Taking the lickings and keeping on ticking

THE older I get, the more I learn. But I have to unlearn first.

I fussed last night about having to go out to B's brother's house for a family get together. We had a long conversation about how hard it was for me to want to leave the house and go visiting, since I don't find it pleasurable. But you know, every time I kick my feet and plant myself, God seems to tell me how wrong I am.

To make a long story short, we went, we had prime rib, there was lots of people. I laughed at the robotic dinosaur toy, joked with the adults, played with the little kids and the dog, had great conversation, dandled babies, ate wonderful food, and had a great time. Wow. If home hadn't been calling (lonely kids who didn't want to go with us but didn't want us gone long, either), I could've stayed a couple more hours. Is THIS what family feels like?

"They like me, they really like me!" LOL

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B is feeling okay. He claims that he's feeling better, but I've caught him in the ibuprofen, with his hands rubbing at the bottom of his ribs in back. His kidneys still hurt. We need to find out what this is soon. If they can't figure it out here, we'll have to go to Seattle to Virginia Mason.

It's snowing this morning, great big hanks of flakeage the size of your thumb, huge and wet. At least its an improvement over the freezing rain that we chipped off the car this morning. That gives us about a foot of snow all told. It's going to melt soon and flood all the catch basins that are frozen over. The plow guys are on the 2 way radio hot and heavy this morning, trying to keep up. It's going to get interesting.

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My 40th birthday is Wednesday. In our office, we get the choice of taking one of two half-days off: either Christmas Eve, or New Year's Eve. B and I worked Christmas Eve and are taking Wednesday afternoon off as our 'gimme' day. That way I get half a day to play at home on my birthday. We don't really party, either one of us, but we'll probably settle in with some Little Cheesy Smokies and a case of beer. If either of us sees the ball drop it'll be a miracle. LOL Some things just get less important as you get older. For me, I'd take cuddling in my nice warm bed with B over sitting up watching everyone else party on TV any day.

The daughter has been beside herself: she's absolutely convinced that she's going to 'get me good'. She has all the black balloons and streamers planned. I told her I was going to post guard so she couldn't come in and decorate my office! Ah well....at least there may be cake! I told her I liked chocolate. ;-)

Something like THIS would be okay.

But you know what? I already have all the gifts I need. I told B he wasn't to buy me a thing. All I want... all I need... is what I have. My family. My B. This life.

I could not ask for more.