thankful thursday, the Christmas edition

Yesterday I was standing at my printer/fax/copier gazing out the window at the beautiful day. An older gentleman was in Kevin's office right next door to mine. I could hear their conversation over the hum of the papers I was scanning... Kevin asked about our client's plans for the holidays. You see... this dear soul had lost his wife of over 50 years earlier this year. It was his first Christmas without her. He described to Kevin the plans that his kids had made for the holidays... how they had gotten together last Sunday as a family... how they would do certain things around the holiday but... Christmas day... he was going to be alone. My eyes welled up with tears... for this sweet man... and for others like him... who find themselves alone at the holidays.... not that he isn't loved... not that his children didn't find time to spend with him around the holidays... but Christmas morning, for the first time in his life, he will wake up to an empty house.

This Thankful Thursday... I'm thankful that I'm not waking up alone on Christmas Day. I'm thankful that I do have options, that I've had several invitations of people I can spend the holiday with. I'm single but not lonely and I thank the Lord for that.

I finished my shopping and wrapping yesterday. There is one more thing I want to get my mama... one little thing I want to pick up for Jim and Angie but they are both easy stops and I can easily handle them in the time between work and our office Christmas dinner tonight. You should have seen the huge smile on my face when I finished up! I didn't do an extravagant Christmas. I didn't buy all the things I wish I could buy. There are so many wonderful people in my life who deserve so much more. But i know there's not a single person in my life who would want me to face financial hardship to buy them a gift. I'm pleased.

Austin understood that this wasn't going to be a big ticket Christmas and he didn't mind. I'm thankful that he's not a greedy child.

Our office Christmas dinner is tonight at a local restaurant. I'm glad we're doing it so close to the holiday... on a night when we don't have to get up for work the next day.

This is the last day we have to work before Christmas! I have a 3 day weekend ahead!

The last time Atlanta had measurable snow on Christmas day was in 1882. The predictions are that we will almost definitely have an accumulation of snow here in the mountains from Saturday thru Sunday. I'M GOING TO HAVE MY FIRST EVER WHITE CHRISTMAS!!! I'm so excited!

And the threat of bad weather settles the debate of where to be on Christmas day... I'll be right here in my cozy little nest. Happy as a clam.

Austin and his best friend Logan had their little Christmas get-together yesterday. I'm thankful for their friendship. Logan has been through a lot of the same dad issues that Austin has and they understand each other. Austin wanted a gift for Logan that was more than I normally budget for a friend gift... Austin told me to take the money out of HIS Christmas budget so we could buy this gift for Logan. That sacrifice was sweet in and of itself. Logan's mom is a little more frugal than me... Logan didn't have a gift for Austin... so he shared the gift Austin gave him... with Austin. Heartwarming.

Spice tea made. Some sausage balls made. I will probably make another batch later. It's all good. No more stress. It's all done. Peace on earth, good will toward all men.

Some of you go off the grid at the holidays... so if this is the last entry you'll read before Christmas, I just want to tell you how much I appreciate that you come here to read my bipolar little blog... I appreciate your comments... your prayers... your emails... your friendship, whether here in my little corner of the world or from a distance... as long as I can blog, as long as you will read, I'll never walk alone. I thank God for you. Merry Christmas and God bless.