Simple Woman's Daybook for 28 December 2009

Outside my window…6:17 and dark. 21 degrees. Nice that we have nowhere we have to go today...

I am thinking…about the whole crazy, busy, joyful Christmas weekend! Although there were a few failures (I didn't get half of my Christmas cards out this year, and I would have liked to have my house clean for Christmas, and I wish the boys had all had fresh haircuts and shined shoes for Mass), there were successes as well (a single neighbor invited for dinner obviously enjoyed himself and stayed until bedtime; the games I purchased for the kids have been very popular; we talked to my dad in NC over the webcam using Skype, and even though I didn't get two last varieties of cookies done, we still had more than enough to give away and many left for ourselves as well).

I am thankful for…Faith, Friends and Family. Those are the big ones. Health pretty much tops the list, too. I always fear that Christmas will fall short of everyone's expectations, and without fail it always exceeds our expectations. That is Christ's birthday gift to us...

From the kitchen...I'm not sure yet. We have these confused chickens who were laying only 2-3 eggs a day during the summer and now, with the shorter daylight hours, are suddenly putting out 5-7 eggs a day. Suddenly I have dozens of eggs...and the kids don't even really like eggs!

I am creating…I'm sewing up Gemma's longies today, and yesterday I made a pair of booties. The girl has such dainty feet that even the size 1 shoes are still too big on her.

I am reading ...A Mother's Rule of Life is one of the gifts I received from my mother, and I have to begin reading it this week. I think it is just the book I need right now.

I am hoping...to have a relaxing week in spite of several things that must get done.

I am hearing…quiet children. Several are drawing in the living room right now.

A few plans for the rest of the week: I really need to get a goal plan in place for the next six weeks of school, and an updated menu plan in place for myself. I need to write a little "newsletter" for those friends who didn't get Christmas cards. I have to come up with what we will serve on New Year's Eve, since my sister's family and my mother will be coming over.

I am praying...for our family. I always do, of course, but I want to pray more specifically for all the various needs of each member of the family. I want to make a special point of praying with the children, and it gets harder as they get older--harder just to get everyone in one place. We do pray the Rosary each evening, but I really want to have a time at the beginning of each day.

Picture Thought: I love being the first one up in the house and doing my morning prayers and having my coffee by the light of the Christmas tree. Like a child, I would like to have the tree up all year 'round, but I know that in doing so it would lose all of its magic...Visit Peggy at Simple Woman's Daybook for more entries.