Catching Up with Greth

You might be asking yourself, "So, Greth, you've caught us up on all your childhood lore, but what have you been up to lately?". To which I would answer (my dad's recurrent bad joke): "Oh, about 5'6".

Rimshot pls.

I'll be here all week.

I've been up to lots of things...mostly trying to wrap myself around the fact that Christmas will be here before we know it. That Thanksgiving is merely two shakes of a lamb's tail away, and I'm just now putting away my Halloween decorations. As in...just walked down out of the attic about 10 seconds ago. And don't worry. I put the flashlight away...just in case we lose power or have another one of these in our state.

Just an aside: We don't do severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in Seattle. Or in Western Washington. Ever. They just don't happen. Good thing I had my CO training for what to do (a.k.a. watch TV or try to watch the skies--never run for shelter). Earthquakes: check. Rain: double check. But even our rain is typically thunderless. Funnel clouds: nope.

I'm trying to wrap my mind around enjoying each holiday for all that it is, while not attaching baggage to what it "should be". Thanksgiving will be easier, since I'll be exhausted from our Christmas play rehearsal--I won't be able to stress much. And we'll be here...just our 4-pack, with any "orphans" from church who want to come and over-eat and play Wii.

But this will be our first Christmas away from our home in probably 7 or 8 years. We're going back because it's just time. Big and I have always said that Santa comes here. Period. Anyone is welcome to join in the reindeer games and stay, but after bumping along to 3 or 4 different homes on Christmas in our early marriage and feeling like there was no holiday in the holiday, we decided to stop that madness. However, folks do age, and Santa is still celebrated, but less anticipated, if you know what I mean. And travel around the holidays becomes less attractive to folks with mobility issues. Which means that other folks (meaning: our family) need to bend. Gosh, that's hard. I wish it weren't. I'll take easy bending for $200, Alex. I wish I was so involved in being Christ-like at Christmas that I didn't care about having the holiday here. In my house. My way. With our traditions. And on our schedule. Feels like a lot of "me", "my" and "our" there. Ouch. So, bend I will, Yoda. As will my fam. Especially my son, Rigid David, who, in no uncertain terms has let us know that he would prefer to be home for Christmas (again, and again, and again). BTW, if you think I'm mean for name-calling, I am. But we all joke about our collective family rigidity. The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. But he takes after his father. Nonetheless, we all have to get over ourselves and grow up a bit.

If God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him would have eternal life, I can step up and give a holiday.

But only in His grace. Oh, how i need His grace.

Anyhoo...What've you been up to lately?

OH! I almost forgot. I'm also about 1/4 way thru my first knitting-in-the-round (also known as hell on earth because I don't have 4 hands) project. I know you were worried. I'll post pictures when I'm finished.

OH! I almost also forgot. I'm growing my first avocado from seed, and it's actually in a pot! Woo hoo. And why I care about this, I'll never know. I just do. Giddy, in fact. I feel like Tom Hanks' character in "Castaway" when he made fire.

Okay. That is all.