kept thinking “what nerve!” and “she must not have children otherwise she would have taken the time to COMPLIMENT me on what a quiet and well-behaved baby I have”---Trevor could tell something was wrong, he asked “are you alright?” I said “Nope.” and stared ahead, wondering if the other Mommies were getting the same speech.


I wanted to get up and take my darling, well-behaved child out. And at the same time I wanted to move to the front row and give the instructor a toothy smile. I decided we’d stay until the intermission like civilized people and in the mean time we’d plug our baby’s mouth with a pacifier. I hated to do it. He was being so good, there really was no reason to put the thing in his mouth but I guess that is what the woman wanted me to do?


On our way out (during the intermission) a nice lady sitting in front of us commented on what a cute baby we had and how she didn’t even KNOW there was a baby sitting behind her because he was being so good. I smiled and thanked her--wishing SHE was the person ‘in charge’ instead of Ms. Plaid Coat.

I found out as we were leaving that the instructor is “a bit high strung” and the reason she was concerned was because they were recording for the violinist's applications to grad school (and that other Mommies were confronted as well).

Ok, so I understand the sound quality was an issue.

Here’s my beef:
1) My baby was being really really REALLY good, we were sitting in the very back, and I highly doubt his low-voiced sighs made it onto the recording
2) If it is REALLY that big of a deal, then please add to your programs or invitations “Because of the sound quality needed for the recording of the performance, please do not bring babies or infants.”

I could have left Baby J at home with Daddy and enjoyed a me-night-out for some classical music time. Instead, I left the performance early and have had not-nice thoughts about the instructor ever since.