getting ready

I just got back from the mall.  It was my first real Christmas Shopping outing.  Holy Smokes.  

....... driving through town on the way there I was thinking to myself, "wow, this might not be so bad.  there aren't many cars on the road.... maybe the cold weather is keeping everyone inside."  I quickly discovered that nobody was on the roads because the entire population of GMA was in Champlain Mall!  

I'm always amazed at the number of little kids I see out in public.... way past their bedtime.  No judgement.... but... really?  

Anyway, back to the story.  I was on a mission to shop for three very important people and it was a success!!  I spent a full hour in one store.   For the first five minutes I was worried because nobody acknowledged my existence or bothered to offer any help.  My thoughts went back to the first time I was in that store (it's new, so it wasn't long ago) I was treated the same way.  Maybe I'm not glamorous enough or they don't think I'm there to spend money... so they let me wander around feeling like I'm invisible.  The mall was busy but this particular store had about 10 people and 10 associates.  

So... the point is I'm finally starting to get ready for Christmas.  We got our tree last weekend so the house feels festive.  I finally got the exterior of the house decorated.  Ruby is having fun with all the Christmas music, crafts, decorations..... she's 'getting it' this year and I can't wait to see her face on Christmas morning.  In fact, Santa Claus payed the kids a visit at the Y last Friday.  She got a candy-cane from Santa and he said "ho, ho, ho" and he was very big!  Leo is growing every day and I expect him to be walking by Christmas day.  (no, just kidding!!  he's rolling over and trying to pull his knees up.... so it's a safe bet that he'll be lying on his stomach a lot this Christmas!).  Things are coming together.   This time next week it'll be all over and we'll be looking forward to New Year's Eve.  We have no idea what we're doing yet but that's ok.  I'm not worried.  Life is good.  We're all safe and alive, so we have a lot to be thankful for.  

The tragedy that took place in Connecticut yesterday hit me hard.  I can't imagine what those family's are going through right now.  If something like that ever happened to one of my kids I honestly don't know if I would survive.  

We're lucky to be alive.