I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus

On our way to Park Ave last night, Drew, Macy, Tori, Chris, and I sang Christmas carols. After singing "I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus," it came up that "Mama" was actually kissing her husband, who was only dressed up as Santa. For some reason that makes me exceedingly happy. Many songs I think are really sweet I find out are actually dirty. This song, which I always thought was a wee bit on the raunchy side, is actually very sweet. It's nice to learn good things in this world of bad news.

Catsup Cures and Tea Kettles

On Tuesday evening I babysat my M boys. Since I brought them along to Caroline's piano recital (which was WONDERFUL!), they got to bed pretty late. So you'd think they'd be konked out in moments, right? Think again. About 20 minutes after being put to bed, Adi came pounding down the stairs.

"Tali, I can't sleep," he moaned. "There was this scratchy black hair on my leg, so I had to pull it out, and now it stings, and my bed is uncomfortable, and I can't sleep, and my leg really hurts."

"Okay," I replied, "let's go into the kitchen." I sat him down in Kai's chair and opened the fridge. Pulling the ketchup out, I told him this was a really cool little trick that takes the sting right out. I squirted ketchup on his (stinging) leg, and told him to count to 60. Then I wiped the ketchup off.

"Um, it doesn't really feel much different," said Adi.

"Oh," I answered quickly, "that's because you have to be horizontal before it can work. Hurry, run back upstairs and lie flat in bed."

As he pounded up the wooden steps, I chuckled to myself. I love babysitting.

I also love tea, and now [thanks to my bestiest friend Jessie] I have a tea kettle! While sitting on the couch watching "Paris When It Sizzles" (a totally bizarre, surprisingly edgy Audrey Hepburn film), Jessie pointed out my Christmas present under the tree. Of course I wanted to open it immediately. She wouldn't let me. I badgered. She was firm. I pestered. She was strong. I begged. She refused. But by Midnight, when I carried the oh-so-curious-looking box to bed with me, she broke. I opened the present and now I have a beautiful tea kettle sitting on my stove. Thanks, Jess. Yours is comin' soon. <3

Elevators and Bicycles

Today is my very last day of community college! To celebrate, I rode the elevator. This may sound like an ordinary thing to do, but it was actually quite thrilling. When I first started classes in Building 11, this elevator was being constructed. Although it was soon finished, I spent the semester trekking up and down three flights of stairs (because "skinny people always take the stairs!").

But today, today, I took the elevator. It's not just any elevator. It's glass. And you can kind of see the levers and pulleys as you ride. It was so fun that I went down, then back up, then back down. When the doors opened a cleaning lady shuffled in. I stayed on. We rode up to the top floor, and she said, "You go ahead." I answered, "Oh, that's ok; I'm staying on." She look at me like I was a lunatic, gave this very long "ohhhhh" and shuffled off the elevator, pulling her cart behind her. I rode back down. A very flustered girl got on. She told me she was late for her final. We rode up together. She ran off. I rode back down. Then I walked off that elevator, slid into my car, and drove away--to return to that place nevermore and nevermore.

And now I'm going to go for a long bikeride in spandex I stole from my mother (they most assuredly DID NOT come from the 80s. At least that's what she says...) and a tie-dyed man's undershirt. I look great. Don't leave your houses.

Life could only get better if my spandex look like this....

It's Magic

When I flipped my calendar to December, I turned my radio dial to Magic 107.7. As the Christmas music streams from my stereo, I've been thinking about the true magic of Christmas. Even though this is a completely secular station, they cannot help but declare Christ as they air Christmas carols. "Christ is LORD" I heard on the radio today. And that really is magic.

Hands.

Working

Reaching

Holding

Growing

An Act of Worship?

Advent has come.
Two candles are lit.
My church is wreathed in garlands and shining with twinkle lights.
Sitting in church this Sunday, I remembered how I used to think it was a little silly for the church to spend all this time and money decorating the church for Christmas. Now I realize I was the silly one. By making something beautiful, we reflect the image of God, who makes all things beautiful. This is a time of year when it is especially meaningful to beautify. Each red bow and white light and green tree reminds that Jesus was born into the ugliness of this world to make it beautiful. Decorating is an act of worship, a proclamation of the glory of that humiliating birth.

Andrew David

It's the big 2-0! Amazingly enough, Drew has made it through many wild adventures and is still going strong in this his twentieth birthday. Since I gave a post to Macy, I figured I'd better give one to Drew, too. ;)

I love Drew because...

He's so very handsome.

He has a princess-like quality about him.

He looks nice in incredibly short shorts.

He attracts small reptilian creatures.

He saves people's lives. Literally.

(Insert picture of Drew decked out in full Boy Scout attire. I was having computer issues, so this post is missing pictures that I would have included if I could have.)

He's sweet.

He loves his sisters.

And, of course, he's part of this great family!

These few pictures don't even begin to describe the fun, funny, fishing, reading, hiking, climbing, guitar-playing, spontaneous, wacky, smart, good-natured, beastly strong man Drew is. I'm so glad you're my brother, Drewby! Love you and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!