You know how I hate to rush things...

So, I find myself here - the middle of January gone - staring down what is left of the Christmas decorations. It isn't pretty.

The tree seems to have begun to undecorate itself, tired I guess of being the last holiday tree standing in the neighborhood. (Well, probably not the LAST one... but it's getting down there.) There are now so many toys at it's base I can no longer tell the Christmas toys from the ones that lived here before December 25th. The nativity set is scattered, most of the pieces have spent the new year partying with the Kelly dolls - only the camel left in the crèche to try to help me figure out what is what, my only companion as I try to locate Joseph again this year (Joseph annually goes missing right after Christmas, one year he never did make an appearance... but we found him in with the stockings the next year and figured out he'd just needed an extended holiday). Today however Joseph was located early, and the shepherds fell into line - and even Mary was there waiting to be packed away. My elusive nemesis this year? The Christ child. I managed to pull myself together before frustration set in and the obscenities started. Screaming, "WTF have you done with the baby Jesus?" throughout the house hardly seemed like the proper way to close out the holiday season, and with patience did finally manage to locate him dressed up in a zhu zhu pet princess costume over with the rest of the holiday hamsters. No harm done.

So as I pack up the last reminders of the happy holiday season there is a pervasive thought running through mind... How much longer till the pool opens?

Definitions

Apathy:
Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference.

Snowy Freezing Cold January:
See above.

Less than a week ago a child died after a year long battle with a brain tumor. He was a first grader at my children's school. I have found myself starting an entry about this on and off since I heard the news on Sunday. However, I keep finding myself wanting to rant about how I don't understand God's plan when something like this happens, and how as a mother I can't imagine dealing with this...

...but this isn't my story to tell. I didn't know this little boy except for minor interactions at school, and I don't know his family. I kept up with their news through a friend, and prayed for a miracle. We all did. Now I pray that God will give his family and friends the strength to get through this, to stay together and try to find one good things to hold on to and keep living. Them living through this will be a miracle. Not the one we all prayed for originally, but the one that needs to happen now.

Please join me in sending prayers for this family. God bless this family and give them comfort. Keep them safe, and love their little boy who is with you now. Please make sure something good can come from all of this, and walk with his family and friends while they need your strength and guidance. Amen.

Is it me, or are the baristas going mad?

I pull in to Starbucks drive thru today on the way to pick up the kids from school. It's FREEZING outside (technically, colder than freezing), so I pull up to the speaker - and here is how that little conversation went:

Speaker box: "Welcome to Starbucks! I'm Kent, can I start you off with a peppermint mocha today?"
Me: "Uh, no thanks, Kent. I'd like a Grande Sweetened Green Tea please."
Kent: "Great, that'll be $2.11 at the window!"

I drive up to window, and hand Kent exact change.

Kent then turns around hands me an ICED Grande Sweetened Green Tea.

Me: "Wow, it's freezing out here, I had hoped that it would be HOT tea."
Kent: "Oh, OK. You want HOT Sweetened Green Tea?"
Me: "That would be exactly right."
Kent: "What did you want that sweetened with?"
Me: "Come again?"
Kent: "What kind of sweetener do you want us to use in your hot tea?"
Me: "Is this a trick question?"
Kent: "No."
Me: "What did you sweeten the cold drink with, Kent?"
Kent: "Simple syrup."
Me: "Is there a reason you wouldn't just use that for the hot version?"
Kent: "Ma'am, we don't make sweetened hot green tea usually, unless someone wants a latte. Did you want a latte?"
Me: "No. What I want is hot tea. Green tea. Hot. Sweetened with simple syrup. I've ordered it before and not had this problem... why is this a problem?"
Kent: "It isn't a problem, it just isn't something we usually make. I'll get that right up for you."

So I wait.

And Kent hands me a steaming hot, sweetened green tea. I'm happy, Kent is relieved, I drive away.

Kent is lucky that I'm on the highway before I realize it's a Tall.