The end of the year is fast approaching. Such a huge rollercoaster. So as I sit here in my folk's living room in North Dakota, waiting for the next round of blizzard to pelt down on us...I look out the window and find myself getting all nostalgic...
So many Christmases have passed...but this Christmas seems different in some ways...
I am in a different place in my life. I was asked by my step-mom, a few weeks ago, what I wanted for Christmas this year...the more I thought about it...the more I felt the tears rise in my eyes as I thought, "Ya know? I feel something that my heart has not felt in so long. It is a feeling of CONTENTMENT. Something new to this very fast paced, rat-race life I have lead."
I have a brand new job that I love. I have co-workers who are so supportive and loving and always willing to provide a helping hand or just to be a sounding board. I have students, who sometimes drive me crazy, but have warmed my heart as well. I found that my semester test reviews went very well especially when I saw that OPRAH AH HA moment click for them and they "Got it"!! I say Bravissimo to that!!
The end of the semester was crazy!!! There was my directorial debut at NLRHS with Greater Tuna. We then had Thanksgiving break, and focused forward towards a HUGE Speech Tournament, followed by Beauty and The Beast auditions and then into semester tests. So sadly, Christmas cards just went out yesterday. I naively thought this past summer, "Gee, I am going to have a teacher's schedule. I am going to have all this time to rest and relax." See how funny that sounds to me now?? And as I look forward to next summer, I see my vacation time slowly slipping away, which is good...because I am still so excited at this new avenue and adventures in my life...that I think I can handle a few weeks of r-n-r rather than 2 months.
I have gotten the chance to become closer to my neice and nephew, Anna and Blaine. Claudia was saying that Blaine wanted to take his 5$ and buy his family gifts from the dollar store. He listed me on his list of five folks...I was pretty honored by that...I just don't think that that would have been the case six months ago. To get the chance to watch my favorite Christmas movies, Polar Express, with a little one in each nook...love it! And a holiday party with the Arkansas family before I left for Fargo was really really fun. Great food, great laughter, playin a fun board game, watching Blaine and Anna open their presents, getting some great pictures, hugs from Dad and Mom, being able to calm Anna and hold her with her head on my shoulder til she calmed from melt-down crying, but most of all just being together...priceless.
I have the chance to travel for the holidays. Now some may think that this is boring and treacherous. YES the roads were treacherous, but the quiet time on the road, listening to Christmas Holiday music and left to my thoughts was a wonderful reconnecting time. Something I absolutely needed and was granted at the perfect time.
To arrive in Fargo safely to hugs and holiday goodness....awesome!!! I got the chance to decorate Mom's large Christmas tree for my gift to her and Steve. (pictured above) Was so much fun!! It is so nice to be on the couch, smell the good food baking, watching HGTV, and relaxing. It just feels so good to be home. I feel my tense shoulders just relaxing away and I feel calm. The dog snores downstairs and I feel lucky to be here. I hope the rest of the family can make it out. Will be good to reconnect with them and Sydney, Gage, and Chloe.
I do have a special someone in my life as well and all roads lead to Rogers, Arkansas when we can. It is exciting to not only have a new career, but also someone I can share my life experiences with. He lives 2 ½ hours away and to be honest, long distance is working for us right now. He is looking towards school and finishing a degree. With all the time requirements being part of a speech/ drama department in my life and his life in flux up there, this relationship works for the both of us, which is so exciting. It is like nothing either of us have ever experienced. Fireworks. Butterflies. Meeting the family, who have grown to adore him. His name is Justin…and I am a giddy school girl.
I look forward to 2010 with great excitement, with children's eyes. I caught a moment withBlaine Garrett the other night. He never knew I was watching him...it was a terrific moment that spoke volumes to me. I have placed my beautiful porcelain and gold Nativity set on Pam's black grand piano. It is trimmed with poinsettias and greenery. Well, I peeked around the corner and here were these two little blue eyes and a chin setting on the piano taking in all the visions of Jesus' birth. There was such wonder...such sparkle...such excitement...and thats I how I look to 2010.
I feel such blessings.
I feel such wonder.
I feel contentment.
GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!
Much love-
Brandon
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