Uptown Girl

just might be my favorite Billy Joel song. Unfortunately he didn't play it Tuesday night. I'm sure it's because he's still not over Christie Brinkley, so I guess I can forgive.

On Monday, I received two tickets to hear Billy Joel at the AAC for Tuesday night. I was thrilled! I love almost all genres of music, and of course I have some BJ on my ipod. Ashley and I decided to go for the experience even though we knew we wouldn't know all the songs he sang. His voice sounds fantastic live, and he tore up the piano. The big finale was the Piano Man. It's always cool to see a huge group swaying and singing a song together. I can only imagine what a rewarding feeling it must be for an entertainer to look out across a crowd and see thousands of people singing their song, knowing people enjoy their music. It was a great concert.

If you're interested, you can read more about how we jumped seats and felt guilty and how the DMN reporter left early and missed the best part.

And here's a not great photo of the event...

My dear, darling husband was studying for his FINAL final. PTL, y'all!!!

Caution: Hall Decking In Process

The light crew showed up today to hang the lights on our house.  They are a rowdy and suspicious pair who eat too many chocolate chip cookies and Reese's peanut butter cups. But then again, who doesn't?

One of them is a ninja, a la Jackie Chan.

And I decorated the chandelier.  The next project is the hutch, but it's time for a nap for me.  How does she look, Mom?

Welcome Friends

Tonight some of our favorite people came visiting! My dear friend Alisia (who is the best pharmacist in Fort Worth) dined with us, along with my favorite brother. These are the best kind of Friday nights!

Friday Fave Five

Today's FFF is a collection of my current favorite seasonal experiences. Like most folks, excepting Mr. Scrooge before the ghosts visited him, I love this time of year. I think one reason is because we are more intentional in getting together with the ones we love. Anyway, here are my favorites for this week.

1. Decking our first halls with my husband. It's a Team effort around our house because I have zero patience for tangled Christmas lights.

2. Josh Groban's Christmas cd, Noel. Silent Night (Track 1) is everything you would hope from Josh. Glorious! And so far I've gotten weepy everytime I've listened to I'll Be Home For Christmas. You'll understand why if you listen to it, which I highly recommend.

3. Starbucks Non-Fat hot chocolate. I might be okay with putting a few Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving, but I can't drink this if it's not cold out. It's good, non-fat, and you get the happy red cup.

4. Turning into our driveway and seeing our very first big Christmas tree lit up in the window of our very first house. It's a dream come true, really.

5. Pulling out the Christmas dishes and serving up a plate of warm food. Why is it that the Christmas season makes you want to cook more? I'm going into uncharted territory to bake my first real cheesecake tonight. We'll see how that goes...

Feel free to pass your sights and sounds along!

Shout Out to My Husband

When I got home from Bible study tonight, some Christmas decorations that I wanted to put up but hadn't had the energy to were exactly were I wanted them. The boxes of other stray decorations were out of sight, and even the laundry was put in its proper place. HUGE, HUGE blessing.


Thank you BWG!

Christmas Countdown

So Thanksgiving is officially over. In typing that I realize how sad it is that the day was little rushed, at least by the retailers. But seriously, did you see the deal at Best Buy for the 50' Samsung DLP? It was long discussed at our post-Thanksgiving table.

I was amazed at the readership's commentary on shopping in Dallas malls and the outcry over any display of Christmas paraphernalia pre-Thanksgiving. Never before have I had such a hot topic on this blog, so thanks for sharing your opinions. I continue to hear feedback from closet Christmas music listeners and from those who boldly went ahead and decorated their entire houses before Thanksgiving day. But I'm not going to call anyone out.

I think I found a happy medium in the decorating. I pulled out just a few things the afternoon we left for Thanksgiving, but have left the tree decorating until today. Today is a day of firsts at our house. First time to put lights on the house. First time to decorate a tree over 4 feet tall. And for the first time ever, I have the majority of Christmas gifts bought, and it's not even December yet. Nice!

Thankful

Wednesday nights I help Miss Amanda with Mission Friends at our church. We teach pre-k and kindergarteners about Baptist missionaries around the world. Each night as we end our circle time, we go around the circle and let the kiddos pray. Although sometimes all we work on is minimizing the distractions, most of the time listening to them is one of the sweetest parts of my week. Some are praying outloud away from their house for the first time, and we love encouraging them.

A few Wednesdays ago was one of those nights that for a moment took my breath away. We had one that thanked God for just about everything that he could think of: for the roof, for the church, for the sidewalk, for school, for the dog, for supper, for Mom & Dad. I thought to myself..."when was the last time I just sat down and thanked God?" In college, I had a bulletin board that I would just write random things I was thankful for on all the time. Not falling on my face down the stairs when I tripped. Finding a $5 bill so I could go out with friends to dinner and not eat in the Commons. Finding a parking spot (Ags, can I get an Amen?) not in fish lot.

Most of the time I take the little stuff for granted. We serve an amazing God who has quite honestly given us many things we don't deserve--the biggest of course being His Son and the grace and mercy that came from His sacrifice on the cross for our transgressions.

Today I am thankful to be close to the ones I love all day long. I'm thankful for a husband who is a servant leader. I'm thankful that I have the ability to work and that I enjoy my work. I am thankful for my healthy family. I am thankful that I have had some mini-vacations over the past month that have refreshed me. And I am thankful that I can wear tall boots regularly for the first time since last February!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!