catching up here.. ok, joanie, i rarely see you in anything but a tranquil mood, so seeing you annoyance expressed actually made me laugh out loud tonight.  :)  felt good. 

ah, cathy... i could go there with the stinkin' thinkin' - especially about the season, but you know what?  the Lord has given me advance grace to handle it, i guess.  'cause i realized i had issues going that i was not the happiest about, but the Holy Spirit gently smacked me up the side of my head and reminded me that Christmas... is about Jesus.  that's it.  period.  WE HUMANS have made it more than it was meant to be, and since the 50's it has become disgustingly commercialized...  and i think we all fall into that, at least a little bit.  thinking of the we "shoulda/coulda/woulda's"... and yep, then easy to be depressed. 

hmmm... cathy i would LOVE to come down and help you with cookies.  jeff/jen/rea have a very small list.  something for rea to frost, "those little snowballs" (mexican wedding cakes)...  well, jeff told me one of the nuns is asking if i'm making cookies again... !?!?!  we shall see.  anyway, glad you sil is helping you and bless you so much for thinking of and doing for our boys in the service.  ((hugs))

love you all so very much!

luvyas, pika
Peridot Parables (release date May 15, 2006)
ISBN: 1-4241-2691-6