Staggering Back

Well gang, I'm back! (Was actually back Friday but too swamped to finish a decent post!) Not exactly bright eyed and bushy-tailed but not altogether un-blessed. ;) Christmas was wonderful. I mean, don't get me wrong, there were no sugar plum fairies or magical snow covered days but it was a great day. Being Alyssa's first Christmas, having all my family there and reasonably healthy, it was truly a blessed day. You know, I got to thinking about it and you know how when we were kids Christmas was all about the presents and the candy and decorations. Now the important things about it (besides the real reason we celebrate--Jesus, in case you're wondering) don't have anything to do with what I get or what the house looks like or what I eat. Yes, I do get great joy from pertying up my dismal abode and love the lights on folks' houses and I do loves me some candy and homemade treats but I get greater joy from the people in my life and making them happy--seeing them happy. I treasure the look on their faces when they open something I've given them--especially if it's something I knew they really wanted or needed. I treasure spending time with them sitting around the kitchen table with a cup of coffee or a coke and laughing about what silly thing one of us has done now. It was just really wonderful.

Alyssa enjoyed her first Christmas, I think. She seemed to be into her presents, that's for sure. lol We had a lot of fun with her. They came the Sunday before and went to church with us and then we all spent the night at the folks' house. She's such a sweetheart. She watched Emmy roll and cut cookies, played with Nana and Bobo, tried to play with Libby but Libby wasn't having any of that. She's just such an alert little thing for one so young. I wish they could've stayed Christmas Eve night but they wanted their first Christmas as a family in their own home. I can't really blame them. It's a special event for new parents.

Emmy had a blast, too. She came from Bama the Saturday before (her daddy brought her and dropped her off) and stayed unto the Saturday before New Years. She loves staying at Nana's house. And who wouldn't? Nana lets her get away with murder. hehehehe She got almost everything she wanted and we had the all important "what Christmas is really about" talk. She's still young enough that the whole concept and importance of Jesus's birth doesn't really make a lot of sense though she knows that He is important. I think where she gets lost is the "He came to save us from our sins" thing. She doesn't really understand yet what sin is and how Jesus can be God's son. The holy trinity is COMPLETELY over her head. lol But it's great that she's starting to ask questions, starting to think about it and wanting to know and understand. I only hope that I explained it right! LOL

I had fun with Libby, too. She doesn't get what the big deal is--wasn't interested in opening her presents at all. She was more into what everyone else was doing with all that paper and boxes and stuff. And yes--I did get her some presents. Wrapped them too. She got a new treat jar, a new toy and a big fluffy new pillow to make her crate comfy. :)

Nipper, Mama's dog, on the other hand--he loves Christmas as much as any kid. He was hilarious opening his present. He knew exactly what Mama meant when she said that it was his and to open it. He snatched it from her hands and went to tearing at the paper with his teeth. hehehehe Then he tried to unload Emmy's new Hannah Montana blanket from her. Pulled it right out of the bag it was in and was attempting to carry it across the room before we knew what he was doing. rofl

The rest of the vacation was pretty good. I spent some time at home with Libby laying around. We cleaned the house a bit (not much, though!), watched movies and cuddled. It was nice. That is, until The Friday before New Years. I attempted to go to Wal-Mart for groceries and nearly got creamed. As I was pulling out onto the highway in an attempt to beat oncoming traffic, my loverly car decided try and strand me in the middle of the highway. At least that's what it felt like. It sputtered and was really slow to move, backfired a couple of times. I finally did beat the car that was bearing down on me and managed to make it to the other side of the highway to a gravel lot where I parked and tried to get my racing heart to slow. Man, I've rarely been so scared. I sat there for what felt like half an hour (it was really more like five minutes, I think) trying to figure out what to do. It hadn't gone dead on me and none of the gauges were on so I said a prayer and decided to try and make it home.

I did make it home. Called my mother to ask her opinion (because mothers always know best) and she hooked me up with a shop that's a couple or three miles down the road from me. They agreed to check it out. Needless to say, Jana has been without a car ever since. They couldn't figure it out on Friday so they kept it over the long holiday weekend. Still couldn't figure it out on Wednesday. Thursday they finally discovered the problem and it wasn't good news.

Over $600 was their rough estimate. Apparently when my car overheated two years ago it warped the gasket and has just now started causing some cylinder problems. Don't ask me. I don't know. All I know is I'm not sinking over $600 into a car that has been nothing but a pain in my backside for the past couple of years.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all this the opportunity of a nicer house came available. A 3Br 2Ba home with central heat and air for the bargain price of $450 a month. It sounded like a dream come true to me. I called and talked to the man who owns it. We had a couple of good conversations. I tried three times to make an appointment to see it and each time something came up and he couldn't meet me. When I tried again on Friday he informed me that he'd just rented it out to someone else. The cad.

So, I'm without a car and stuck in my crumbling house.

But, there is good news. Sis2 graciously agreed to just GIVE me her old car. You know the one I was supposed to buy from her months ago? I called her in tears Thursday night (when I thought I might still could get the house--but I couldn't afford the new house and a car payment) and explained my situation and asked her if there was anyway she could find it in her heart to just GIVE me the car. Man, that hurt. Like physically hurt. I hate asking anyone for anything. She talked it over with her dh though and agreed that I could have it free and clear. She's mentioned just giving it to me back when she first got her new car but Goofus decided they needed some money from it (why it's any of his business I don't understand. The car was hers--she'd paid for it in full before they even met!) But she told me Thursday that regardless of whether or not I got the house she wanted me to have it free and clear and if I wanted to pay anything on it it was entirely up to me. So thank God for generous sisters.

And that's the drama with me. Pictures tomorrow maybe. ;)