Dear Participants,

The handmade-by-me-for-you projects are 99% done. Unfortunately, I procrastinated too long and will not mail them out by 2009. (They are related to Christmas so I might just wait until Dec. 2010 now!)

Sincerely,

Girl who knows better than to take on 101 projects at a time. (I get it from my mother.)

Just when I thought I had all the gadgets...

...santa brought me one of these for Christmas.

Yup, it prints pages up to 13 X 19 so my excuse for procrastinating diving in to the world of digi-scrapbooking is null and void. I am very excited!

Better Late than Never

I don't know if it's just me, but I've had a really hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. I think my "bah-humbug"-ness started back in October when I heard on the news about some people who went on a bank robbing spree just so they could pay for Christmas. Add that to the ever-growing politically correct term of replacing Christmas with Holiday (i.e. "Holiday Tree") and stupid commercials and ads that seem to be shouting at us to buy this [insert ridiculously extravagant item] for your loved ones to show them you really care. I could go on about how commercial Christmastime has become, but I'm sure you are all fully aware yourselves. I have also felt incredibly rushed when it comes to my favorite Christmas traditions, trying to squeeze it all in there.

Last week after taking li'l Bean to a Christmas party and feeling like I failed miserably when she wasn't cooperating, I think I just sort of gave up, figuring this Christmas was going to be a bust. Ironically I finished my Christmas shopping that very afternoon so I had "accomplished what I needed to." As far as feeling that wonderful feeling I figured I would try again next year. Then as I was driving home from the last of my stops, this beautiful song from my Christmas music collection came on. Sure, I had heard it several times before, but as I truly listened to the words, I looked in the mirror and saw my little girl softly falling asleep. I think everything just sort of hit me right then and tears started rolling down my cheeks. I felt so grateful for my family and all of my blessings (and felt slightly awkward as I was still driving, and prayed that other drivers wouldn't notice this weird girl bawling in her car...thank goodness I was almost home!) I was once again reminded how amazing this day is when the whole world can come together and celebrate the birth of our Savior. This is what Christmas is really about.

We wish you all a very, Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!

Love, Emily, S, Bean, Mally and Billy

I am sure all of us have found ourselves clicking aimlessly through blogs on our bored days. I am lucky every once in awhile to come across a blog that has me looking at life a little differently. Such as this one. (Admitted: I have heard of this woman's story before on the news, etc. but just happened across her blog today for the first time.)

Hers is just one of the few blogs that I've stumbled across that leave me in, well, awe for lack of a better word. I can never imagine having to ever go through anything so difficult in my life, yet if I did I am not so sure that I would handle it so gracefully. I am grateful in a way that these people choose to share their stories with the rest of the world because I know it personally helps me pause and reflect on my own blessings.