Pre-Christmas Weekend

This Saturday, I was awakened by Elaine coming into my room, sneezing in my face, and saying in a teary voice, "Mama, Lucy has the Peter Rabbit book and is reading it. [A worse crime was never committed, seeing as it's Lucy's own book.] Dat book is berry special to meeeeee!" I figured, for once and for all, that child needed a copy of her own favorite berry special book for Christmas. Earlier this month when I was getting her picture taken at Penneys, I saw a gift set of the book and a stuffed Peter Rabbit. Foolishly, I didn't buy it then. So, I decided to brave the insanity that is the mall at Christmastime, specifically the Saturday right before Christmas. Kill me.

However, first I had to drop both girls off at my parents' for a sleepover. I packed their church clothes and playclothes and clean underwear and toothbrushes and nightgowns. This was not enough for them. They also wanted me to pack their rice bags; their curlers ("so that Manga can make our hair curly for church, Mama. She'll want to, she really will!" Sorry, Mom.); their mermaids, Bluey and Elizabeth, complete with floating lilypad sprinkler fountains; both "Meet Me in St. Louis" and "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Mystery;" ("Manga will want to watcht these movies with us"); Lucy's elephant named Trumpet; Elaine's new Webkin named Anna; and of course Rabbie and Catty. It looked like they were going on a tour of Europe, rather than an overnight to their grandparents who live 35 minutes away.

I got that done and headed to the mall. Craziness, I tell you. I finally found a parking spot almost at the road and walked 3/4 of a mile to the door. I found the very last Peter Rabbit set, but someone had stolen the book out of it. Here's a little plug for Penneys--not only was it on sale, but they gave me a sizable discount because of the missing book--and I paid $6.39 for what was originally $22. Then I came home and ordered the book on amazon.

In the evening, Darren and I headed out to what I have been waiting, not only for this whole Christmas season, but since April when I first heard about it: the Selah Christmas concert. I was not disappointed. This is the second time we've seen them in concert but the first time at Christmas. I've heard countless renditions of "Silent Night," but their version, part in English, part in Kituba, with their glorious harmonies...the most beautiful version I've ever heard. They sang for close to two hours; I could have listened to at least two more hours.

Then we braved the horrible weather back to our city, had dinner at 10:30 at night, and had continued uninterrupted conversation. The whole evening was the Christmas present I've been most anticipating.

Sunday we picked the girls up and heard tales of cookie baking, cookie decorating, cinnamon roll making, getting candy canes at church, and the fact that Elaine told Manga she wasn't going to pick her nightgown up off the floor. In the evening, we all bundled up again and went to our choir's Christmas concert. It was so beautiful, too. I sat with the girls in the back of the sanctuary, and they waved to Daddy who is in the choir.

So that was our weekend! I'll leave you with one of my very favorite Christmas songs that I've been listening to over and over this season...here...Enjoy!