The Mayan Pre-Christmas Apocalyptic Friday

I think I have started and stopped this post several times, not sure if I wanted to share from the heart or share something funny... trying to figure out all that I wanted to say on this particular Friday - one its a day that the Mayan Calendar ends on so people are all buzzing about that - two its the Friday before Christmas and I am feeling a bit reflective. So bare with me as I dump some random thoughts.

Christmas is a time of mixed emotions--

So much Joy is felt on Christmas with the showering of presents, spending time with your family, etc.

It's particularly joyous for us because Christmas Day is the day that my husband asked me to be his wife three years ago. It's a moment that I will never forget - it was the one time that he actually pulled off a really good surprise.

But I can't neglect the uncomfortable sad times that Christmas brings as well - there are people who are without and I see it as I go into people's homes for my job; there are people who will not see their family and there is people like my husband who is celebrating this first Christmas without his Father. My father in law passed shortly after the New Year last year. Ironically with all the bad came so much good. As soon as we got back from a week long trip to funeralize and bury my Father in Law, my husband got promoted at work, I started my new job, we were able to buy the house that we live in, the cars that we drive - and so much more... yet, this Christmas, we won't have Papi to call us early in the morning to pray over us in Creole and wish us a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

I have always wanted my husband though to have a close enough relationship with my family that he would not feel the need to have to go through me to talk to one another... that whole "tell your mom..., tell your husband" thing gets old quick in my book. We are bound in love until death parts us, pick up the phone and call each other. If you can talk to strangers on social media, I think we should be able to interact with family... and it took some getting used to on both our parts, but I think we are getting the hang of it. I have gone to stay with my sister in laws family in Florida without my husband and my husband definitely gets called by Dad more then enough - so much so I think he calls him more then me.

Either who, in addition to the excitement of spending quality time together, I can't help but to be kind of jealous of families who don't have to share their parents - and not with my husband or in laws - but with the "congregation". My mom used to be a Pastor, so all my life I have had to share her people. Then twelve years ago, she became a Bishop and now I have to share her with the world. People don't think about the families of the Bishops and Pastors when in need as much as they think about whether or not Bishop will be there. I say all that to say, it sucks plain and simple. My mom and dad have flown in to spend time with their family for Christmas and planned to be here up until New Years Eve where I am sure my mom has to preach some where and my dad as Episcopal Supervisor has to be there as well... yet, phone call after phone call yesterday cut my parents trip so short that I guess we will see them for Christmas Day and then they are off - travelling back to Texas. Retirement can't come soon enough. I'll get to see them again during my Sorority Centennial and the Presidential Inauguration in a few weeks and then back to work for them...

Ah well, its time to take full advantage of Christmas!

Shaking it off and making the best of the days that I do have!

Now lets be real, its not all woe is me around here... if you made it this far in reading then you already know that I can't stay all self- reflective that long and have to come back with some small doses of wit and reality. I mean forreal though -

I am enjoying this mild/non-white Christmas..

but the last time that happened it snowed on Easter :(

And, I STILL haven't gotten all the Christmas gift shopping that I wanted to do- I set out to get most of it done yesterday but that was cut short because I had to scoot to a Christmas Party with the hubby. Sorry for the lack of pictures from that but we had a good time.

I have only started to buy what I am going to get for my husband and have not even found family gifts yet. SMH

 Yes, yes tomm is going to be crazy in the malls and I will be there like a crazy woman.

I am also the type of gal that desires to be all Christmas Crafty with the best wrapped gifts but laziness and lack of time always makes my presents the ones in the bags they came in with tissue paper and a bow stuck on it or the worst excuse for wrapping nicely a person can get.

Yeah, I am the one who worked at Target two (or three?) years ago for the holidays and watched folk buy up all the Christmas paper and was stuck having to wrap my presents in Birthday Wrapping paper from the stationary aisle.

And just because I can't believe this post has no pictures, here is one for ya!

On behalf of those who publish their own pics for free just for fun and the like, have fun Instagram with your new policies and language - I am sure I will not be effected in the least.