The Things They Leave Behind #2

So, this is it. The only arrowhead that I've ever found.

I asked my dad, the last time I spoke to him if he "planted it" for me to find.
Which he emphatically denies.
I was quite relieved.
I mean, that would be sweet and all. But I'm glad it came to me own it's own.

The story about finding it came back to me at Christmas. My dad, Eileen, and my brothers came over on Christmas Eve....

Being adults (and I use that term loosely), Rav & I don't expect much from anyone for Christmas.
However, I know that I'm always in for it with my dad. He usually throws something emotional at me.
So, this year he hands me a box. And they specifically held this box back for me to open. Rav & I opened our Soprano's Family Cookbook, our assortment of gourmet cooking sauces and such. But this gift was held back.

We finally finished opening and the gift was handed over to me.
To be honest, I was scared.
Scared of having an emotional outburst.
I open it and inside of the box is a small shadow box.
And inside of the shadow box on batting, my dad arranged various of his artifacts from The Farm.
A handmade marble, a thimble, old buttons, pieces of pottery, various small tools - similar to arrowheads.
I was shocked and stunned.
Such a beautiful, heartfelt gift.
Probably one of the best I've ever received.
Receiving such a gift, kick-started my brain and reminded me of the arrowhead and the story, which I retold later that evening.

I probably could do this post and my dad/the gift better justice.
But the gift touched me so that I cannot find the words.
All I can say is that I look at it everyday and smile.
Just smile.

Tacky Schmaky

I usually can't stand the feel of flannel. I own 2 pairs of flannel PJ pants & I don't mind wearing them, but the feel of them on my hands drives me bonkers. (And I wonder where Connor gets his Sensory Processing issues from - Gee.)
Anyway, the thought of flannel sheets never entered my mind. I thought if I can barely handle flannel PJ's, how the hell can I handle flannel sheets? Total impossibility.
However, Santa brought the following flannel sheet set for The Rav & I.
And I think I'm in love.

Yeah, they might be a little tacky. But, they have Gnomes on them. So, I have to love them. I walk in our room & see these bright, tacky, cheerful sheets and all seems right with the world. Well, not really.
But they make me happy. So, there.

OH - and SuperYay for first days of school after a (too) looong winter break! YAY, YAY, YAY. Can I get an "Amen & Hallelujah"?? I feel light as air. Truth be told, so does Connor. He practically drug my out-of-shape keister across the street to the bus. Damn, that kid is strong.

Food For My Oft Wild, Wandering Mind

With this post, Jen over at oneplustwo gave me a suggestion for a book to read. I was chomping at the bit to read this based on her suggestion. However, I was bogged down with reading "necessary" materials for research papers & tests and the like. So, it stood to reason that this book would have to wait a bit. And as I was steeped in reading out of necessity & not for pleasure, this meant that the other two books that I was trying to read for pleasure had to wait. And not only could I not read for pleasure, I also felt that I couldn't go out purchasing books higgeldy-piggeldy simply because I wanted to read.

I had come up with the suggestion to Ravioli that when drawing up our Christmas lists this year, we write down 5 CD's, 5 books (we both enjoy reading & he is a book carnivore. Eating up books faster than anyone I've ever seen. I always joke about 2 good visits to the throne, and he's done with a book.), and 5 movies that we want. Lists within a list, if you will. So, at the top of my book list - on my master list - was The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Ravioli indulged me & bought the book for me as one of my gifts. I picked it up on Christmas, while the kids were asleep & from the first line I knew I was in trouble. I knew that I would ingest this book like I would a good Belgian white ale or nice glass of red. I got pretty far in & in the wee hours of this fine morning (2 a.m.), I finally put the book down after finishing it.

WOW.

Amazing.

Haunting.

Brilliant.

I don't like giving book reports. When I do, I feel like my mother beating me with her scriptures. Telling me which ones I should read.

But D-A-M-N. Probably one of the best books I've read in a looooong time.
So, Jen. Thank you, dear one, for suggesting the book. Your suggestion & the delayed gratification were simply delicious.

Excellent Notion

First, let me say that I'm sorry I had to forego the 'Sunday Morning Song of the Moment' segment of my blog today. It's probably my favorite posting day. I look forward to sifting through the songs that are on repeat inside my noggin & sharing them with you. My devoted readers. My bloggy love-kins. I will make it up to you. I will. I've barely had the will and/or the energy to sit up-right today. I am fighting one nasty beast of an upper respiratory something-or-other. And I thought I would purge the following Christmas Eve thoughts & post a song post tomorrow or Tuesday.

I have been running through the drug-induced (OTC drugs) checklist in my mind. Everything is wrapped. Some stockings stuffed. The carpet cleaned. And two batches of so-so cookies baked. But I got to thinking about the gifts I have bought for my nieces and nephew. I got one practical gift, one toy gift and one book for each child. And then I got to thinking about the book as a gift. And how it probably is a crappy gift. That it'll probably get a few weird looks. I think back to the story that Rav has told me about how his Aunt gave him & all his brothers some hieroglyphics set or something. They all still joke about that gift & how horrible it was. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. But what if the book-as-a gift garners myself as the 'Aunt who gives us books every year'. Is that bad? See, I have this think about books. Especially children's literature. Books of all kinds speak to me now. And they spoke to me as a child. And though my love of this may not be shared yet by my own children or my neices and nephew, wouldn't it be cool if, in years to come, I am remembered as the 'Aunt who introduced me to some really cool books.'? I guess I feel it is my duty to spread a little book-love. Just as I feel it is my duty to spread a little music love on Sundays (usually).

So, I don't know how the whole thing will go. I guess to some, a book is a lame-o gift. To me, there is no gift better than spreading a little book-love.

The Christmas Noose Is Beginning To Tighten

This Christmas season has been flying by & I feel that I've barely been able to take it in at all. For one, the weather here on the East Coast has been relatively warm. It is very hard for me to get in the mood of Christmas when it's almost too warm for a coat.

Bryan & I have been so preoccupied with our 'stuff' that I haven't taken the time to stop & enjoy the season. He's busy with work & wrestling. And up until last night, I've been busy with my school work. I haven't watched "It's A Wonderful Life" yet, I haven't baked my cookies. Hell, I still haven't plugged in the lights that are set-up outside yet. We've been traveling through our days barely aware of what's going on. Not a good way to go throughout our days. So, here it is December 21st & I'm just now getting into the spirit of things.

I don't celebrate religously. But I enjoy the 'magic' that happens this time of year & I enjoy creating that 'magic' for my kids. Yeah, the whole buying things for the sake of buying gets to me. But, I still enjoy the season. I enjoy baking cookies with Connor to put out for Santa. I enjoy decorating our artificial tree with the kids. I love snuggling up on the couch at night with all of the lights off, except for our Christmas tree lights, and basking in the soft glow that our tree lights produce. I love that we slow down. Even if it takes us almost the whole month to do so. In our house, the emphasis is on just spending time with each other. Doing things that make us happy. And nobody else. Truth be told, the kids will only be this little once. We won't ever get this time back. And I want to spend it the way we want to spend it. Everyone else will just have to wait. Rav & I only get to create this magic for but a brief period of time. I want to revel in it.

Last night, we heard all of these fire engine sirens. Which is not unusual, as we live pretty close to a firehouse. But these sirens were a bit louder than usual. And it hit me what was going on. I jumped up from watching a movie, grabbed the kids, wrapped them up in a blanket & we stood outside. Coming down the street, on the back of a fire truck, was Santa. Waving, looking happy & passing out candy canes. As I do when this happens every year, I began to cry. It doesn't matter how many times Santa has visited our neighborhood on the back of the fire truck, it gets me everytime. And that's what I'm talking about. Just taking the time to enjoy these precious moments in time with the ones we love beyond all else.

Now, don't get me wrong. That moment lasted that long. A moment. Not even. This morning, I awoke with my right eye twitching because I'm dancing along the line between insanity & insanity. Yes, that's what I meant to type. I'm sick, Connor's sick, he's been home from school all week & I've been stuck in the house all week with both of the kids. I'm ready to blow. I'm not kidding anyone. These kinds of days suck. But I'm trying to grab hold of the good ones, the good days, the good moments & hug them so tight that their eyes bug out a little.