Merry Christmas!

Ahhhhh! Christmas! Well for the first time in a long time that I can remember (that's not saying much) but anyway it's been a great season. I just haven't felt as stressed. So here it is 8 days before Christmas I'm done (well almost-will explain in a bit) and I'm feeling good. I've even really felt the true spirit of Christmas. So buckled up I am! Let me give you a few ideas on what I did and maybe it will help you or maybe I'll re read this next year and it will help me out.

Well first of all it was our year to have all the kids for Thanksgiving so even though I would love to have them again for Christmas it is a little less planning, grocery shopping and Christmas shopping. Writing checks is great - so great I might do it every year even when we have the kids home for Christmas. :)

Another thing I've done is I've only listened to Christmas music. All kinds of Christmas music. It's been great! Andrea Bocelli has been my favorite this year.

The best book I've read is Charles Dickens, The life of our Lord. What a wonderful book and it made my heart swell. Really I felt it swell, get bigger. It touched me in a way that is hard to explain. It's short too! Only about an hour of reading. Read it. It's great.

I also only put up about half the decorations and the house still looks great. I added a few new little touches to the tree, just because it's always fun to add a little new.

I've had time to make a trip to Rexburg and see my kids before they head off to Canada for Christmas. And spending the time with my husband on the drive up was great. His phone did not ring once.

I'll get to see another set of kids when I get home and another set sometime between Christmas and New Years and maybe most of them during that time as well.

So back to the almost part. We haven't quite finished our shopping for our boys because my hubby wanted to help with that. So tomorrow the last Saturday before Christmas we'll head out and get that done and I'm determined to not let that stress me out. The man will be doing the driving. We'll see how he does. :) Oh alright he'll do just fine. So, so far still buckled.

Merry Christmas Everyone! Love you!

One Good Man

So did you see that movie? One Good Man? Well if you did then your life is better, if you didn't maybe reading this blog will give you that little nudge towards. . . umm not sure how to describe it. Maybe a place where you just want to be a little better and do a little more. It's a movie about a bishop and his family. I thought it was really well done compared to some other movies of this same genre. I cried through most of the movie and not for reasons of which most of you might think. My husband is a bishop and we do have challenges and struggles similar to ones portrayed in the movie but over all the movie just made me want to be a better person. So see it, rent it or even buy it or borrow it from me because I will buy it when it's available.

But the reason for this post is for my "one good man". Ha don't get me wrong here. Perfect? Um no, hell no! Him? No, us. But it really helps to have a good man. There are times, let's see, I don't want to look at him let alone talk to him. I can be so angry that that story about the woman sewing up her husband in the sheets and then going after him with a baseball bat comes to mind. And sometimes I just want to run away.

My man and me have known each other practically our whole lives. We met officially when we were 14 in the 8th grade at a gold and green ball. Remember those? Anyway it really was love at first sight when we were seniors in high school but it wasn't all roses after that. I wish I could give you the perfect story of how our lives began then but I can't. I can tell you we finally did get together and began a life with 2 little girls in tow and 4 others on their way. It's been a roller coaster and continues with life's ups and downs. One thing I know for sure is that he is my soul mate. When things are good with him, my life is good. So I work towards that, Good!

He wrote me a poem the other day. He might not like me sharing it but I'm going to. He's written me many poems over the years. For a man that doesn't read much (that's comparing his reading to my reading, which really isn't fair, since I just finished 3 books in a day) or do any crafts or sewing or card making or all those other things I consider creative, he's quite the poet. And yes he does go to chick flicks with me and I go to action flicks with him and not because we have to because we like to do those things together. Wow that was a little off track, anyway back to the poem.

Here it is:

Kelli, you are most precious and bright.

Without you by my side I am missing the light.

There is something about you that I cannot explain.

That is why my heart is so heavy when I have caused you pain.

I will never give in to the one who wants us to fail.

With God by our side I know we will prevail.

I married way up with your beauty and spirit.

You remind me of heaven and make me feel near it.

When I look into your eyes I am touched way down deep.

But this is not all. I have a wife who will four-wheel all day and look hot in a jeep.

May you find more happiness each day of your life.

I will, I know, because you are my wife.

Forever Yours, Barry

Okay grab some kleenex and whether it's from crying or laughing, know this. I have an eternal companion that I look forward to being with forever. Sometimes we're unbuckled but when we're buckled no matter what the trials or tribulations are, it's a great life and he's "One Good Man".