The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is staying up all night to get your homework done so you can start making Christmas cookies the rest of the week!"

Seriously, so excited!

Thanksgiving

There's this running joke in my family about how sometimes holidays for us turn into Festivus.

What? You don't know what Festivus is?



So, back on track: this year around Thanksgiving I feel a little Festivus growing in my heart. Maybe it's the rainy weather or the fact that we're in the middle of yet another big transition but I feel like I want to Air Some Grievances and participate in the Feats of Strength.

Or look at this, because it just makes me laugh:

Another great way to get out of the Thanksgiving doldrums is to watch one of the only known movies specifically centered around Thanksgiving:

And of course, there will come that time around 11 pm on Thanksgiving night where I drag Dusty out into the cold and begin our Black Friday tradition: Dusty complaining in a half serious/ half joking way about how miserable he is and me silently cheering on the people in front of us who start to fight those jokers trying to cut in line at Old Navy.

New New Beginnings

Well hello to the small handful of folks who read my blog! It has been a whirlwind of a past few weeks. OK, months.

Here's some crazy awesome news: remember that new job I started in August? Well, I'm starting another new one! I've been given a "promotion" so to speak to a full time Resident Director of the freshman girl's dorm. This means a few things:

1.) We have to move. Again. Luckily, it's only across campus
2.) We have to put even more stuff in storage. I am a-ok with this, for the most part.
3.) Dusty will be living in a girl's dormitory. He's a-ok with this, for the most part.
4.) I'll get to start learning an entirely new job. So far, on day 2 in the office, Post-it notes are my best friend. I mean they're everywhere. To the point where it's sort of embarrassing.

Stay tuned for hopefully more regular posting. I mean, after I move, and finish out my first semester in grad school. Then I'll do it. Probably.

Bumble-Ardy

I was listening NPR's Fresh Air on the way home from class tonight and Terry Gross was interviewing author Maurice Sendak, best known for writing Where the Wild Things Are.

This interview was one of the most honest, raw, heartbreaking, and beautiful interviews I've ever heard.

You can look at some samples of his new book Bumble-ardy here.

Listen to the interview. I know it's 20 minutes long but it's so, so worth your time. Here's one of the more haunting quotes from the interview; he's looking back on his life and in his current position: he's just lost two of the people that he loved most in this world within the past few months:

"I have nothing now but praise for my life. I'm not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can't stop them. They leave me and I love them more. ... What I dread is the isolation. ... There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready."

10,000 Reasons

This song is rocking me right now.

Good Stuff

Goodness

Tonight I just feel a little overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord. I've spent some time just sitting and reflecting on my life in the past few years and the only conclusion I can come up with is that I am a product of a good Father.

I'm loving this passage from Psalm 40 out of the Message:

"But all who are hunting for you -- oh, let them sing and be happy! Let those who know what you're all about tell the world you're great and not quitting. And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing: make something of me. You can do it, you've got what it takes -- but God, don't put it off."

So much more is swarming through my head and heart tonight so I thought I'd share a small portion of it.