Our December, so far

This fall I was introduced to the idea of a "December Daily" scrapbook. Basically it is a mini scrapbook, in which you pre-decorate 25 pages, each numbered 1-25 to represent the days in December 'til Christmas. On each page you leave room for a picture and/or some journaling about what you did that day. My friend Chantel and I decided to make December Daily albums, and I have been adding my pictures and journaling all month.

One week Wyatt was sick, out of school for 4 days. Toward the end of his sickness both Craig and I got sick. It was interesting finding things to scrapbook about on those sick days, but there was always something. From sitting on the couch watching movies or looking at books, to making a break outside to check on the chickens, some days I scrapbooked pretty insignificant things. But it's some of those little everyday things that often don't make it into the scrapbook, so I think it will still be fun to look back on those things year after year.

Here are a few pictures of the slightly more exciting things that have been taking up our time this December:

Will and Wyatt building with legos in their room. They play this way for a long time. It's so nice.

Popping popcorn! Wyatt then took the time to string it and make a garland for his tree.
Daddy brought home a box of russell stover chocolates he got as a gift and we all took turns taste testing. This was one of those special, funny family times, when I look at the photo I laugh. We had so much fun doing something so simple. And I'm not sure what's up with Wyatt's get-up, or Anna's expression.
Wyatt's gingerbread masterpiece. This was a fun day, Anna and I got to visit his classroom for gingerbread house making day.
Me and my parents on my Birthday, December 17th. They, along with my siblings, came out that morning and took me to breakfast.

Later that day I got to watch Anna's preschool program and do some fun Christmas crafts and activities with her.

Anna was an angel in her first ballet recital, a performance of the Nutcracker at the Elsinore Theatre. This was definitely a highlight for me, this month!

Baking day was Monday. I made Russian Tea Cakes, Molasses Sugar Cookies, Almond Roca, and Marshmallow Cookies. We assembled plate after plateful to deliver to our neighbors and friends. A fun way to spread some Christmas cheer.

We stopped off at the capital building during one of our Salem trips. It is so pretty this time of year.

This one makes me laugh, the pose is totally inspired by Anna, and a lady passing by was laughing, too.

We finished off our day with a ride on the carousal!

So there you have it, just a few little bits and pieces of what we've been up to this month. I have thoroughly enjoyed December, and looking forward to the few days still left!

I needed this today...

I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going ... she's going ... she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:"To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

* No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

* These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

* They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

* The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add,"You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

My prayer for today:

Lord, help me to see myself not as the world may see me, but as you see me. As a great builder. Please fuel my passion with the faith that your eyes see my every actions, even when no on else does. Amen

I've got SUNSHINE, on a cloudy day

When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May
Well, I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way?

My girl....talking 'bout my girl

I've got so much honey, the bees envy me

I've got a sweeter song, than the birds in the trees

Well, I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way?

My girl.....talking 'bout my girl

My girl turned 4 last Sunday. It is one of my most favorite ages. I am excited about this year ahead with her. While thinking about this blog post I couldn't get those song lyrics out of my head, I thought they were fitting. She truly does bring sunshine to my cloudy days, and is sweeter than honey.