The Complete Season

Today is New Years Eve. It is cold and rainy here in Connecticut. Jim and I are sitting on the couch in the living room enjoying the last moments by the tree. He is reading and I am typing my message to you. We woke up to the news that very soon we will have another great nephew (he may already be here as I type this). Soon Jim and I will head out to do our usual Saturday morning errands, but for now I am really enjoying our quiet time together.
Here are the Christmas pictures...everything from the whole month of December. We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season. Time together, time with friends and family...it was over much to quickly. I deliberately did not take any pictures Christmas day. I feel like people get tired of me always doing that. Of course now I regret that decision. Oh well. Here are the pics minus the actual day :(

Jim, Zach and I spent a day at the Cape with my Mom. Got to see Debbie and Mike and my nieces too. It was a fun day!

Beautiful hand blown glass ornament given to me this year by my sweet friend Nancy.

We spent a day in Boston with the kids and then met up with Jim's sister Lorraine and part of their family. It was my birthday and I cannot think of a better gift to me than a day like this. It was great!

After dinner cannoli.

Yup, a city garbage can was our table. John and Cassie assured us this was "city" thing to do.

Jim gave me tickets to a holiday house tour in Woodbury for my birthday. We spent one Saturday meandering through some beautiful homes a few weeks ago. So much fun and the perfect way to have some Christmas fun!

This was the home of composer Leroy Anderson. He wrote this Christmas song clickhere

We make an annual drive by this house on Ash Road every year on Christmas Eve.

Hello Hobbes! John and Cassie's cat all decked out for their Christmas card.

Finally, Christmas Eve. Come right in.

That's my Daddy's sled there by the door.

If you sent us a picture card this year...this is where you will find it. We miss you all, especially at Christmas time!

Christmas morning, before anyone was up.

The only picture I allowed myself. Tofu in her Christmas jammies (Thanks Debbie!!!!XO) and a happy Jim.

It's early and I am in front of the tree. The house is quiet as if waiting for all of the fun to begin. Everything is ready and in a little while John and Cassie will climb into their car and make their way to us. We will all be together this Christmas and I cannot think of a better gift for a girl like me.

Before they get here Jim and I will venture out into the morning hubbud to get rolls and some last minute grocery items. People will be rushing around and I can't wait to be a part of that.

IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE!

At some point Jim and I will settle down in front of the TV for "It's a Wonderful Life" which has become a tradition for us. I know that I will crawl into my bed tonight and thank God for the blessing of all the Kyte's together at Christmas. Then I will listen carefully for reindeer on the roof, but will probably drift off to sleep before they get here.

Merry Christmas friends and family!

Love,

My body has not adjusted to the time change that occurred last month, and consequently, I am waking up at about 4:20 each day. Usually, I lie in bed until 5:30...thinking...praying...reciting scripture that I have memorized so that it stays in my brain permanently. For a change today, I got up. It was still so dark and I had to turn the outside light on for Tofu to find her way outside for her morning peep. I put the kettle on for tea and turned up the heat. I scuffed my way to the living room and flicked on the Christmas tree and village lights. Then I rummaged through Jim's Mom's secretary for a Christmas book to read. With book and tea in hand I settled on the couch. Tofu jumped up beside me and backed her self right between a cushion and me. My loyal friend, my pal...she does not stray far from my side. I opened my book and then looked at the tree. I leaned my head back and just started really looking at the ornaments. John has all of his on his own tree now, but ours, Kate's and Zach's still all hang on our tree. I looked at all of the decorations and each one took me back to a memory. There is an ornament that made it through Jim's house fire when he was a kid, there are many that hung on my tree when I was little. There are Kate and Zach's first Christmas, and the one's that they made in nursery school, and well...you get the picture. I started thinking about my Dad and how he used to let me help set up our village under the tree and how now I set up my own village. I thought about Jim's Mom and my Mom and how they worked so hard to make all of our Christmases wonderful. I thought about John's first Christmas, only 2 weeks old. Later Christmases when money was tight and I got seasonal jobs to help pay for presents. The Christmas that Jim and I had a big argument and I thought that Christmas was ruined and it turned out to be great. I closed my eyes and I let the moment take me back, way back, and it was was truly wonderful. Then I thanked God from the deepest place in my heart for this life that he has given me. Struggles and sorrows, yes...but so many blessings, too many to count. Especially the very first one, that happened even before I was born...when he decided that Jack and Audrey should have a baby girl and that she would have a certain life, and meet a certain man, and have these three certain children and the only way for all of that to happen was for her to get to them via another woman. His plan for me, my life. Amazing!

As you go through this season I pray that you will ponder similar things from your own life and God's personal love for you. I pray that the birth of a savior such a long time ago will fill your days with joy and wonder and a curiosity that will not be satisfied until his holy spirit fills your heart.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For Goddid not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3 vs 16-17

Brief Hello!

A cold stiff wind blew out all of the warm air last night and I woke up to temps in the 30's this morning. I immediately logged on to L.L. Beans website and bought myself a new winter coat. For 20.00! My bargain of the morning! I used a bunch of promotional gifts cards and a gift card from Zachy and my coat ended up costing 20.00. Yip. I will be retiring my old wool coat that fit me 30 lbs ago and now looks like I am wearing a blanket. My family will be happy.

Anyway, it's coming, IT'S COMING! Christmas is right around the corner and I am right on track to be ready. I love all of the hustle bustle so...no stress for me. I took my usual December week off next week and I will pull it all together and have some Christmas fun for myself.

I have a bunch of pictures to put up next week and hope to do that.

Meanwhile, I hope that you are enjoying this blessed season also.