Busy, busy.....way too busy

This past week was so busy for me.

Three parties last week...two for Don and I that we attended as a couple, and one extra one that I went to alone.

The calender for this next week looks pretty merciless too.

FOUR parties this week and one of my children's birthday's is this week too.

Plus Gabe leaves for Connecticut next Sunday.

This doesn't count....I have my tiny job that I work, then add in other just daily living things....hair appointments....Dr. appointments....paying bills...the grocery store.....the post office.
Things like that. It's way too crazy.

Last week was emotional for us too because of that mall shooting in Omaha.

We are still upset about that one.

Two people from our little city that is adjacent to Omaha were shot...one man was killed (ironically his own daughter had survived the 9/11 tragedy, escaping out of the Twin Towers at they collapsed) and one man, a retried teacher from the local Catholic High School in our town, is still in very, critical condition.

We are very sad for the families of all the other victims who were killed and or injured and our prayers are with them all.

I don't like it when a person/family, "whomever," gets so busy at Christmas.

When this happens how can you be "reflective".....you really can't mediate on the real meaning of the season because we are so caught up in the hustle of it all.

WHY do we do this to ourselves this time of year???? I wonder.

I mean I love getting together with people. But it seems we CRAM tons of stuff into the Christmas season and then have nothing to do in say....January, February.

Maybe we should re-think this and "spread the joy" a bit more......say into other months as well.

I haven't gotten a tree up yet, we do a real one but I haven't even gone to look for one....may not either if Miss Priss doesn't help me deal with it because I don't have the physical strength right now.

I hate to ask my husband to help me do one more thing. He does soooo much around here and for me. He's a great guy.
But he's tired too.

I haven't cooked one batch of cookies or fudge. Nor probably will. Miss Priss may.
I bought her some cookie dough but she's busy too.....she works and goes to school. She used to make the cookies and decorate them when she was younger.
Sigh.

I haven't bought gifts for my kids. Just a few stocking stuffers. I finally bought one item the other day while out with a friend for Miss Priss. Nothing big though.

Ever since coming home from Iowa.....I can't get into it. Part of it is the health thing. Part of it is that I already "did Christmas" up there while home for Thanksgiving for my family so that took alot of effort.

Part of it is just life. Part of it isn't.

Part of it is the fact that this is so overdone and I protest things like this at some point.

I want to lay on the couch and watch my old Christmas movies.....and relax and then think about what I am celebrating this season and WHY I am celebrating this season.

I want one night home without running off somewhere.
One day home without running off somewhere.
I want a cup of tea and comfort....and joy.

We can get so caught up in it all that we don't even think about WHO we are to focus on.

Sure we know it in our hearts but do we think on Him?
I want to be sure I do this.

I'm going to have to say "No" to a few things I guess.

Not to be a Scrooge. But just to be able to enjoy for five minutes, and before it's all actually over this year.....the true reason for the season.