ready or not...

Here He comes!

This Advent has been relatively stress free.  My shopping was done yesterday - 2 days ahead of schedule by my standards.  I still need to wrap, but there is tomorrow for that, and some of it is done already. 

The tree was put up a couple of days ago.  Or half of it, anyway.  We decided to leave off the back side of it, in order to make it a little more compact.  Space is at a premium.  No ornaments this year, thanks to the cat.  But it looks nice with some twinkly lights and candy canes.  And an angel on the top that was handmade by the mother of one of my students 15 years ago or so.  Its head is a little droopy - maybe I should try to fix that.

Went to confession a week or so ago, so our souls are relatively clean; the house not so much.

Lessons and Carols was Sunday night at church.  We listened to readings recapping our salvation history and listened to/sang carols between readings.  Our choir did a wonderful job, and it was an hour well-spent.

Christmas cards got skipped this year, and I have a feeling I am not the only one.  I think I have only received 3, in spite of the fact that I actually sent them out last year!

Baking cookies was a thought.  Even bought the dough (slacker, I know).  But the kids decided (and I agree) that eating the dough is more satisfying than the cookies, soooo....the baking didn't quite happen this year.

The church is decorated.  I don't do much decorating at home, so this satisfied my decorating urge.  We were there because the boys needed service hours for their next rank in scouts.  I had been told that we would be needed to unpack some boxes, carry in the nativity pieces, and hang some stuff.  I really thought it would be 20 or 30 minutes, but we were there for 2 1/2 hours!  The boys did unpack boxes and carry pieces from the hall to the church.  We hung thingies on the walls.  They climbed around in the church attic looking for spray-painted pine cones.  We fluffed bows.  They hauled live plants and fake trees here and there.  I will try to take some pictures after Mass tomorrow and post them.  Our beautiful little church was all set for Christmas when we left!


Come Lord Jesus!