waiting--a weekend of preparing

Yeah, lots of shopping. I'm not a shopping person, so this is a challenge. The good part is, I'm used that and prepared for the whole scene, every little old inch of it.

Then the wrapping.

I sat on the floor in the office, a rug over cement, and I perch on my feet. It's a natural sitting position for a while.

This is all fine, except my poor little ankle bones can't really take it. Being smashed between the cement floor and my hearty BUTT, they protest against the crushing.

I swiped a pillow pet to tuck in there to save my ankles.

Oh, here's a new Facebook person, having the time of her life.  She's on the phone with m.c. who is apparently a Facebook expert.

We had the sleepover Friday night, and then met up for church this morning, and afterward ate donuts and hung around while the kids were in Confirmation class, and John just makes me happy--the lack of pretense and the laughter.

Plus it was a nice service with great, happy music and a hopeful sermon. Advent:  It finds us where it does--that was the point. I like that. It feels true.

 Kirby came tonight with her hilarious little dog and played board games with the kids. I saw her on her phone madly typing with her thumbs and asked who she was talking to?

Talking to no one. She'd googled the directions for the game, since ours were lost.  Aww, man. Technology!

I kind of love it.

I hate learning to maneuver through it, but after that it's amazing.

Oh, and this damned turtle--this is a lifetime pet, and we had no idea.  Plus the kid we asked about turtles said they were no work at all. Turns out his MOTHER took care of their turtle.

We can't put him in a tank and then blame him for swimming in his own crap. This is our responsibility.

So that's the man there, cleaning the tank. Sucking up doo-doo from the bottom, disposing of the vile water, then BLEACHING the entire room.

Dang it.

He's (the turtle, well, and also the guy, I guess, honestly)  been hanging out in the kitchen for like 15 years now.  Bernie, little reptile--no doubt he'll outlive us all.

These are pictures taken by b.g.'s mother, not my own photos.

They took the child to a parade in the city. 

 I wonder what he's thinking.  How strange and amazing the world must seem to a guy this little.

Here he is with his dad though, shoveling the back sidewalk at home.

And the kid is a scrappy little devil, opinionated and energetic, tiny and funny and dear.

He's got to be in on everything.

Happy Sunday.  The week is looking fine.   love always, Val