Middle of December, 2010

Hello family and friends,
This month has been so busy, it just seems to have flown by.  The accomplishments of the week, shopping, baking, school is out for Christmas break...
The highlights of the week:  John's 2nd grade class went to see the Nutcracker Thursday.  He is still talking about it and loved it!  We bought Nutcracers for a few family friends that he picked out!  What a treat and wonderful memory! 
Happy Highlight:  James reminded me that Friday is the anniversary 5 years ago that he asked me if he could call me Mom!  Still brings tears to my eyes when I think of it! 
More highlights:  My friends at small group from church watched the boys for me and I went to Holy Spirit Empowerment Night Friday night, it was awesome!  I felt so much better when I left.  God and I needed time to regroup without the boys and daily stuff to clog up the connection.  It was fantasitc and I hope to do it more often!
My shopping is finished, yea!  We met up with Mom and Dad Saturday afternoon at Toys R Us and went to dinner at Red Robin, YUM! 
The best highlight:  Sunday, the boys and my niece were baptised at Mom's church by her pastor and dear friend, Rev. Nancy.  It was so awesome.  John said he felt clean from the inside out afterward!  It was such a wonderful blessing!  John has been wanting to be batised at our church for some time, but he needs to be 10 years old there.  James hasn't wanted to do it at our church because there are thousands of viewers and he'd be a little uncomfortable.  This worked out great!  Another happy date to remember in December. 
We went out to lunch afterwards to celebrate with the whole family and my niece's grandparents as well.  That was fun!  My nephew came with us and we spent the day at my parents house, watched movies on TV and Prancer was a favorite.  The boys played great together.  They had a good day.  I made cornflake cookies for us and Mom and I made potato soup and it was so yummy.  It was a great day. 
And today, I finally mailed my Christmas cards.  Then, again later than it should have been, the boys and I put out Christmas lights outside.  I also found out this week that I passed my Praxis II test for Special Ed.  It's the one that you must pass to teach.  If not for a friend, I would have forgotten to check on it, it's been out there for a few weeks.  Only one more test to take since my grad school is in Arizona, I have to take another Praxis exam in March.
The tree is up, some gifts are wrapped, cards are finished, now I just need to finish some papers for grad school and all will be well in the world.  Snow Snow and more Snow coming this week.  When I finish my school work the boys and I will do more baking for our neighbors and take that around.  We plan on going to a few movies over Christmas vacation (Narnia, Yogi, etc).  I am scheduled to begin student teaching January 3.  I pray it goes off without a bump in the road. 
More good news, the neurology department at OSU Medical Center called today and moved up my appointment to Monday Dec. 27!  YEA!  Another prayer answered! 
So, all in all, things are looking up.  This year has been very tough, but we have survived.  If we can find out how to eliminate my health issues and school finishes as planned, wow, how wonderful that will be....
Merry Christmas!