I had so much fun with the little one here yesterday! Hubby was gone for a good portion of the day, which made it nice. It was funny when daddy dropped the GGD off - she took off running towards the back of the house without even telling him goodbye. Then I remembered. I have purchased a 'lifesize' baby doll and cradle for the GGDs. (Why not, right?) So now they have a rocking chair, a baby doll, and a cradle for the baby doll. Don't tell anyone; I ordered a small 5 pc child table and chairs that will be here next week.). Ok- I was just thinking that the once a year visit to my house, the GGs need a place to sit for meals - and why not give them their own table and chairs, right? I can fold them out of the way when they aren't being used. I just hope I get lots of opportunities to use them! I hope it arrives when hubby isn't home... just saying. I need to clean out a storage cabinet in the garage to put things in; I also bought a toddler car seat.... just in case I have them and need to take them somewhere.... just saying. Be prepared; isn't that the right motto? How I miss the days when I transported all the grandchildren to church on Wednesday nights! That was the only reason I bought that suburban - wanted to be sure I had plenty of room for the grandchildren.
And there I go - my mind is going back into times of fun with the grandchildren. They always made me feel so loved and that they wanted to be with me. Time and life has a way of disrupting all that. You, too, will soon discover, as time flies by, that no one has time for you anymore. It's not a bad thing. It's a growing up thing. And the times of joy you have now, will become memories that you will treasure for the rest of your life.
Got to have dinner with my oldest son last night and enjoyed hanging with him for a bit. We left there and headed to the hospital to see the daughter - and found her much more responsive and alert than before. She had been able to get a shower and felt so much better. She had sent the granddaughter home earlier in the day, telling her that she needed to be with her family, and leave her by herself for awhile. In fact, last night is the first night that she will be left alone, and I'm sure she enjoyed not checking to see who was there with her and were they doing ok. We just mentally wake up and do that, don't we? Slept is disrupted. I'm sure she slept well last night. We took lasagna and salad (she devoured the salad; ate only a few bites of the lasagna). Like my son, and me, she loves a good salad. We visited for a short while and then headed home.
Once home, I made up a cheeseball and divided it in half. I'm meeting my boss Sue, Dr. K, and Nancy for brunch at 9AM this morning at Wildflower. I generally pull together a small bag for Dr. K and Nancy and I think I have it done. Some bread, a cheeseball, some jam - I think that's it. We're friends. Dr. K always brings me an amarillas plant - you know, the ones in the wax bulb. I've planted two in the front and they have leaves (or had at one point) 4 ft tall! Even had a flower bloom last summer. I still have the one from last year here in the house and it is still alive. I will take it and plant with the others soon. I think this is about the 5-6 year that he has given me one. And one for Sue as well. It's always good to see him and catch up. Yeah, this is the doctor who delivered two of my grandchildren. That was when I met him - but I've worked with him for years - and at 78 or 79, he is still working. Wish we were in the office where we could chat, but we send emails back and forth.
My 'outside' meetings are coming and going, which is good for my stress issues. Not that I go crazy or anything. It's just that I'm so disorganized (more so) this year it seems. I have no idea of what I've bought for whom anymore. I think I will buy a few gift cards and when I see someone gets more than others (thinking grandchildren here), I will have a card to give them to make up for it. I never want any of them to feel that they were slighted. I know, one gift is plenty, but that is just me. But I need to do better. Said by me every year. sigh.
Next week all I have, (as I repeat my busyness every day) is the Christmas party at the office for the company. To that I will fix a couple small things for 3-4 people. Got to make Gingersnap cookies for Paula - she gets them every year. Silvia gets a loaf of bread, and Cecilia gets a small gift of whatever I give. Haven't decided yet on what I'm giving her, but it's usually a book, and bread. And I always take a couple extra breads and stuff in case I see someone who I want to give something to - especially if they give me a gift, which some do. It's always good to see friends I've worked with in person and they make the effort to come. Oh pickles! I just remembered I need to make a cheeseball to take to that Christmas party - like a BIG cheeseball since it will be shared with the company. In years past we have had close to 100 people come to it. It's just our division here in this area. Many don't come, but I get to see my boss Sue and the others.
Sue and I are meeting up on December 23rd. I'm taking the day off, as is she, and we will meet at our 'usual place' and exchange gifts and take our time talking and catching up (third time this month!) and then head out our different ways. She goes east, I go west. She will be my last work gathering. It's been a busy month! And I am still so far behind in baking! And you know what? It's ok. I'm not going to stress about it. I do still need to get salsa made for everyone. Oh yeah, the youngest goes up north next week and I need to make sure those Christmas gifts and salsa is ready to head up that way by Wednesday. Little by little, I'm marking things off my list. :-)
I got my cookbook yesterday from my sister for Christmas. She doesn't realize I also have a box that I need to get shipped out. Because I need to get other things done this morning and on the road, it won't be today, but I will get it sent out on Monday morning. I make sure the bread is frozen and wrapped well. Need to get a couple things ordered for others and sent to them. It's slowly coming together. Can't wait for this room to be cleaned out~!
I think Amazon just delivered another package to me. :-) I heard the car door and the gate - and yep, there it drives off. Just finishing up on a couple grandsons, I hope. Got the remaining two Christmas trees outside last night - and they work! - as long as it is dark. They are solar light powered. I did put inside the courtyard. What these lazy people don't realize when they drop the package over the gate - the lights come on in the courtyard if they would open the gate, and if they come up to the porch to place the package where they have been instructed to, they will find treats to take.
"It came to pass...." or rather the words, "This too shall pass" is something my mama often said. Usually when we were going through a rough time, we would always hear, "This too shall pass." And you know what? It always did. I still often say it, and now my children sometimes say it. It isn't worded that way in the Bible, but I typed in 'and it came to pass' and I could not believe how many times those words were used! Over 50 times in Genesis alone! So I guess mama was right! Things do 'pass' and move on!
These times of weariness, of conflict, of pain, of stress, of - whatever it is, these times will pass - in time. I know sometimes I wonder 'how much longer, Lord?' on certain things - but our God is faithful and His timing on everything is perfect. Sometimes I just need to learn something well before I can go on to the next thing. Same for you. When we are struggling through a difficult time, sometimes it is God just wanting us to give Him our attention and let Him take care of the situation. Other times it may be nothing more than we need to step back and try to see the bigger picture of things - and change how we do it. And it is usually in those times of when I make myself step back (and sometimes out of the picture) that things turn around and work out. Doesn't mean I have to like what struggles anyone - or myself - are going through. It's just sometimes it doesn't need my intervention other than by prayer - and when I'm going through something, it's a time for me to dive deeper into Him.
The thought has occurred to me recently.... and I may have even mentioned it in here. (Could all this be my fault?) I have prayed to go deeper in my prayer life. I've gotten lazy, I admit. When things are going well, it's a quick prayer and move on. And I recognized that I wasn't spending as much time with God as I used to (I let life get in the way) and I haven't fasted for awhile (you know I've tried to, but just put it off), and I haven't taken specific extended times to be alone with God (I've allowed myself to be busy or not wanting to deal with hubby and well, will leave it there)....and I've prayed about it. So my children have medical issues.... and I've been praying more.... and more intensely.... is that an answer to my prayers of wanting to dive deeper again? Makes one afraid to pray that, doesn't it! LOL No, I don't think God is causing these things but is using these things to help me find the place I want to be. And maybe it isn't even about my prayers, but the need for others to turn back to Him and pray themselves.
Life is hard, do you agree? Our children make choices that we may not agree with. Things happen that we have no control over. We want to help our children, but sometimes we also need to take our hands off and let them figure it out. I do both! I try to help (and often get in the way) and I stay away and watch them struggle. It's painful, it truly is. And if you are a parent, and especially if you are going through this, you know exactly what I'm talking about! We always want to be there for our children, even when they are older, but sometimes, just sometimes, we need to just pray for them, that God will intervene into their lives and they need to seek Him for their needs, .,,,, just saying... it's so hard, trust me, I know! I want so much to dive in and help.... but sometimes I need to step back and let them ask for what I can give... and not just throw it at them. None of that makes sense, I'm sure. Just into rambling now, so I will get off here. It will come to pass..... when it is time to pass.
Blessings!
