Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to one and to all!

Whew. What at day. It all started at 7:30 AM. Yes, my nieces let us sleep in a bit this year (guess we kept them up late the night before). And by 7:50 we were looking at the loot in our stockings and opening presents under the tree. All in all, gift-giving wise it has been a wonderful christmas. Not too overwhelming for the girls (or the adults) and certainly some fun surprises in there too. Grace got her Princess and the Pauper Barbie, Kira got her Jack and Annie book. All was good.

Of course my treat of the day was to log on to the computer and spend some time IMing with Rich. We got each other web cameras for Christmas and what a wonderful treat it is to see his face as we communicate back and forth via computer. I tell you, technology is an amazing thing. It is wild to think that though our computers we can see each other, real time, and feel connected on this special holiday. Of course now with the video, I am much more aware of how I look when I type on the computer. I look at the key board quite a lot. Thats what you get for deciding to opt out of typing class in high school, I guess.

It was through the web cam today that my sister and her family got to "meet" Rich for the first time. And what chaos! Kira and Grace were elated to see themselves on the computer screen. I don't think they quite caught on that the focus was supposed to be on meeting Rich. Oh well, at least Rich got to see them in their element.

So in some small way at that moment today, I felt a bit of what I believe Christmas is about. My family (Rich included) was gathered around the computer sharing the Christmas spirit. Laughing, teasing each other, being goofy, screaming, sometimes arguing, but all together. I felt complete. It is times like this that I savor. It is times like this where I feel God's presence reminding me that this is what life is all about. And that I have found it. Or rather, I have it. It was given to me with no real search on my part. God has blessed me indeed.

Brr!

It's f-f-fr-freezing! It is officially winter in Ithaca and pretty darn cold. Latest reading is 1 degree. . . . but it feels like -14 degrees with the wind chill. Wowzers, that is cold! "Colder than a witch's navel," my Dad would say. But Dad, just how cold is a witch's navel, and how would you know? Ah, the important questions in life I never got to ask him while he was around.

It snowed about 6-7 inches in my back yard yesterday. It was quite the winter storm. We managed to shovel ourselves out of the winter whiteness and I started out to the mall to do some last minute Christmas shopping. About 15 minutes into my drive to the mall and having only traveled 3 miles, I started to ask myself, "What am I doing? Its Sunday, the roads are bad, only the crazy people are out in the cold. Why am I going to the mall?" It was then that I turned around and headed for the warmth of home. Christmas presents can wait.

So, given the weather situation, it looks like this neck of the woods is gonna have a white (and chilly) Christmas. Thank goodness I will be in Florida! You know, I love white Christmases and all, but this year I do not think the powder will be missed.