Christmas, Car Accidents, and Charlatans Who Steal Peoples' Computers

What a season to remember! This Christmas I was determined to change things up a bit! I actually bought gifts for fun or just because....and only on one or two gifts did I do my overanalyzing (is this the right color? what size would she want? four or five piece? Oh! I just don't know!) That is the bog down in most of my Christmas shopping...trying to figure out what will be THE perfect gift for someone! There is no perfect gift, even though I did hit several home runs this year! It was just plain fun - thinking of how that person had blessed me throughout the year.

Probably what spurred the whole shopping thing on - 'cause it was nearly the second week of December before I even had a plan - was to go shopping with a friend that doesn't like to shop either. She inspired me, gave me confidence and great ideas! Thanks, Deb (yes, your name made it into my blog!)

I then put up the tree - with my retro colored lights - simple red and green silky-type bulbs and and icy (plastic) trim. It definitely looked like a 70ish tree, but everyone seemed to love it. I placed a couple of snow men on my fireplace mantle, two silk poinsettas on my foyer table, and that was about it for decorations this year. It was freeing - and still simple and enjoyable!

After wrapping all the packages and putting the house in order, I headed off to Carolina Beach for a week of writing on my book (African memoir) and relaxation and being only 45 minutes from my parents - whom I saw three times during that week! Two of my daughters and a boyfriend came down on Wednesday night, and that was basically the end of any concentrative writing, but it definitely began a whole lot of fun and laughter! On Thursday, I took our camera and our youngest daughter, Lauren, on the beach for a photo shoot (for her senior year portfolio). They turned out incredible! It's hard to believe sometimes that our baby girl is going to be flying the coup after this year.

By Friday night, Jeff and our oldest daughter came down to spend the last couple of nights together. On Saturday, we took a trip across the Fort Fisher ferry and spent a great time in Southport. My three crazy daughters tried to feed every seagull in the state of North Carolina, and when the bread ran out (which they connived from an old man sitting on a bench), they were attacked! This video was captured during the "sea gull" escapades!

A few days earlier, before the rest of my family came down, we experienced our first American home invasion. I say that because we went through two wars evacuations in West Africa and lost whole households, but this is the first time for us to experience the crassness of petty thieves. One morning while no one was home, someone (most likely more than one person) entered our house from our back deck, shimmying our sliding glass door open with a large screw driver. Thankfully, our alarm was on and went off immediately, but they still took time to go straight to our office, take our family laptop and a college guy's laptop (who was staying with us for the holidays), plus Jeff's iPod off his desk (but leaving his GPS - thanks, Mr. Thief). Jeff happened to be within 5 minutes of our house and go there before the police. We assumed that they were trying to steal Christmas presents, but they never touched any of those.

Three days later, the same college student who was staying with us that lost his laptop, was driving Lauren's 1993 Mazda Protege, when a man ran a red light and hit him in the front driver's side of the car. The damage was so extensive that it totaled the car. So, here we have a 17-year old without a car right now.

The last few days have been spent (for Jeff mainly) on the phone with insurance adjusters and representatives. In another blog I will relate the important things we have learned from these two insurance encounters. Maybe it will help some of you in the long run!

Despite all the frustrations and losses, our Christmas holiday was unique and blessed. Just spending time with family and friends and enjoying time away from responsibilities at home was refreshing!


The recurring theme playing through my mind this Christmas season was that HE CAME - Emmanuel came because He wanted to, because He loved us, and because He was the ONLY way to get us out of the mess we had made of our lives! AND HE IS STILL WITH US!! Everyday!

What's Up With Restaurant Grades? Or Should I Say "Down" With Them?

Is it only me?  Are you also noticing a subtle decreasing of restaurant sanitation grades?  In the past month, out of the six different restaurants that I have been in (all over the state of North Carolina) - there has only been one that had a grade above 95.  

Does this possibly mean that the state sanitation department has gotten stricter with its ratings?  Possibly, but not probable.  As with many things in life, I think there is a very subtle demise of our society in every pocket. That includes our more tolerant nature towards restaurants and how they are graded.  

Several years ago, I remember my mom would absolutely not go in a restaurant that had a grade below 98 or so.  Not a bad practice, I guess, but it is not also extremely fair.  Having two daughters that are working in food services, I am understanding more of the petty reasons for getting a bad sanitation grade.  It could be something that has nothing to do with the food preparation.  I do wish there was a way to differentiate in these cases.  

Anyway, I was just wondering if there is a philosophical reason for more and more restaurants having lower grades or if it's just my imagination running away with me, which seems to happen a lot!  Nevertheless, I hate to think that the reason would be because we are a society that doesn't care about quality any more.  That's a dangerous place to go and stay, me thinks!

Reflections on Five Months Past

I remember my parents and grandparents saying that time seemed to pass more quickly the older you got. As a young chick at the time, I didn't even pay that statement much mind, except to think that it was sad they were all getting older. Now, I AM my parents and grandparents, look like them, hobble like them, feel stiff like them, ache like them, and reminisce like them. I could not tell you why it has been five months since I last wrote in this blog, but life just has a way of catching up with you.

I was sick of all the election stuff, Christmas was coming, and after that, my husband and I took a cruise to celebrate 25 years of marriage. Being a missionary on a college campus, getting into the lives of many students, being a woman, wife, mom, daughter, and trying to be a good friend, aunt, cousin, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, and writer......well, all that jazz just takes at least 30 hours a day.

This weekend I have had the privilege of spending some rip-roaring, laid-back, open and honest time with two very good friends in the mountains. That always makes me reflective and thankful.

Who has been important to you and what has your past five months been filled with?