I couldn't make out my creeper as it was far to dark, but my mind was getting the best of me and I was quickly becoming paranoid. Surely it's not a cop, after all I didn't break the law. I'm far to cold to press down hard enough on the gas pedal to be speeding. No, it was. It became clear once I hit Woodland and the colorful lights were shining behind me. Crap!
Really?! Okay, clearly there is just a misunderstanding because I KNOW I was not speeding! Within a minute he's shining that bright light in my face asking me for my license which I'm struggling to get out because my hands are frozen.
"Do have insurance?"
"Yes" (crap, I know I don't have the current slip in my car, so please don't ask for it.)
"Is it current?"
"Yes" (as I am now reaching for it and hoping for the best)
"That's okay I don't need to see it."
Whew (Thank God)
"Ah.....can I ask why I'm being pulled over?" (Totally confident I did nothing wrong)
"Yeah, you ran a stop sign back on 2nd and 12th."
Oops! (no recollection of that at all)
"You coming from the hospital?"
Well duh! You've been following me the ENTIRE way and my bright blue scrubs are now glowing as you shine that light up and down me.
"I am" (sounding as pleasant as I possibly could)
As he walked back to write my ticket I felt like saying "you know, it's possible I could be taking care of you someday." I didn't. Instead I sat there, FOREVER, thankful it was dark, just in case someone I knew drove by. The last time I was pulled over was in 2001. In Potsdam, MN. I bet you didn't you know there was such a place? Well there is, and they write expensive tickets.
Seven minutes later that light is once again shining in my face as he hands me my license but no ticket.
"Here ya go, I get it, we all have those days." (In a somewhat depressed tone)
Seriously? Do I really look that beat up and pathetic right now? (Sigh) Who cares. Just let me go home so I can get out of this car.
I walked in the door, well past my usual time, and wanted nothing more then to soak in a nice hot tub filled with some relaxing therapeutic oil that I could inhale deeply and get lost in. Instead I sat in a hot tub filled with naked barbies, some play food, and a wind up frog floating along side me, all while being stared down by the dozen My Little Ponies that lined the tub. I was too tired to care.
I started thinking about a resolution for the new year. Clearly I can scratch not getting pulled over off my list. I mean getting pulled over on January 1st kind of puts a damper on that resolution. Curse less, well, again the 1st kind of put a damper on that too. Hmm................I guess I'll just stick to my usual eat better, drink more water, exercise more (I can feel myself gaining 5 pounds each time I look at a Christmas cookie), and learn to be more patient. Yeah, that sounds good.
Okay, let's re-cap Christmas shall we.
It was a good one. Our house was filled with all things Christmas.
On Christmas Eve we attended church, prepared a good meal, opened gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Buck, and read the Night Before Christmas. Oh the night before Christmas. A night of little sleep.
We knew we'd be up early, we figured 5am, we were WAY off.
11:30p.m. (Lila): "Hey mom, I heard Santa. Can I go see if he came?
"No, go to bed."
12:30a.m. (Lila): "Mom, for real, I heard him. I'm jus gonna go check."
"No. GO TO BED!"
1:00a.m. (Lila): "Ah, mom, I'm SO EXCITED! Can I go see now?"
(Sigh) "Just sleep on my floor."
SILENCE
3:00a.m. (Max): "Mom, is it time to get up?"
"No, it's only 3:00. Please go back to bed."
4:00a.m. (Max): "Ah mom, yeah, my stomach is gurgling because I'm SO starving! Perhaps I should go downstairs and get a snack."
"NO! GO.TO.BED."
7:00a.m. (Lila): "Hey mom, IT'S CHRISTMAS!!"
Josh: "Were the kids sleeping in here all night?"
(Death Glare) "REALLY?!"
As my eyes adjust to the light, I slowly make my way downstairs while the kids run past me and race for the tree.
They dive on in and it's then I notice that Max isn't wearing any pants. Oh well. He rips through his gifts and theatrically exclaims "Oh WOW! THIS IS AWESOME! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED THIS!" He cracks me up. When all is said and done he tells me "This is the BEST Christmas EVER!" I smile and say "Max, you said that last year was the best Christmas ever." He actually says it every year. "Oh no mom, this one is FOR SURE!"
And Lila, she continues to be reserved when opening gifts. Carefully unwrapping each one, she smiles, and sets them each to the side until they're all opened. She sits there in the midst of it all, with a sweet innocent smile, looking somewhat overwhelmed, and contemplating what to do next.
As Josh opened boxes and gathered paper I dove into a batch of homemade crepes, topped with fresh strawberries and whip cream. We cranked up the Christmas music and sipped on sparkling juice from "fancy" cups. And by 10 o'clock we hit the road and headed south to Grandma Jean and Grandpa Don's. It's been 5 years since we last traveled for Christmas. It was time.
These two, you gotta love em. Plus they're making us an aunt and uncle for the first time. Imagine what that baby will be wearin next year?!
Poor Norm. He got the boot during gift opening.
The next day we traveled to Plainview for a night at Grandma and Grandpa Buck's.
We arrived home late Friday and spent the weekend lounging in flannel pants and cozy slippers.
My living room has been covered in a sea of legos as Max assembles each and every box.
758 pieces put together by this kid, and this kid alone. He was determined.
And while Max builds, Lila serves tea. It's a good balance.
And now the tree is down, Max has returned to school, and I'm discovering new pieces of "art" around my house.
Bathroom door. A lot of detail went into that piece. It's also hard to talk your way out of it when you sign your name on the panel next to it.
This year, we're looking forward to some new beginnings.
Wishing you all the best. Cheers!
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