Merry Christmas Eve!!!

I want to thank all of you for being invested in our lives. We love you so much! Have a very Merry Christmas!

Token....

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. The token self-shots are baaaaaack!

Ella's Christmas concert was today. What a fiasco. Have I mentioned that I am NOT a fan of Ella's elementary school? Gruff. Delivering some gifts... Running errands... Gettin' her done. By far the busiest time of the year.

Day 7 MWTOTY

Tonight we ventured to Mom's house for some family time/ differ/ hang with my friend Betsy-babes. We had a great time. Mom took a few moments to talk to the kids about the Christmas things they see every day -and what it signifies. IE candy represent the crook that the Shepperd's saw. We talked about stars, and Ella actually proved to me that the lessons were working! -She told us about the night before our Savior was born, the dark night sky never came. It was as bright as the sun for the entire night. Those who were unbelieving were panicked. I don't want that judgment one day of being one who panics and hides in shame.

Lots of work to do.

Thoughts on my experiment... I am so much happier now in this moment of my life than I had been for entirely too long.

Got most of the Christmas cards finished, got the car back ($268 -never gettin' that back ...do I have any rich friends? Leave a comment, or send a check in the mail!! Cash is acceptable too!), glamorizing my friend for photos, and took the pictures too! I hope that something looks good for her. The season of giving, of beauty, of Christ has truly captured me. I absolutely love love love

Day SIIIIIIIIIICKS MWTOTY

The siiiiiicks has a double meaning... It's long because it covers 2 days (I want one more shot at it tomorrow), and the "cks" part of it goes toward an ugly stomach bug that's been plaguing the tummies and toilets of the house. Eew.

Ok, so yesterday was the ward party. The meal was tostadas (deeeelightful) and I didn't have to cook! That's what went right...
Lance's Dad wound up back in the hospital (after a terrible history as of late, including a quintuple bypass) and was ambulanced to Ogden. The car broke. The wii broke.
Merry Christmas $ = :(
Okay, so here's why my Christmas spirit is :) --No one was hurt or injured when the car broke (could have cost lives if these springs had exploded (thanks for expiring the recall last month, Ford) while going any faster). Ella couldn't play the wii all day (woo!). ...And after draining his chest and running tests, I don't know the current situation with Donny, but I think that no news is good news. I will have to hound Lance for the update later on. After I heard about Donny last night I said a prayer. I cried and prayed, and was impressed to ask for his health if it be His will. I kinda had a panic attack after that. There was an incredible relief to hear that the hospital hadn't called during the night.

The miracles are everywhere and can be recognized when we accept His grace into our hearts and look.

No pictures lately -during this experiment. ...Just words. A LOT of thought.

Day 5 MWTOTY

Sooooo, amidst distractions and tears we read some scriptures and said a prayer.

Thought for the day....

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves--giving of the riches of the heart and mind--and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store."
-James E. Faust

I need to work on my gifts......

Day 4, MWTOTY

So! Today hasn't been stellar, but not too bad either... Mad dash back for Christmas cards, as the ones I purchased turned out SO much different than I'd thought.

ALERT! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR ADDRESS IN A COMMENT OR MAIL ME: rebeccasortor@gmail.com

I don't want to leave anyone off the card list... The picture of the girls is SO cute --HUGE SCHPANKS TO MARY!!!!

Prayer? I'm so out of practice on this. ...At least I THINK about it all the time! Tonight I gathered the girls and we did a few more days from my book. When I prayed with the girls, we asked for a reminder to treat each other with respect and kindness... Not because Santa 'is watching' -but because it's how we honor Christ.

Love thy neighbor.

Day 3 MWTOTY

Prayer- man, gotta hit the knees.
Christmas spirit? Yes. This time it wasn't quite for the girls though, but for me. I went with Mom to her Relief Society Christmas Party. The program focused on women at the time of Christ -Mary, her mother, Joseph's mother, the Innkeeper's wife... So much about tonight was a personal witness within my heart that Christ is my center and that He is the Savior of mankind. The final woman who spoke did not portray that of a woman at Christ's time, but rather, the affected woman of today. This woman holds such a special place in my heart. Her college-age daughter died of leukemia this year. She spoke of Jesus, who knows our sorrows. She bore witness of the Christ who loves us so perfectly and personally -and as she cried, I cried too.

I found a quick moment when it was all over to stop her and thank her. Many many years ago, I had had for only an evening, her precious daughter in my care. I told her that when we lost John, yes, I lost a brother, but watching my parents lose their child was unbearable. I remember the first Christmas after it had happened so clearly. Though we heal, and our hearts figure out a peace, every Christmas is the sweetest reminder that Christ loves us -and loved me enough to give me the privilege of being John's sister. I told this sweet lady that her daughter's testimony was printed and kept at my Mom's home, where I read it several times. I told her that watching her speak tonight took me back to seeing the heartache in my own Mom, but it's also a calm witness that Christ heals.

When we stop to focus on the miracles, they come in to focus with abundance. I am humbled.

Day 2 MWTOTY

Prayed, many times.

-Ever notice that when you MEAN to pray, there's a constant running prayer in your heart, but sometimes it's just hard to find the time to hit your knees and do the work? Man, maybe that's just me. YIKES. Got Mia's eyes checked today -she's good to go. *Thank you, Lord. Fought more tooth pain and headache to boot, but survived. *Thank you, Lord. After cleaning up gobs of puke last night from Ella being sick, I had her home all day to whine and fight with Mia. We all took a trip to Sam's Club this afternoon (she felt better by 9 AM) after trying to stop by Ella's classroom to pick up missed work (yeah, the only teacher not in). So, I had a nervous twitch with tooth pain and feeling sickish -which randomly is including losing my voice (wth?)- I quickly realized that I was losing my Christmas spirit: a term coined by Nolans long ago.

Note: this term is applicable for incidents during the month of December and non-December alike... IE say Mary was caught cheating at Mormon Bridge, Becca might be "losing her Christmas spirit" because she didn't think to do that first...

So while doing dishes, I listened to the Mo' Tabs sing "The First Noel" and I cried. I gathered the girls at bedtime and dusted off an old book that I never finished putting together which had different scripture verses and a thought/ song for every day in December leading up to Christmas. We did December 1-4. The girls bounced around and only Ella could give me any real indicator that it meant something, but it did. ...Mean something.

I said a family prayer with my little girls and specifically thanked our Heavenly Father for the beauty of this season. Tonight it became a little more so.

Day 1 MWTOTY

(MWTOTY=Most Wonderful Time Of The Year)
Prayed, check!
Prayed a few times with a toothache, check check!
Christmas lesson? Well, we watched the oldie-but-goodie "It's Christmas, Charlie Brown" -which is one of the most beautiful and humble little cartoons ever presented to children. I love how at the end I was able to reinforce the message that was clear already (schpanks, S.Schwartz) -that the season is about Christ.

How did it go over? With glazed faces and requests for a denied dessert. On to day two!

It's The Most Wonderful....

I don't have everything that I want right now. I do have everything that I need right now. This is enough. Maybe this should be what I want?

The road to autonomy and perspective is riddled with people and opinions -Sarah, am I right??

Anywho.... I am going to run an interesting challenge this week that I have come up with on my own. I owe a WHOLE lot more than I have given. I will for this week:

1- BEGIN and END each day in thoughtful and REAL prayer.
2- Include in these prayers for inspiration somehow to help my girls see (even in a small way)why this is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

I shall record my findings.

Mia was born on November 30th, and she changed my life. This little girl is absolutely the most charming and hilarious kid you'd ever see! Ask her about her dance moves... She will argue almost anything for the sake of being right. She compliments people on jewelry or hair-do's --my little girly girl. Mia is so intelligent and wonderful.

Thank you swet girl for the incredible honor of being your Mommy.