Catching up with the ol’ blog

I know I haven’t blogged in a while. I’ve just been too lazy too.

So, we got back from Gulf Shores, right, and got back into our normal schedule immediately. No time to even unpack, it was come home and get right back into school. I was, by Monday, panicking because of this nasty practical that I had to take on Wednesday. We had to know so much information for this one it was scary. I had studied quite a bit over break, but still felt unprepared. Tuesday afternoon I hardly put the books down at all, determined to cram it all in my brain. Well, Wednesday morning, the dreaded day came, and before leaving for school decided to do a quick review and to my despair found I could not recite all the information of the muscles that I had so desperately worked to memorize. Stressed and feeling very stupid that I could not even learn these 70 some muscles, I left home in a miserable state. As I drove I decided that there was only one thing left to do: pray. I felt that if I could just pray with enough faith, God would at least give me a clear mind. So I did that. Driving down the straight empty road: Lancaster I prayed with all my might. I mustered up all the faith I could and pleaded for God to help me pass this test.

You want to know what all that focused praying got me? While I was putting so much effort into that prayer, I didn’t notice my speed. (first, let me just say that this is Lancaster we are talking about. Flat, empty, boring Lancaster. The same Lancaster that I drive on AT LEAST twice a day). I was driving 66 on this 55 mph road right when a cop saw me. Probably with the goal of earning more money for this indebted state, he felt the need to pull me over and stop the crime that I was committing. (I mean come on! 11 over! on Lancaster! I was praying for goodness sake!) Well, he came up to my window and, as it was quite cold out, I tried to roll it down and it felt frozen shut. “great” I thought, I can’t open the door or he’ll think I’m going to attack him. So with all my strength I began shoving pulling and pushing on that dumb window handle. For a couple of long moments I did this and finally realized I was trying very hard to turn it the wrong way. What on earth!

I gave him my information and he walked back to his car to do whatever they do back there. This was my breaking point. Here I have this awful test today that I was PRAYING for when I got pulled over and for what! I wasn’t putting anyone in danger and I just got a ticket this summer! I do not want another one. I couldn’t stop myself from feel terribly sorry for my pitiful situation and, like the pathetic girl that I am, began to cry, no bawl. I was in the process of wiping the stream of tear from my eyes when he came back to my window. Before he said anything I started babbling about my test and how terribly sorry I am for speeding and what not. He stopped me and sympathetically handed me a pink paper and told me he will give me a warning. Well, that’s right you better give me a warning buster. (I didn’t say that but I thought it later.)

I’ve been driving slower lately,

And I got an “A” on the final.

Other than that things are rather uneventful. Anni and I went to the Sauders to bake cookies for their little get together. It was a lot of fun spending some time in the kitchen with Christmas music playing, even though I almost ruined the fudge by putting a whole stick of butter in when I was only supposed to put in 2 tablespoons. While the cookies baked we set up the manger scene and got in the hot tub for a little while before the guests arrived. When they did we ate and all sat around to sing to our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a sweet tiny baby.

Anni and I ended up sleeping at the Sauders.

Saturday morning we came home and got right to work cleaning and getting out Christmas decorations. We’re a little later than every one else, but at least we were getting to it. That night we stood back and were satisfied with what we had done. The strung up lights and random decorations all over may not look like a magazine, or even normal, but it’s what we’ve been doing since before I can remember and to me, it’s the most beautiful thing in the world.

That night, to get out of the house, the boys, mom and I went to see the new Disney movie, Tangled. It's about Rapunzel, and I defiantly recommend it. It was really cute.

Sunday after church Grandma and I met up with Nancy and her “roommates” at the fellowship hall to see the Bible Class Christmas play. It was a really nice time.

Then we had Ryan’s Birthday party. I can’t believe he is already 15!