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Just Got Through January – Almost

January 27, 2023 by Lauren 6 Comments

Just got throughWe just got through January – almost,  and it’s National Fun at Work Day!  I’m not at work because my oldest daughter, Shelby, had major surgery last Thursday.  She and I will be hanging out together for the next several weeks as she heals and recovers.

 

Two years ago in January Shelby endured a spinal fusion that improved her posture and mobility immensely.  Unfortunately, some hardware came loose in her lower lumbar necessitating a second surgery.  She has taken an anti-convulsant medication for 20 years that affects bone density.  So this time the surgeon bone grafted from her pelvis and added an artificial agent (I’m not even going to try to remember what it’s called) to encourage a stronger bond.

 

January brings insurance changes for lots of people.  That means a lot my work for me and my co-workers.  So I logged lots of hours while I could – knowing I had time off for Shelby’s surgery coming up.

 

 

The hubs and I treated ourselves to an early anniversary date (24 years).  We went to dinner and a night time flight around Dallas in a Cessna Cardinal.  Was so fun to do something different than our normal dinner and a movie date.  Which I also love, by the way.

 

A good friend of mine had a milestone birthday with a fun surprise party and my Papa celebrated a different milestone.  I enjoyed visiting with both!

 

My daughter and some friends started a Friday night bible study at our house and even lead worship using a song she wrote with other one of the teenagers.  These are the things that fill me with so much joy and gratitude.

 

And the day after Shelby’s surgery,  I accompanied my daughter, her friend and her friend’s mom to Baylor Campus for a scholarship event.  Exciting and stressful and nerve wracking.  All the things.  This girl needs some private school money!

 

I Just Got Through This Entertainment

 

Chuck and I have been watching the newly rebooted Quantum Leap.  We both loved the OG starring Scott Bakula.  I don’t think this one is as good, but we are enjoying it enough.  And we are still checking out DVDs of The West Wing from the library.  We’ve made it to season 4 so far.  December was all about Christmas shows and Christmas reads so I put everything else on hold until after the holidays.

 

We went to the theater with Shelby to see A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks.  I found it so bitter sweet.  I laughed and cried.  It probably won’t win any awards because it is so sentimental and a little predictable, but I highly recommend.

 

I am attempting to read Joy:  Poet, Seeker, and the Woman Who Captivated C.S. Lewis by Abigail Santamaria.  I say attempting because I’ve gone back and forth several times on whether or not I should quit it.  It’s a bit of a slog so far, but I’ve mentioned before how hard it is for me to give up on a book.  I’ll keep you posted.  I do certainly hope that this woman’s early years were more exciting in real life than on paper.

 

Now that I’ve gone through what we just got through in January, I would love your prayers for my daughter’s continued healing and recovery.  She’s a tough girl and I’m grateful.  And as always, I love you, I thank you and I hope February treats you well!

 

Now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

In a world that’s so full of darkness, it’s good to be reminded of what happens in the light.  

The Link Up

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 Now Let’s Link Up!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I will receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

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Do We Have to Ditch December?

December 30, 2022 by Lauren 6 Comments

DecemberChristmas dork.  That’s what my family affectionately calls me.  At least I choose to believe it’s affectionate and not mocking, anyway.  I don’t believe anything is quite so magical as twinkling lights and I love the decorations in my house.  I pick out coordinating rolls of wrapping paper and cover the floor under the tree in festive colors and ribbons.  The music, the traditions, sweet movies and time with family all have me asking,

“Do we have to ditch December”?  Every year I dread the post-holiday let-down.  I don’t have a blue Christmas, it’s a blue January in this house.

Click To Tweet

 

So hang tight while I relive the last 30 days.  I’ll start with Christmas on 5th.  My daughter was invited to Baylor University for a tour and meet and greet with other upcoming Freshmen.  We decided to drive down the night before to attend the school’s annual Christmas tree lighting, concert and other festivities.  Allie connected with a few friends who already attend school there and stayed the night in a dorm while I called an old friend and spent the evening with her and her family.December

 

The next day we met students and professors at Top Golf for good eats, fun and networking.  Baylor knows how to court students and I so enjoyed being at my alma mater and spending time with my girl.  Afterward we rushed back to get her to theater rehearsal.

 

The Gift of Family

 

The first Saturday of the month we hung out with our nieces to give my sister and her husband a date night.  Chuck and I took them and Shelby to a Christmas light drone show on Main Street.  You may not know this, but I live in the self-proclaimed Christmas Capital of Texas.  Pretty fitting, I know.  We played games and tried the new peppermint Frosty at Wendy’s.  And all the while Allie delivered singing Christmas cards with her jazz choir.

 

Speaking of choir and nieces, we went to see two of mine sing in concerts at their school and enjoyed both nights of Allie’s Winter Wonderland themed concert at her school.  So many family and friends came to support her.  The hubs and I could not be more proud of her talent – among other things.  And at the end of the weekend the jazz ensembles from her school entertained at the annual party for the senior citizens from the city recreation center where I work.  Same songs.  Equal enjoyment every time.  And in between all these shows I got Shelby to see Santa Claus.  She was struggling with some seizure activity so I didn’t get a great photo, but she still lit up at the prospect of seeing her “Claus”.

 

A bigger seizure kept me from being at a Life Group brunch on time a few days later, but she recovered beautifully to attend a Best Buddies party with her sister.  Where she again got to visit “Claus”.

 

Mid-December

 

About mid month I tried to separate my pinkie toe from the rest of my foot on a piece of furniture in the middle of the night.  This had me hobbling and elevating for a few days.  My supervisors at work were kind enough to allow me to wear house shoes for a shift.  It was Christmas sweater day and my holiday slippers did match the reindeers on my sweater.  So there’s that.

 

We ate BBQ and opened gifts with my family on the 21st since I was hosting my husband’s family the 23rd and 24th.  In between I watched my Baylor Bears play a disappointing bowl game.  And that’s all I’ll say about that.

 

 

Chuck’s brother and sister-in-law plus their 3 year old Dylan stayed at our house and my father-in-law stayed close by.  Unfortunately, Chuck’s mom got sick and had to stay home.  My other brother-in-law and sister-in-law came over with their kids on Saturday and we ate, played games and enjoyed each other’s company.  We also snuck in a Christmas Eve service.  I always love our church but service always feels a little more magical on Christmas Eve.

 

The Pinnacle of December

 

For the second year in a row we spent the entirety of Christmas day in the car.  Not fun, but my bonus son and grandkids are on the end of that drive.  So it’s well worth it.  The girls and I only got to stay in Colorado for 2 days so we could get Allie back home for the Passion Conference.  Chuck stayed the rest of the week to help his son with childcare and flies back home tomorrow.

 

Tomorrow evening we host PJ New Year’s Eve.  It’s a semi annual tradition for us and some friends and neighbors.  None of us really want to go out on NYE, but neither do we want to do nothing.  So we all wear our pajamas, eat, play games and call it a night early.  Can’t wait!

 

I pray you have something to look forward to soon as well.  And I want to offer my deep gratitude that you have shared your time with me this year.  You will never know how much it means to me that you take the time to read.  As always, I thank you, I love you and I hope 2023 treats you well.

 

 

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

Just in case you set a reading goal for the new year, I wanted to highlight Grace and Truth’s own Lisa Burgess.  She gave us her 20 favorite books of 2022.  10 fiction and 10 non-fiction.  So there’s something for everyone!

 

The Link Up

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 Now Let’s Link Up!

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I will receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

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About Me

I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
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