Lazy Days

It is almost 12:30 in the afternoon, and I'm still in my pajamas! You have NO IDEA how good I feel right now. I woke up and 9:30, laid in bed, read a bit, and finally decided to go upstairs. I had leftover pancakes from last night's dinner for breakfast, a nice break from cereal and toast. I sat with my mom and dad for a while and we all just talked and laughed together. I played the piano for a bit, talked with dad some more, and got on the computer. And this is all after and great day yesterday where I passed the written DMV test, allowing me to get my learners permit, and cuddled with Mom while we watched a movie a borrowed from a friend. (Mom and I rarely get to sit down and do something together like that) It has been a great day. I wouldn't want it to be like this forever, of course, but every now and again, it's nice to just be lazy for a while.

Now, I suppose you all want to know how my Christmas vacation was. It was a wonderful mix of family and laughter. I got to see Grandma B who I haven't seen for a while, and also my aunts Missy and Christa. I was supposed to give Mom a scarf that I had knitted, but I realized to late that it takes a while to knit a scarf, so she might get it as a birthday present in February. I got a lot of great gifts, but there was one that stood above all the rest. Every year, my G-pa John carves a Christmas ornament for the tree. A few days before Christmas, he takes me downstairs to his shop and hands me a little wooden buggy that has no paint. "You want to finish it?" he asked. He wanted me to paint it! He wanted me to put the finishing touches on this beautiful little item that he made with his strong, steady, loving hands. Me!! I almost cried. This is the second year that he's asked me to do this. Carefully, I covered the delicate ornament with light green, red, yellow, and brown paint, trying to keep my hands steady. Without realizing, I'd hold my breath so as not to risk any careless movements and many times had to gasp for breath. When I handed the finished product to G-pa, he looked at smiled and said, "Wonderful." G-pa, I hope you're reading this so that you know how much this means to me. Thank you, and I love you.