*Midsomer

My husband took the kids up to a friends house for board games & Christmas fun.

I stayed home for an incredible 5 hours & counting of time to myself.

Did some work done and then I just discovered Roku has many (all?) of "Midsummer Murders."

I love a good "new to me" British mystery show.

One thing I do is repeat to myself over and over again: "Pain is just a sensation. I choose to interpret it negatively."

I do think it helps me manage migraine pain.

I've never met Mrs Pham. Her son and my husband are friends. Mrs. Pham is making us dinner because she is really kind and likes to cook.

We like to eat. Especially authentic, homemade Vietnamese food. 😊

Also - I don't have to think about what's for dinner tonight! 🎉

Remeasured the 11 year old at feeling like he seemed taller this last week.

He did. He's now 5'5".

He's an inch away from my height. I knew it would happen someday but I'm not prepare for it to be so soon! 😭😭😭

We have a massive, kid made with markers, sign in our house that's says "Triclinium" because my kids made it for our Roman feast to celebrate our completion of our unit on Rome.

I told them about your post because I did a double take seeing "triclinium" out in the wild. 🤣

I listen to several history podcasts with British hosts.

1. I've learned a ton
2. I often fall asleep because their accents lull me to sleep. 😆

My 7 year old is playing some game by using old (clean) yogurt cups as castles. The kids like to stack them and make large castle.

My 11 year old just told her "Don't make too many castles & take too much land like the Romans. They had too much & were unable to protect what they had."

😂 homeschool

No. But now I'm going to ... 😆

And two of them are taking advantage of the one that gets to eat a big bedtime snack.

However, I DO know what they are sokng and what that don't know is that I'm letting them. And eves-dropping on their kindness to each other. 😊

One of my children is having hand surgery tomorrow to remove a large splinter.

He can't eat after midnight.

It is now 26 minutes past bed time and all three of my children are in the kitchen eating apples, cheese, and salami.

I think, they think I don't know they are stalling.

3. We have to cancel a surgery tomorrow because our 9 year old has a piece of wood (sliver) in his hand and they told us yesterday our portion was 20k. Nope. That can't possibly be correct, based on our deductible.

4. I still think it's horrific a CEO was murdered

1. I'm horrified that a CEO was killed and people are ok with that, even cheering it on

2. I think insurance and the red tape/paper work around it are making the problem worse.

(The above doesn't even factor in the older individuals who want to know when one of our kids plays basketball so they can come cheer him on. Nor does it count the young family that brought a treat to encourage one of my kids who needs hand surgery this week.)

The depth, the heart, the love, the care, so tangible. Community incalculable and incomparable to our previous large church.

Over and over again I was reminded how rich my little family is in the blessings of God. Our little church we joined two years ago.

Our community garden is set to help provide produce for our refugee community. Our hope that the church can help in mental & spiritual health of the body and the neighborhood.

After eating, we looked back at the year. We were given info on finances of the year past and goals for the coming year.

We heard our lead pastor explain some of our 2025 vision which includes meeting the needs of our neighborhood.

The sermon sparked my mind to consider Syria's fall, the prisons free, along side the secular West celebrating the reopening of Notre Dame all in the theme of this week's advent theme Peace.

After the service we ate together (beef and veggie soup or chicken tortilla soup).

I considered as I joined in singing and prayer, the very tangible physical needs of the body - food to meet the hunger.

During the service, my heart was warmed at the sounds of my kids reciting the Nicean Creed.

Church today:

I walked in a little late and was BLASTED with the most delicious scent. Food cooking to be eaten together at our family meeting, after the service.

Then he says "I hope we don't run into the horse defense... I told the assistant coach that."

Me: Did he laugh?

Him: Yes. He said it was very funny.

Nerdy kids are the best.

Me: what's your team name?
11 yo who has his first basketball game tonight: we are named after the biggest military blunder in history.

Me:.... bay of pigs? Vietnam?

Him: Trojans.

🤦🏼‍♀️🤣🤣🤣

Also, I hadn't had a chance to print it out myself yet, so it's really cool to have a hard copy.

This last week, a friend (who is also a writer) gave me a printed copy that has their feedback in the text on Sunday.

I'm both thrilled and terrified to look at it. (Yes, it's been in my possession for a few days and I haven't looked at it yet.)

So, I finished my memoir in spring of 2023.

I've done a bit of editing. I've had a few friends look at it. Most just said "great job!" without specific feedback.

The Wonder of Christmas by Tim Bauslaugh on Apple Music Album · 2018 · 12 Songs

Your regular December reminder, my late brother Tim's Christmas album is a must listen. ☺️

music.apple.com/us/album/the...

open.spotify.com/album/7t9PJR...

Merry Christmas to us.

It's been sitting there for a few days now because we don't want to waste energy setting it up.

It's not like we are super sick, just worn out enough to not want to use energy on moving heavy awkward shaped things.

Also, our tv broke months and months ago. We got a smaller, second hand one for around $40. We purposely waited until Black Friday/cyber Monday sales to even consider replacing it.

In other news, better than all the above, as a family, we've been listening to Lectio 365 evening prayer every night. I like this new Advent family tradition.