I Can Sort Of See Clearly Now

Today I got contacts. Who knew I was supposed to be able to see that trees have individual leaves? They're bald this time of year, anyway.

My Mother laughed at me while I was learning to put them on. Apparently my learning curve is a great deal broader than hers. I did, however, finally get them in my eye and blink about a thousand times before they settled correctly.

Hey! I can see! Sweet.

I then discovered that I am no longer able to see up close. Examining my fingernails was rather blurry business. Darn it, I'm still blind! This is apparently due to the fact that my eyeballs have a learning curve as well. Another rather broad curve. My friend laughed at me while I was trying to read things and had to hold them a ways away from my face.

Don't I have such kind and supportive people in my life? Really.

Bond Girl 007

I put on some new purfume today. Bond Girl 007, by Avon.

It smelled good. I was feeling adventurous. Covert. Classy.

I was breezing along, minding my own business and apparently failed to realize I was leaving choking people in my wake.

"Anna! What are you wearing?!" My Mother asked.

Umm... clothes?

"What perfume is that?" she clarified.

"The name is Bond Girl. Bond Girl 007."

Everyone had something positive to say about my new scent.

"It's really... strong."

"You smell like a guy!"

"I'm gonna pass out..."

Thanks everyone! I like it too!

In spite of some fears that I might overwhelm someone with my sweet and mysterious aura, I didn't change clothes before going to work. No one complained, commented, fainted or died in my presence.

When someone did smell it, they said "Oh! I really like that!"

Thank you, sane and civilized world.

I guess the rest of my family (Hi, Mom!) isn't cut out for Bond Girl 007.

I shall have to wear it more often.

Ten Ways You Know Christmas is Coming

1) Snow. Dang it. I hate it! I wish it would snow on Christmas Eve and melt the day after Christmas. The rest of the time it can just be cold... Never mind. No snow, no cold. We can just install one of those snow machines in the sky so we get the same thrill of a Winter Wonderland without freezing to death, slipping and breaking bones and having to dig the car out of a 20 foot drift. God bless those of you who live down south. One Midwestern girl is infinitely jealous.

2) Stores. They seem to think Christmas starts in October and ends Christmas day. There are confused people in marketing. It's so long and aggressive it burns me out. You know how bad it's gotten? They made the Charlie Brown tree. You know, the cartoon? Charlie hates Christmas because he's a general misanthrope and because he feels it's overcommercialized. So in beautiful irony, he decorates this pathetic little tree and in breaking free from societies false representation of the "meaning of Christmas", he experiences true joy. Yippee, right? Well now they sell little copies of that tree. Little awful models that slander everything it stood for. Yes, I'm ranting. I was appalled.

3) Presents. "What do you want?" Oh how I loathe that question. I really don't want anything you can give me. I may like some stupid little thing or other, but want is not the right word. When I think want I think about people who have real wants. Needs. I want chocolate. Someone on the other side of the world WANTS clean water. He wants what he needs. No one should have to want that. Again, I'm ranting. Being an idealist. Spank me for wanting good to an unrealistic degree. Slightly better is gift giving. Yet this also finds a way to be difficult. I feel self imposed pressure to find the perfect thing for everyone. And when this thing does not appear, I lose the joy part in the "joy of giving". What needs to change there, I wonder? Lower standards? Am adjustment of perspective? (Stop giving gifts? Just kidding.)

4) Decorations. From trees to lights, wreaths and ornaments, garlands and the like, the world is decked out (inside and out) like no other this time of year. Tastefully done, I'm fine with it. I even kind of like it. Sparkly... who could complain? But tacky, overdone decor is truly horrid in red, green and flashy. It's always horrid, but for some reason, Christmas colors make it even worse.

5) Music. Oh I love music. And Christmas music, like most music, can be done one of two ways: well or not well. If you insist upon writing your own Christmas song, please, for heaven's sake, don't be cheesy about it. If you're just going to recycle phrases we've all heard a hundred times, over strain your vocal chords trying to croon or put it to a generally awful tune, do us a favor and skip it. And please note that the classics are called classics for a reason. You don't have to reinvent them.

6) Food. Cookies! I may have mentioned how I feel about cookies. There are loads of goodies this time of year to make the holidays worthwhi... I mean bright. The traditions revolving around food are perhaps my favorite. What can I say? I have a whole mouth of sweet teeth.

7) Family. Those relatives you never hear from any other time of the year send you a Christmas card updating you on their oh-so important (and until now, highly mysterious) lives. The family hash's out who all is coming and going where. People descend on the home of the poor host laden with gifts, food and more people. You're glad to have them... for a while. But few have enough patience to put up with their in laws for more than a few days.

8) Your Stress Level. Sky rocketing! And you thought fireworks were only for the 4th of July! To do lists, gift lists, a calender full of holiday related activities and people, places and things all demanding your attention! Exhilarating, isn't it? Until of course, you really do make like a firework and burn out.

9) Your House. This is the humble abode where all this Christmas cheer; the sounds, smells, sights and tastes of the holiday all collide into something best described as... chaos! Even if you aren't spending the actual holiday in your home, chances are you will be going to someone elses home where this takes place. Funny thing about the chaos is that it can also feel kind of cozy.

10) Your Heart. Whether your Christmas spirit quota is reminiscent of a burned out Christmas light (like mine) or a the whole dang tree, this is the place Christmas truly is. You can have the right music, the most tastefully done decor and all the perfect presents and be stressed and miserable. You can also have a wonderful Christmas without any of these things. Christmas is a holiday of the heart.

I hope you have a merry one.

Thanksgiving Eve

There's a stack of half finished posts sitting in the inner recesses of this blog. I keep on starting to post, getting sidetracked and starting a new post the next day with renewed vigor.

You would think that after about a week of this I would get enough vigor to get the job done.

On this (freezing cold) Thanksgiving Eve, there is a frenzy of house cleaning, pie baking and preparing going on around here. I suppose that is what holidays have come to mean to me in general- more to do.

But I do love Thanksgiving. Firstly because of the food and secondly because of the meaning. Yeah, my priorities could use some adjusting. I love that Thanksgiving has remained somewhat untouched by commericalization. <-- Made that word up. Deal with it.

It's still about getting together with the people you love and sharing time and food.

It's still about being thankful for what you have, no matter what you don't have.

My grandparents should be arriving soon. I'm glad they can be here for the next few days.

I hope ya'll have a very happy Thanksgiving and that you slow down to remember what matters the most and be grateful for it.

And if those things are people... let them know you appreciate them, not only today, but all the time.  <3

For My Older Little Sister

Today is the day between two special days.

Yesterday, my older sister, Kelley, left home.

Tomorrow is her birthday.

Yesterday she woke up at the crack of dawn (and sleeping in the same room I know this for a fact) gathered up all of her stuff, carted her very heavy suitcase down the stairs and hustled and bustled until about 6:00 AM, when she roused me from my beloved bed and I hugged her goodbye.

Tomorrow, Kelley is starting training with NET ministries She is also turning 19 years old. Training lasts a little over a month. Then she hits the road for eight months.

I am the second oldest of nine. Yeah. Nine. As in the number nine, like one, two, three, four and so on and so on. Kelley is my one and only older sister.

Growing up, she was my best friend. She was the leader of our wild and crazy games of pretend. She loved playing "family" and that meant I was often the guy, which also meant I was her older brother, husband or son whenever the need arose. We played paper dolls with towns streching over our entire bedroom. We played dress up with gowns, aprons and hats, becoming anyone and everyone from Cinderella to an evil stepsister. We announced, planned and held eleborate weddings for every pair of toys we could think of.

She has influenced me in a lot of ways she will never know, and probably some I don't even realize. I followed her into almost everything. I looked up to her and I still do. I was right behind her in everything for a long time, and the only thing I have ever surpassed her in is height.

Kelley is a leader. She is an organizer. She is an oldest. She is a good friend, listener and sister. She will be an excellent wife and mother some day, which is what she has wanted to do for as long as I have known her.

She is the first child to leave our family, and in a way, it is an ending and a beginning for the whole clan.

We will miss her very much while she is gone, but we are also very happy for her. For the past three years she has been so excited about NET and the work they are doing, not just in St. Paul, Minnesota, but in the entire country. I am so glad she finally is living what she has been dreaming about.

I am happy for her, and I am also proud of her. She has finally spread the beautiful wings I have watched her grow for over a decade and fly, showing the rest of the world what I was lucky enough to see first.

Happy Birthday, Kelley. I love you, Older Little Sister.