Less Than a Month to Go....

Okay, so I got totally cut off the other night, but for GREAT reason! I spent the next hour after my abrupt entry here talking to my former nurse/present friend, Claudia! A dear, dear sweet, caring, loving woman whom I'm privilaged to know-she's so cool! It was great to talk to her on the phone, we've been communicating by email for a few months now, but to talk to her over the phone-very full circle for me!!! Great, thanks Claudia!

So, one month from today it's Christmas, I can barely believe it-my Thanksgiving sucked-yes, I'm still grateful for my health, family, friends & home-but I've had better TG's-maybe next year!

This morning I got up at 5:30am (somewhere along the line I turned into a morning person) and hit the stores for Black Friday Shopping-yeah, I'm outta my mind, but at least I didn't camp out at those stores overnight-man those people are nuts-I went to a certain place to get a certain thing and the store opened at 6am, I got the last item I wanted at 6:06am-crazy nuts, I got it and got the heck out! It is very thrilling to go shop like that on Black Friday, I've done it every year since I was 16 (had a car) with the exception of last year b/c I was in California. If I had had more money, I probably would've gone to other places this morning, but it seems EVERY year on Black Friday, I'm broke-not broke, but just not able to spend money on xmas gifts just yet-end of the mont you know! Oh well, it's really NOT about gifts anyway-I even find myself only wanting about four things this year-God knows I don't need any more crap lying around my house or storages. I have ENOUGH, ENOUGH, ENOUGH-too much, so I just want the following: Garth Brooks Boxed Set ($25), the Oprah 20th Anniversary DVD ($35), and of course, MONEY! Why do I want money? WHy not? I could use it to lots of things, but mainly to pay off credit cards-which ironically I will NOT be using to do my holiday shopping-I've set a budget for myself-and a lot of that will go for S&H becase... this year, I plan on doing all of my Christmas shopping online...

I know exactly what I'm getting for everyone-except my mom, and I can honestly say that if I really didn't get anything this year-it'd be okay. I'd really rather give than receive-I think that means I'm officially an adult! Because you know what, I really DO want world peace, no more war, no more hunger, etc...I heard that song a few years ago when I was a little kid (about 9yrs) "Grown Up Christmas List," and back then, I of course thought it was a bunch of crock like "how could anyone really not want presents? Sure, world peace would be great, no more sickness for myself, my family or other kids', but seriously, no presents? Are you kidding me?" Now, 13 years later, at almost 22, I get it, no presents IS okay, b/c I already have so much-family, friends, health, food, home, etc-which is ALOT more than most people-and you know what, thank God for that! Truly!

I'd like to make this a very special Christmas for my mom and my grandma, and my friends and family-I went nuts over my Christmas cards debating which version was the very best one-today, I picked out envelope stickers and am working on a few other suprises I've got up my sleeve-I want to shower my mom and grandma with love and gratitude and respect-every single day, not just at Christmas, but for the holiday, I'll add a few things-can't say what it is I'll be adding, but it'll be great! I can't wait to see the smile and thrill on their faces-that's the BEST gift of all-well, that, and the fact that we're all still here-simply amazing!!! :)

I got a lot done today although it was a slow start...I went back to bed after the Black Friday run-but then proceeded to go through my 5inch high pile of mail, cleaned off my desk, went through the clothes in my closet and paid some bills-tomorrow, it's my bathroom-and maybe some more of my closet-that damn closet is like a never ending project! LOL! Seriously, I clean and clean and clean-and throw away and pick up and pick up and pick up and throw away some more and like nothing actually goes AWAY....BUT, don't misunderstand me, I don't want to lose ANYTHING here, I'm aware of the phrase "be careful what you wish for," so by NO means am I going to say "take this crap away," no, it's a process-like life, clutter and life are both a process and an ongoing one-so, I'll get rid of my uneeded crap on MY time, and so far, I'm doing pretty good! I really gotta clear a lot out though before I go to Reno for the holidays-cause I'll be clearing out my storage up there-so I gotta make room for more of my stuff! LOL! It's crazy, but I love it!

So, these last few days I've talked with my Uncle Bob at length, Claudia, my dad, my sisters (Jordan said she's thankful to have a sister like me and prays for me everyday-I told her I had a cold-she said "that's not fair, I ask God every Sunday to make you healthy and He's not doing his job) LOL! How funny! I just love that girl! I really am family oriented, but I think that's a good thing-I really do love and adore my family, and my friends that feel like family-whether blood or not, family is what IS about-well them and God. Actually, God first (cause He created and gave me my family) and then family. My mom said it the other day, "God, Sarah you're so family focused-you really do love your family-it's amazing," that totally made my day! I'm SO glad my MOM recognized that, b/c you know what, SHE'S the one that instilled that in me-growing up she was always calling and getting together and having active, ongoing relationships with our family and friends-so great example mom, really, thanks! Anyway, I also talked to my grandma and Karen all of this was GREAT!

Anyway, right now, I'm tired, I think I'll have some popcorn and read a magazine and go to bed-yeah, popcorn sounds great and even though I still absolutely love it, I haven't had it in a while!

I hope your TG Weekend is going well!

Happy Holidays!

Many Blessings,
-SL

P.S. THIS is what I was talking about earlier, about GIVING presents instead of receiving them-and counting my blessings everyday-especially at Christmastime-it really IS the MOST wonderful time of the year-it can be if we allow it to-if stay focused on our families, loved ones, overcrowded homes (thank God for all) and just thank God above! The makeup company Philosophy says this on their NEW "Holiday Blues," Bath/Body Shower Gel-and I couldn't put it better myself:

From Philosophy.com:
"During the holiday season, do something crazy. celebrate your stress. don't complain about all those presents you need to buy and wrap, but instead take joy in all the wonderful people you get to shower with gifts. more importantly, be thankful for all you have, not resentful for all you have not. we all are guilty of sometimes singing the holiday blues, but some people's songs are much sadder than ours."
http://www.philosophy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=25648&langId=-1&parentCategoryId=24026