Kimberly & Travis

We've been so blessed this Christmas by several people. I've been amazed and thrilled as have the children. I'd even gotten the coolest garden tools from Miss Ellen, my tools are usually from yard sales, she brought over brand new, high quality ones that I put out just to gaze adoringly at them.

We are having a very strong morning thunderstorm at the moment with a heavy downpour which makes me smile, sheets of rain cascading down, creating small lakes in the meadow. I've complained enough about the severity of our drought, this is remarkable this morning.

Travis and Kimberly came by yesterday with a large flat screen TV, DVD, and PS2 for the children staggering us all. No, flooring us, stunning us and shocking us. He'd been using it for games but had another system and sent this to my kids. One of 18 kids while growing up in a large adoptive family, he gets it as does his wife who entertained my children with her dance steps for a game.

Marcela and Monica took Mayra and Sabrina shopping with their gift cards, putting them both in time-out at Old Navy for running through the store like over-stressed toddlers, Marcela in high gear, correcting the behavior of one of my grown kids, opening her mouth and releasing vocals remarkably similar to Big Mama. It's way more entertaining coming from her rather than me.

I love this idea and, of course, these lunchboxes, not that I ever go anywhere. I've not left my property since Monday morning, now it's Friday. To me, that's living. Marcela took a pile of books from here yesterday, she's read 15 in the last several weeks, telling me about curling up and enjoying herself after work, not going anywhere. I'm telling you, it's contagious.

Carolina made me a black bean sandwich with goat cheese, avocadoes and sour cream last night. I wonder why I'm gaining weight steadily. Not.