For Those Who Want to Take Christmas Back From the Grinch

This year more then warm weather is making Christmas hard to feel.
Fifteen minutes of famers want to make Christmas no big deal.
The problem is, O Grinchy ones.,  it's a very big deal to
All us Jesus freaky Christians, even if it's not to you.

It is the day we celebrate that our Lord and Savior was born.
But instead of celebrating, we find ourselves torn
Between being politically polite or making a show
Of loudly saying "Merry Christmas!" where ever we go.

Most of us don't want to fuss; we don't want to fight
We don't want to argue about who's left or who's right
We just want to show our joy that Jesus came down
To this earth for us sinners, idiots, wankers and clowns

Because THAT is for us, is how Christmas is defined.
Doing something for someone just be kind
To be selfless and giving and loving even though, even when
We may get nothing back but the finger and "To hell with ya then."

It's about how we believe and are thankful our God is so big
That He would send His son to die so that we would live.
A gift so precious and inspiring, though you may not believe it,
Is one we cannot help but sing about and celebrate as we receive it.

Yes, we do give gifts to show our love for each other on this day
We'd give them to Jesus, but it's all His anyway.
To Christians who believe in the Bible this day is holy.
We shouldn't have to fight for our Christmas in the land of the free.

And therefor, I tell you right now where I stand.
As a former grinch, I began to understand that
No, you can't stop Christmas by banning carols at the mall
You can't keep it from coming by not saying "Merry Christmas" at all

You can take way the colors of red and of green.
You can take away our depictions of the Nativity scene.
You can take way the lights that sparkle on our shacks.
But you won't stop Christmas because it won't be held back.

You can take away gifts and keep your holiday trees
You can keep your mall santas that smell of beef and cheese
You can say all you want that Christmas offends you and you hate it
Because like that, you lose the meaning when you translate it.

Try to hear me now and understand what I say
Christmas is something you'll never take away.
Because it's not in bags with tissue paper or boxes with bows
It's deep in my heart and deep in the hearts of those

Who shout "Yahoo doray!  Welcome Christmas Day!"
So if you don't believe in God, to you, all I can say
Is that is up to you; believe or not. You don't answer to me.
But you won't shut me up about Jesus; we'll have to agree to disagree

So if you believe in Jesus and want to celebrate His birth,
Do it joyfully!  Do good for others and spread kindness on His earth.
To all you grinchy hearts, to you I say Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Yahoo Doray!  Yahoo Doray!  Jesus Christ is born!

I Wish This Was Under Happier Circumstances...

I had no idea that it been so long.  I started reading on how to improve my blog, and then all of a sudden, my blog didn't seem worthy or good enough or something I don't know.  So I thought I'd wait until I could improve my blog which I just didn't get around to due to a summer case of kids-up-my-hinie-itis.  It was a severe case.  I will improve my blog; it's just gonna take some time.  Since this is really more for me than y'all anyway, I don't really need to be anything more than I can be right now.  Maybe I should listen to me more.

I write today to pay a bit of honor to a really good guy.  My Grandpa Jerry passed away today.  He was in his 80's, and he lived a really full life, so no regrets there.  He was a really funny guy and a great dancer.  He served in the Navy in WWII.  He told great stories, sometimes over and over again.  I did get to see him one last time.  My ma and sis sat with him until 1:30am after I drove 7 hours.  In typical Jen fashion, I defused with humor and I'm sure I made a lot of jokes that were in poor taste, but Jerry would have been rolling if he wasn't in a coma.  We were on our A game.  I like to think we brought him a giggle or two before he passed a few hours later.

He even gave me an early Christmas present.  I had almost 5 hours to sit and watch whatever tv shows I wanted to watch (British shows on PBS) while cross-stitching while everyone was doing last minute work today.  I can't even tell you the last time I was able to sit for 5 hours straight.  It was nice.

So, thank you Jerry for being good to my grandma and to us.  Thanks for an afternoon off, one of the most precious gifts to a mom.  Thanks for being you.  You are and will be missed.

If I Hear the Words "I'm Sorry" One More Time....

Oh look...it's sparkly.

Okay so here's the deal.  The phrase "I'm sorry."  has officially lost all meaning for me.  It's original intent was  to let someone you have wronged know that you acknowledge the wrong and are repentant of your actions. How wonderful, yes?  I agree, and it still would be a useful phrase if it was used properly.  Instead, it is now used as the Band-aid of Ill Behavior.  Shall I demonstrate?

Did I cut you off in traffic because I'm in a hurry and almost caused a wreck?  I'm sorry.

Did I cough in your face?  I'm sorry.

Did I just I snatch the last cookie at the party even though I knew you were headed towards it?  I'm sorry.

Did I just go on and on about the new car I bought just because I could right after you just told me that you lost your job?  I'm sorry.

Did I just say something about you that you weren't supposed to hear but you did and now your feelings are hurt, but if I'm honest, I don't really care because I really did mean every word and maybe you would be a better person if someone had told you this before? I'm sorry.

What's really being said is I'm sorry I got caught.  I'm sorry you got your feelings hurt.  I'm sorry you are in my way of getting what I want.  I'm sorry you weren't thinking of me because I'm more important right now.  In the words of Fat Amy, "Lezbe honest..."

I've heard nothing but "I'm sorry." for the past week whenever my children have misbehaved.  The response was automatic and the expectation was that all should be well as I've uttered the magic "I'm sorry."  All is not well yo.  Not. Well.  Now she's a snack snatcher and a liar.  She's not sorry snatching that cookie.  She's only sorry that she didn't get away with it!  How do I know this is the case? 1)  She keeps snatching cookies!  If she was REALLY sorry, she wouldn't do it again.  2)  I have heard all of my children use "I'm sorry" correctly.  I know when they mean it and when they are attempting the Band-aid of Ill Behavior.  It's been nothing by ill behavior around here.  Kinda done.

From now on, it's not "I'm sorry."  Those words have become empty and angering.  It's "I shouldn't have done that." followed by the reasons why they should not have done whatever it is they did.  I don't believe they are ever really sorry for hitting each other, so why lie about it?  They get in trouble for lying.  They can at least admit they shouldn't have smacked each other around.  Honestly!

And so ends another rant on another day on another topic that parents try not to feel like failures about.  Parenting is not for sissies.  If the word "sissies" offends you, I'm sorry.  Wait.  No I'm not.  Be offended.  It's that kinda day.

What My Gallbladder Taught Me

So on #2's birthday, I got a stomach ache so bad it felt like labor. When it didn't go away for 3 days, I go to the doc to find that I have a gallbladder full of stones.  This makes eating anything crazy painful.  After two weeks of melba toast, saltines and Gatorade, I had my very first surgery.  After being out of my normal life (as normal as my life gets anyway)  for about a month, I have learned a little bit more about me.

1)  There is a reason I am not in the medical profession.  I googled pictures of gallstones.  Yeah, don't do that.  So gross.  I'm now thinking it was worth the money just to have the ball of nasty out of my system.  Blech.

2)  I do not like being high.  Lortabs made me insane.  Everyone I know had stories that I don't remember.  Conversations were had that I wasn't quite sure were real.  I wore my clothes backwards in public without realizing it.   My favorite was my the texts to my husband with pictures of my arms because they were floating.  Floating.  Nice.  I just hope I didn't call and tell/ask someone to marry me...unless it was Bear...that guy is hot.

3)  I have really good friends who are willing to wake up at the butt crack of dawn to take me to the hospital, pick my kids up from school, and cook me dinner.  I am blessed indeed.

4)I have the best girls in the world.  I actually already knew that, but they proved it once again.  They were constantly checking on me and bringing me flowers from the yard.  Loves them so much.

5)  I have the best husband.  He was and still is just wonderful.  Words just can't describe how amazing he has been.  He worked so hard to keep the family going.  I am so blessed.  So very blessed.

6)  Chloe the Dog is an opportunist.  Nice. 

Happy Birthday to One of Favorite Answers to Prayer

Here is my precious!

We had one baby angel.  It was like we just thought, "Hmmm, a baby would be lovely."  and BAM!  I was El Preggo.  #2 took more time and prayer.  I didn't get preggers out of gate like last time.  It took us almost a year.  About month 6, Bear stopped asking because it was sad and discouraging.  But finally, I was El Preggo once more.

She's been work from the get go.  She wouldn't (and I really do mean would NOT nurse)  She only wanted Daddy at night.  You'd think that would make me happy, but if I'm honest, it hurt my feelings a little bit.  She didn't sleep through the night for almost a year (the other 2 were all nighters by 12 weeks), and she her communication delays linger on.  Her screams can blind you, and she is stubborn as the day is long.  I won't even get started on her mischievousness.

That being said...

She has musical laughter.  She is friendly to everyone regardless of communicational or physical abilities.  She's creative.  She dances.  She's loving.  She's scrappy.  She's smart and bright.  She could Calvin and Hobbes a run for their money in the mischief department.  (There is a bit of the love-hate when it comes to mischief:  I don't like to pick up the mess, but I so admire the creativity.  I'm all, "My baby is so smart.  It's a shame they have to die.")  She is loving.  She is funny.  I'm sure she's part cat.  And you'd be amazed and a little sad at how hard she tries...to be like everyone else.

May the Good Lord bless her with good health, the will to improve, the strength to carry on, friends who love her the way she is, and that she will serve the Lord all the days of her life; that her joy may be full and her destiny fulfilled.

Happy Birthday Baby Angel!  I'm so glad and blessed that you're my girl!  Momma loves you!

Man...It's Been Nuts...

It's been dye your hair blue because why not crazy!  There's also been a lot of change.  Most of it really good and one really sad.  We have moved two towns over, and have been saving money like crazy.  Being close to everyone and everything has been just wonderful.  The really sad is that my baby Tinsel had to be given to a new home.  We were blessed to keep Chloe and Jae Shin, but Tinsel was one dog too many.  She's got a really great home and is being taken care of, but I'm still a bit sad still.  I got her to keep her, but we didn't have a choice.

Being a grown up sucks sometimes.

The girls are doing well.  We all are.  Like I said, mostly good and a little sad.  More to adventures to come!