Those 70ish Girls

I do this every year. I think I have all kinds of time and all kinds of money to to prepare for Christmas, and every year, the same thing happens. December 15th, which is the cutoff for time and money, passes and I am way short of both and there is nowhere to get more of either. I am the Christmas version of a dangling participle and I’m not even sure what that means except it sounds a lot like how I feel. On top of that, I wrenched my back again.

This year I had a great idea for gifts for the kids and grand-kids. I was so proud of myself, I took a break and now it’s the 28th, and I still have a list of people to remember. (That’s what I call people who mean a lot to me, but come after the kids and grand-kids, of which we have twenty-four.)

Tonight, I started to put a photo album together of our fall RV trip to give to Kip for Christmas. It’s a project that will take about a month. I got the cover done, so I will probably give him the usual, IOU. Don’t feel too badly for him. He learned a long time ago to buy whatever his heart desires and call it his Christmas present from all those who intended to give him a gift, but didn’t have the time or the money to shop for it.

This year was so bad, I didn’t even get to do the one for you and one for me kind of shopping. I hate to shop retail anyway.

I came home today after taking care of two of our grandsons for three days. I expected a little slack because I’m almost sixty-seven and believe or not, I’m slowing down some. Kip reminded me that Sarah was ninety when she had a baby and Abraham was ten years older. I told him Isaac probably didn’t have to be driven to school, Karate class, and go to a three hour birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. She probably didn’t have pizza on Friday, leftover pizza on Saturday, and Chuck. E Cheese pizza on Sunday. Thankfully, the boys wanted chicken nuggets on Monday.

Well, sitting here isn’t going to get me any closer to getting ready for Christmas. I have to get Kip up early so he can go stand in line at the post office.

My favorite part of Christmas is Christmas Eve and the day itself, when we can all enjoy each other, and remember what Christmas means to all believers. I’m never ready for the music to end and the decorations to come down. I don’t want to quit getting more pumpkin pie because we still have more whipped cream to use up or visa versa. It never seems to come out even.

Sunday, we will go pick my second dad, Gus, up at the airport. We’ll go to our daughter’s to spend Christmas Eve with family, and help serve at a restaurant that offers free Christmas dinner with all the fixings on Christmas Day.

I know I won’t see everyone I love this Christmas, but they will surely be on my mind and in my heart…

Peace on earth, Good will toward everyone… It’s almost Christmas!