With baby number two on the way, Tony and I have been keeping an eye out for a bigger space for a reasonable cost. Doing so is much harder than it sounds when you live in the Northern Virginia area. For our approximately 900 square feet we are paying more than half of my monthly earnings.
I really wanted a second bathroom and a third bedroom for our growing family. It would be great to have a space for Tony to study and even a playroom for Liam! However, I resigned myself to the impossibility of such luxury in this area at my current salary. I even admitted to myself that my prayers and hopes for a larger house were selfish. We could make do with what we have--which is a lot compared to many.
But, as has happened many, many times previously in my life, something came up!
We have a wonderful opportunity to house sit in exchange for an extremely reduced rent for the next two years. We are moving to a house! A big, beautiful house in a quiet, lovely neighborhood. It has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a den in the basement, and even a fenced in backyard! We will be paying approximately the same amount of rent for new place that is more than three times the size of our current apartment. Our family really is blessed, and I am recognizing that more and more lately!
It is so easy for me to get caught up in my daily tiny problems and frustrations:
my house is messy
my work clothes are kind of crap
all my shoes are worn out
we really should be eating more vegetables
did we really use that much gas this week
will I ever get the time to read a book again
the laundry is never caught up (nor are the dishes for that matter)
I would really love an extra hour of sleep
do I have to cook tonight
I have absolutely nothing to pack for lunch
Liam has once again manged to get his goldfish spread all over the living room floor
when will I ever be able to see a movie in the theater again
Just to name some off the top of my head.
But honestly, these are the things that, in the long run, absolutely do NOT matter. I will make do with what I have, worn out shoes and hem half unstitched shirts and all! I have every important thing that I could possibly ever need. My life is rich and full, even though my bank account is far from it!
It is kind of funny how the sudden arrival of a large blessing in my life makes me realize that things were really never that bad at all. Something always works out. Even if it wasn't an opportunity for a better living situation, things always work out in the end. Life really is good!
Since it is now officially December, I finally got down that copy of A Charlie Brown Christmas (a book version) that I had received for part of Liam's library. Although we whined through the entire book (he knew that he would be going to bed as soon as I was finished), I really enjoyed reading it.
Then, coincidence of all coincidences, I walked into the living room where I had been watching Jeopardy before I put Liam to bed and guess what is playing on ABC? That's right, A Charlie Brown Christmas. It was a great way to start off my Christmas season. I think on this Cyber Monday, fresh off all our scores from Black Friday (or is it Black Thursday now?), it is good to take the time to stop and remember what Christmas is really about. I am talking about Christmas. Not the Holidays or the Season, but CHRISTMAS. Christmas, as we are reminded by Ebenezer Scrooge, The Grinch, Linus Van Pelt, and most important the New Testament, is not about the presents, the trees, the boxes or bags or tags.
I am truly disgusted at things like this. And I definitely cannot support trends like this. I mean, are our children really happier or more loved because $271 was spent on their Christmas gifts? I bet not. In fact, from what little I have witnessed many children who come to expect a large quantity of gifts with high price tags do not really appreciate what the receive. Do we really want to be the Petunia and Vernon Dursley to our child's Dudley?
"Thirty-six. That's two less than last year"—Dudley[src] Dudley celebrated his eleventh birthday on 23 June, 1991. His presents included a new computer, a second television, a remote control aeroplane, sixteen new computer games, a gold wristwatch, a video recorder, a cine-camera, a remote control crane,and a racing bicycle[2] (which Harry found odd, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise if it didn't include punching someone). When Dudley counted his presents, he was mortified that he had two fewer than his last birthday; he was slightly cheered up when his mother showed him the present from his Aunt Marge, but then he realised he still had one less present than last year. Before he could have a tantrum, Petunia promised that when the family went out, she would buy him two additional presents so he would have more than last year. Satisfied with this, Dudley did not throw a fit.
For Christians, Christmas is and should be centered on celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. And I firmly believe that can be properly done without a single present, turkey, strand of lights or even a Christmas tree. Of course, I plan to have these things in my family's Christmas celebrations, but I never, ever want my children to lose sight of why we are celebrating.
So, if you want to know, yes I did do a little black Friday shopping. Tony and I spent approximately $200. We got presents for each other (a combination of things we wanted and things we needed): a Gameboy for Tony and a mattress pad, crock pot, and glass Pyrex containers for me, as well as a couple DVDs for both of us . We got Liam's presents: A puzzle toy, sorting shapes toy and Christmas PJs. This money also included a few odds and ends that we needed such as a memory card for our camera and two bottles of orange juice because I got thirsty while standing in line. We were in Wal-Mart for approximately three hours total. We went hours after we had finished our Thanksgiving meal with family. Afterwards we returned to my aunt's house and had a leftover dinner together and helped clean up before we went back to our cabin where we spent the rest of the evening with my parents. We also spent the better part of Saturday (and Sunday morning) with some of my favorite people.
Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those people that has this idea that I can teach my children the true meaning of Christmas by depriving them of everything remotely commercial associated with Christmas. My children will have (a reasonable amount of) presents, cookies, turkey, a tree, etc.
But we will also have Christmas carols, scripture reading, opportunities to serve others, time set aside to spend with family and other loved ones, church services and time to remember how blessed our lives really are. And those blessings extend way beyond how many games came along with our new X-Box One under the Christmas tree (just an example, we don't actually have nor are we getting an X-Box One).
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
