Christmas Happy Mail

Today I received a thoughtful Gift 

from a dear friend

that couldn’t be more perfect! 

 From the label, 

the giggles from the styrofoam pillows 

(clever recycling!), 

to the wrapping papers - 

both silver and powder blue!

And the actual, 

deeply thoughtful Gifts themselves!! 

I’m smitten by the idea of 

“the holy mess of my beautiful life” 

and embracing it 

(as best I can in each moment)

 is where I will be sure to find 

Auntie Joy waiting for me. 

And while I’ve had my eye on it, 

no, I didn’t have the book! 

What a wonderful, 

Joy-filled surprise 

on the chilly, damp January day!

So grateful for my precious friend.

.              *              .

Evening Mass - Feast of the Holy Family

The Christmas angels are back! 

❤️🎄❤️🕯❤️

Lighting candles tonight after mass,

 I asked darlin' hubby,

"who do you want us to light a candle for?" 

Without missing a beat,

he named our nephew who's birthday is today

(and a little auntie birdie tells me is struggling a bit).

🕯

So the third one from the left on the top row

is for him.

May he find Peace.

💙

.             *             .

Santa Brought Me an Air Fryer

Playing with my new toy.

 Grilled cheese sandwiches? 

 Yummy!

Up next: homemade French fries

They were good too!

.             *             .

Christmas Cheer

🎄 . ❤️ . 🎁

How fun that today's mail 

doubled our Christmas cards for this year.

(That's way down from years past.)

.             *             .

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Silent Night

(My very favorite service for the whole year)

 💕

.             *             .

Chrismon Tree and Me

.            *            .

Snowman Surprise

Since it turns out that we won't be decorating this year 

I thought it might be fun to have some cute Christmas napkins. 

I found this jolly fella today and thought he was perfect.

..

After a late afternoon of baking, 

I sat down to enjoy a couple of my "Chips Galore" cookies after supper. 

I even took a picture of them on my napkin before eating them. 

..

When I finished and went to wipe my hands, 

I grinned so big to discover that 

Auntie Joy was twinkling up at me ... 

again! 

⛄️  .  🎄  .  🍪

(I had *not* noticed her before.)

..

.            *            .

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . . .

Hubby and I ran some postcards out to Lawrenceville

and, while we were there,

we walked around the square a little bit.

❤️

.            *            .

Holiday Helper

Penguin Percy and I 

have been up to some

Christmas crafting.

⛄️ .  🎄 .  🐧

.           *           .

Savouring January Day 25 :: Smile

Cheerful origami flowers and playful washi-taped popsicle stick frame are cherished 

Christmas gifts, handmade by my sweet girl. They've been sitting on the wooden heart 

table next to my blue chair since the evening we brought them home. 

💕

When we were at her birthday party last weekend, I was delighted to learn that she wanted 

me to have the little ice cream-sized paper cup lined with hearts and filled with treasures. 

It was the very last of the little girl party favors. 

💕

Thinking of my niece, her thoughtfulness, and how very dear she is to me always brings 

a very big smile. 

💕

#SavouringJanuary2017

.            *             .

We made it . . .

While a few days later than most 

(and I'm ok with that...feels like there's a lesson in there as well), 

Mary and I did complete our journey 

around my beautiful Advent wreath spiral. 

 💜💜💗💜

.           *            .

Playing Santa Claus (Finally!)

Finally felt well enough 

(and germ free enough 😉) 

to mail some Christmas packages this morning. 

 Yippee!! 

🎉🎁🎄

.          *             .

Silent Night

My sweet hubby.

.            *            .

Home

Watching Christmas specials snuggled up with hubby 

and a warm cup of peppermint hot cocoa. 

(Perfect medicine)

 ❤️️

Abide and Trust in Love

The beautiful foursome of charming angels was my favorite Christmas gift from hubby this 

year and they are circled around, ever-so-gently leaning over, my sweet little red oil lamp, 

bought at a lovely Grist Mill turned pottery shop about an hour's drive away from here.  (If 

you follow me here, you'll know that it was "rent" for time spent in my favorite porch swing 

away from home.  You may already know this story, too.)

This beautiful tableau has been gathered since Christmas day. Smiling because it didn't take 

long for me to realize, 

Oh!!! 

So *this* is what 

Abide, 

my word for this year, 

looks like for me..... 

intentionally placing myself 

in the midst of cherished beloveds 

and allowing them to tend and love me, 

while practicing trusting that they want to. 

All that is required of me in that (this) moment 

is to rest in their caring presence.

For this?  

I am deeply grateful.

.             *              .

Nativity Surprise

Who says a chicken can't be part of a manger scene?

(See him on the roof?)

.             *               .

Epiphany

For years I have been slipping off to this sweet little parish church every now and then for Saturday evening mass. Having discovered their beautiful nativity scene early on, visiting it is one of my very favorite Christmas traditions. It's quiet reverence always touches me. 

Happy Epiphany! 

(In his sermon tonight, the deacon said that epiphany means truth. I *really* liked that.)

.             *              .

Our Advent Journey is Complete

.           *           .

Sweet Surprise

Coming home from a few errands this morning,

Hubby surprised me with 

a yummy cinnamon bun

and some smiling new friends.

.            *             *

Almost Home

.              *               .