Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Okay, so its been looking like Christmas since October, who are we kidding? But that hasn't stopped me from being over the top excited about two days from now.

Let me explain. No, wait, let me start from the beginning of the year.

To say that this year has been a strange one is an understatement. The world seems to have lost its collective mind in one way or another and all of us, whether we want to admit it or not, have been affected be it. From the shock of seeing one our own citizens beheaded by ISIS on the local news (the actual act, of course, not shown), to the deaths of two very different men in different circumstances by the hands of Law Enforcement. From the execution of our men in blue; to North Korea having temper tantrums of one degree or another; to losing one of the most beloved actors of our time taking his own life because of depression, the news has been fraught with stories that tug our heartstrings and stir anger, angst and outrage.

There has been good in the news, don't get me wrong, but the degree of the bad seems to over-shadow it. However, things like JJ Watt smashing defensive tackle records left and right; a two year old boy's reaction to hearing his mother's voice for the first time. A double amputee is able to use prosthetic arms and to control them with his thoughts (John's Hopkins); a mystery woman pays off shopper's lay aways at a local Toys R Us...the positive list is huge, but really, seeing the good amongst the negative this year was sometimes hard to do since the negative was so horrendous.

So, why am I excited? I know, I went off on a bunny trail, but for good reason. See, my year has been peppered with a few bad things going on, but some really cool stuff managed to make it to the forefront!

I published my first book, The Father's Footsteps (by accident...I hit the publish button instead of the save button...the rest is history, as they say!), then Diary of a Crazy Cat Lady right on its heels. By mid year, Crazy Cat Lady saw more success than The Father's Footsteps and to me that was a bit of a surprise. Mid year also brought a partnership with Erin Fossa, a wonderful young woman who voiced the audio version of Crazy Cat Lady. I loved listening to her voice, and the beginning of a new book (still in the works), Rosewood. From those who read The Father's Footsteps, I got a lot of surprised readers giving it a five-star rating, and requests to do a sequel, so Hansa is in the works. The Father's Footsteps went to the audio version and as of this writing, is being finalized and will be available to the public by the first part of January 2015. To say that Zach Brewster-Geisz was a perfect fit to narrate this book is a profound understatement...I can't wait to hear the feedback from y'all when you hear this one! Finally, a work that has been years in the making, The Trial of Andrew Osher is very near completion and I hope to have it out by the end of the first quarter of 2015.

Also making the news that is wonderful was the homecoming of my Daughter, Son-in-Love and my beautiful Granddaughters from Okinawa! While I loved making the trips to Japan, it is so fantastic to have my babies home and to see them as often as I want. Mouse calls the girls "Master-Minds," to which begs the question..."does that make you the Minion?" Mouse is not amused by that question. Ever. However, she loves those little girls to pieces and wouldn't trade them for the world, but will lock herself in her room when they get a bit crazy.

Yes, I do watch them a couple of days a week, and there are days when I wonder how on earth did I ever have the energy to raise my own? These two wear me out!

Thanksgiving was a joyous time with the blending of the two extended families. Since I have cats and my Son-in-Love is allergic, we were blessed to have shared the day with his family. We had a great time, the guys watched the Dallas/Whoever game on television and Mom-in-law and I took pictures and joined in on eating the wonderful desserts that she made.

So, finally that brings me to two days from now. This will mark the first time that I have had my Punky and her family (and Zyrtec and benedryl waiting) with us for Christmas. It was going to include my folks, but unfortunately plans changed for them and they couldn't make it. Regardless, I predict a wonderful evening of fun, paper everywhere and more fun. I hope to tell the girls the Christmas Story after dinner before we open the gifts and before they get crazy with all of the activity. The turkey should have them sufficiently sedated for that...after the story, no doubt ripping the first bit of paper should over-ride the tryptophan enough to wind them up for the rest of the night!
The cats won't be able to join in this year, they'll get their own quiet time, perhaps a gift in and of itself since the Girls sometimes over-load them with love and carrying them around with their front legs in the air and their back legs trying to get a foothold on the floor. Praise God, they're usually a tolerant lot with only the occasional swat when they've had too much. The dogs, however are going to want to sniff everything and eat the bows, that's just a perk of Christmas time for them. Perhaps I'll invest in a couple of bones and send them to neutral corners to nosh.

So, that's it. I'm off to make cookies for the neighbors, of course saving a few for us for Christmas. I hope and pray that your Christmas is a wonderful one, filled with all that is good and beautiful, and may 2015 bring only wonderful things for you and yours.

From my house to yours, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!