Tuesday, November 22, 2011

It's Coming...and So Are We

The holidays are upon us. I have refused to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving (even though it eliminates one of my favorite radio stations) and our "Fall" wreath (as opposed to the Christmas one) is still up.  As another blogger wrote, "November?!?!?! If you are like me, you are experiencing a slight state of panic (right on cue at this time every year) because Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away and Christmas is about 6 weeks away...yikes."  [Taken from Ginger Watkins @ "All These Things"]

Obviously she updates her blog more often that I do, but that is the general feeling around here. I always freak out around this time, dreaming of Christmas lists, Christmas cards and budgets. (Except for last night when I dreamed someone told me I looked like I had gained 30 pounds. How mean! I think I have some guilt from not working out very regularly...)  I digress.

For some reason, I am feeling strangely calm this year. Maybe it's because December isn't actually here yet, or maybe it's because I am starting to let go of some of the things I can't control. If I have learned anything this year, it's that as much as I try, I can't control life. I know Mike has been integral in this realization... he is one of the most relaxed people I know.  And so, while I listen to the dryer run and recognize that no one is packed even though we are leaving for a 10 hours drive today, I am not freaking out. We will get to Birmingham....even if it is late.

So. I didn't pass the bar. And it's ok. I have worked through it and while I am not going to go into all the details on this blog, I think it may actually be for the best. I'm not going to take it again in for awhile - it exhausts me to think about it. At some point I think I have to recognize that there may be other options for me than the traditional practice of law. And not my original response to finding out I didn't pass. With no tears in my eyes (I think I was in shock) I looked straight at my husband and said, "That's fine Mike. We are just going to have lots of babies."  (Made no sense at all, but he let it slide.) Thankfully, the attorney that I am working for is amazing and didn't fire me. He has been so wonderful as a boss and a teacher. I'm not sure that I have ever had someone truly care that I understood what I was doing, and that makes a big difference!

Ok...I am not sure were this post is going, and I think it is probably more therapeutic for me than exciting for you. I think my point was, I am excited about the holidays. I truly cannot wait to get in the car, spend some forced quality time with Mike and see my family. My Grandmother is in town, and there is nothing I could more thankful for right now than her health. 

I am looking forward to Christmas and ALL the DIY presents I have planned. (Ha! Do you want me to cross you off the list?)  We'll see how that goes.  I will have to write another post about how I already received my Christmas present...a new phone! (It didn't got as smoothly as it may sound, but I am quite happy with the Droid Charge!) Also, we sold our condo in St. Louis! 14 months on the market, but we hope to close December 7. Merry Christmas! I will leave you with some recent pictures and plan to update more frequently - I promise!

Below: Mike's mom came to visit on her way to CA to celebrate her 21st birthday. She is not holding a baby - that is a bear that sings "Happy Birthday." All. The. Time.


This was Mike and my's first attempt at carving pumpkins together. It also looks like a scene out of "Dexter."

The finished product. PS - pumpkins rot a lot more quickly than I ever knew!

Happy Holidays!

(This picture is from June 2010.  We don't get out much.)

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