I’m back to work today after thoroughly enjoying Christmas. I wound up getting out of work on Friday (thanks Dan!) and I enjoyed 4 days in San Antonio. I like my family. I like my gifts. I like cuddling with the dog. When I’m on vacation I have this feeling that this is what my life should be like. I am now looking for a career in vacationing. Please send advice on how I can make this work.
Last Wednesday Michael, Tranee and Grey came to visit me. I could only get off on Thursday, but at least I got off something. It was wonderful to spend time with them. It was interesting to spend several days straight with Grey. We’ve spent lots of time together now in his little life, but I’ve never been present for so many diapers, baths, bedtimes, and mealtimes. He really is one of the best behaved babies I have ever heard of. Tranee is one fabulous mommy. I can’t ever imagine being as loving and patient as she is. Let’s hope these qualities are somewhere in me. If not, everyone will feel sorry for my adopted Asian child.
Saturday morning we went to the Aquarium for a breakfast with Santa. They had an elf in scuba gear in the tank and Santa himself was there. The whole thing was adorable and Grey really loved all the fish, they were fascinating to him. I parted ways with my family (I’m counting Tranee and Grey with Mike- they pretty much are) and headed to the airport to get JMO.
JMO tricked me and is now staying in Houston for two weeks. This is probably the best gift I will get for Christmas. I’m wildly impressed with his ability to keep a secret. I want to reveal surprises as soon as I decide something will happen. I still have to work the next two weeks, but I will get to spend New Years with him and I am off then at least. We spent yesterday with the Oswalt family, we saw Four Christmases, went to dinner and played board games. AND Mr. O made me oatmeal raisen cookies, which are quite tastey.
I only have a few days left to get everything ready for Christmas, but so far the holiday season has treated me very kindly
Thank you for reading my excited holiday high ramble.
Finding presents is hard. I had the lofty goal to buy presents that everyone would love. How come people I love are such a mystery to me? Shouldn’t it be easy to find people that I know well a present that would be a positive addition to their lives? It hasn’t been.
Dad never wants anything. Wait, he wanted a GPS. But he bought that for himself on Black Friday. He doesn’t like clothes or things really. He does like books, but I haven’t seen anything that screams, “MY FATHER MUST READ THIS.”
Mom deserves something spectacular. Something unique with a back story explaining why it is unique (and pretty). The things normal moms want are not appealing to my mother. I thought she needed a Coach purse like every other momma, turns out she didn’t really.
Mike believes pretty much all stuff is crap. We don’t need things, they weigh us down. So I was thinking something practical would do, but then he wouldn’t love practical and I would steer far from my goal of getting people I love things they love (I realize that is a paragraph long sentence- please pardon).
Emily is now finally into clothes and jewelry a little more. But her taste is so different than my own, I don’t know if I’m guessing close to a great gift or a horrific one. Do I get a cute piece of jewelry she’ll love now but disregard in a year? Or something she won’t care much for now and will hold onto that she will grow to love?
JMO’s gift has been purchased. Since he is an upgrader by nature, I probably bought something he would have been into 3 months ago but has now moved on. Maybe not. Maybe so. I’ll have to be hopeful because I’ve already committed.
I love more people than this, although these are the five that I’ve put all my time into worrying about. These people are wonderful to me, love me, and they deserve fabulous tokens of my affections.
PS My Christmas list is getting longer and longer if anyone wants to purchase me a gift. I am not a gift mystery.
I’m now back in Houston after having four days off work. I’m getting ready for work now and I dread making the move out the door. Being home with my family was a wonderful treat. They are fun people and I love them. I miss getting to see people I love on a daily basis. I would probably go crazy if I actually lived there, but it is nice to watch a ridiculous movie with my brother and then go for a walk with the dog. Since Tranee and Grey are just a few blocks away we can plan to be somewhere in under 5 minutes. Back in Houston, I am missing readily available people I enjoy. Here, I plan ahead to hang out with a friend and it usually falls through the day of. I may spend to much of my life dependent on others ready to play with me.
