Preparation Exhausts Me!

I can't wait for Christmas! Not for the reasons most of you might think...I just can't wait until it is here and all of the pre-Christmas parties are done, the masses are complete and I can come home and exhale and really enjoy the day with my family. It's quite a different year than last year. Last year we were getting ready to hit the road to go surprise Gabby in Virginia. This year everybody is working hard at something in their life. Gabby started a part-time job at the new Casey's in Britt. She is working in the kitchen so she can now make our pizzas just like we like them! I don't think I've ever seen someone so excited to get a job at Casey's. She was THAT sick of working at home with her dad and doing things around the house for me. I swear that every day she comes home with her seeing someone she hasn't for a long time or meeting someone who "knows her Grandma" or something or another. Micah is home for the holidays as well as the month of January. He is going to be going with Mike and I to the March for Life in Washington D.C. at the end of January. This is the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and we're hoping to see and hear some interesting people while we're there. Definitely not looking forward to the bus ride out there but it will definitely be an experience to remember. Reed is working hard and has a few days off since NIACC is off for the holiday break. He's a whole year older now -- the big 2-0! We really missed him when we had our first snow -- he was always really good with a scoop shovel! The construction at the hospital is nearing an end. They are due for a winter open house on January 14th to show off the finished product, just not sure if it will be totally finished by then. Our office area has changes being made and it will be a challenge to work around them. In all actuality, it would probably be a good idea if I would just take some time off and come back when it is closer to being done...I bet I could think of a few things to do. My family is having its Christmas tomorrow at noon-ish. It was my bright idea to have it on this day -- I seemed to totally forget that we have to decorate the church for Christmas after mass. I have my food ready to throw in the oven on time bake before I head out to mass. I'm hoping Brenda and I can whiz through choir practice after mass and that Mike and some of the guys can get the front of the church worked on before, get this, the baptism at 10:45. At that time, we have to retreat from the front for a while to give them a little quiet. I told the committee that I am leaving at noon so hopefully we can get things done by then. On Christmas Eve, both Gabby and I work until noon. We will have to be at the church before 3 and be ready to play and sing our little hearts out. Then on Christmas Day I play again at 8 a.m. mass, Mike lectors and I volunteered Reed to be a mass server. We decided that Gabby would stay home and get brunch ready so that when we get home we can eat and open presents as Gabby has to work from 10 to 4. Whew! The next day I will go back to work and maybe my family will dream up something to do that is exciting on my birthday. We would also like to go and visit Mike's nieces and their families who are home for the holidays. Perhaps one of these days I can sleep in, which for me is like sleeping until 7. I'm exhausted already but I guess that is just part of the season. All the preparation makes me appreciate the big day and days following that much more.