merrry christmas!

We discovered today that a ministry project we just went to print on, bears a typo. I wrote the copy and did the editing, so, alas, it is my own fault. When I realized that our Christmas cards (which will soon return from the printers and be mailed to over 200 people) say "Merrry Christmas", I gasped. (For those who didn't notice what's wrong --- as I didn't all the dozens of times I looked it over --- it has one "r" too many!)

My head started to spin. How can this be?! I looked it over umpteen times. How could I have missed it?! I immediately told Niel that we need to scratch this whole shipment and reorder it all. When he reminded me of how much it cost, I knew that wasn't an option...

Niel bounced right back from this earth-shattering discovery. He said that people will just think we're being emphatic. He started proclaiming, "Merrrrrrrrry Christmas!" (Think Tony the Tiger...) He said it over and over: "Merrrrrrrrry Christmas!" Well, that got me laughing and took my mind off my mistake...for the moment.

Later, when it was just us, I told Niel that I was really upset over this. My perfectionistic tendencies couldn't bear the overwhelming weight of defeat. I was feeling upset not just for myself, but for how this misrepresents the ministry.

Me: "I feel like a failure."

Niel: "Well, this just shows that you're a human being who makes mistakes like the rest of us."

Me: Sigh...

Niel: "Now maybe you won't be so hard on me next time I make a mistake. Cause then I'll just say 'Merrrrrrry Christmas!'"

an orange county christmas

For some reason I simply cannot fathom, Niel hates Christmas music. Always has. Probably always will. (Gasp!) Yet he endured an evening of Christmas carols and cold-weather cheer with my mom and I at our town's tree-lighting ceremony. Two cups of hot chocolate made the repetitious rendition of "Here Comes Santa Claus" more bearable for him.

Christmas-carol-disdain aside, Niel seems to love Christmastime. Not quite as much as I do, but close. His favorite thing is opening his "Christmas sock" (stocking). Well, Christmas came early for Niel. Or at least one of his gifts did.

We took a trip upstate New York yesterday for a chopper unveiling at Orange County Choppers. Niel loves watching their show (as do I), mostly for their ongoing family drama but also for their unique and detailed creations. Getting to visit their store, see some of their bikes, and watch a bike unveiling was an incredible experience. Getting to do all of that with my husband? Priceless.

It was a fun and memorable trip, complete with brief conversations with Vinny and Rick, and a good glimpse of Senior as he drove up on the new bike. The whole thing was taped by Discovery for an upcoming episode (next Monday night, in fact). Be sure to watch -- maybe you'll see us!

happiness is...

...togetherness.

waiting to exhale

I'm holding my breath.

Niel will be back with me in less than 12 hours, and I can't wait! Even though our "40 Days of Partition" seemed to go by extremely fast, I am anxious to hug my Hombre again.

I am married to my perfectly-suited match. God, indeed, knows what He is doing!

I am so proud of my husband; he is a wonderful man of God, with a boundless passion and a drive that pushes him to work even harder than I do! He has spent the last few months going at an exhausting pace; we are both looking forward to the upcoming month of rest...

Together.

presidential pardons

There's a turkey farm not too far from my parents' house. All autumn long, there are hundreds (thousands?) of white turkeys roaming the field. The day after Thanksgiving, however, the field is empty. Not a bird to be found. A moment of silence is required when we drive by...

Each year, my dad jokes about springing the turkeys -- freeing them before they become centerpieces on dinner tables. Of course, we never do. This year, we at least paid these rather unbecoming birds homage by taking their pictures.

Although we didn't spare any of our local turkeys from their doomed fate, I take pleasure in knowing that our President will pardon a few...

Happy Thanksgiving!