4 Days to Christmas

...and counting.  Eric and Rubie are so excited for Christmas!  I hope they are not disappointed.  I love this season.  Last night we went to see the lights at the Shops at Riverwoods.  There were beautiful lights.  Warm fires, music, and not many people (except in line for the hay / wagon ride).  We also splurged and went to dinner at Malawi's, and then let the kids have a ride on the carousel at Provo Beach Resort because Samuel ran to the window saying, "Ride, ride, ride."  I have such a hard time denying him anything because he is so cute at the way he requests things.  As the Sunday before Christmas everyone was dressed in their Christmas/Sunday best.  The choir had lovely music prepared and the talks were about the Spirit of Christmas.  I had been asked over a month ago to teach the combined YW Christmas lesson.  The other leaders brought lamps and battery powered candles for soft lighting.  Julie brought a big beautiful picture of the Savior.  We had some girls prepare a musical number which really brought the Spirit.  I had asked 8 girls to share stories from their own lives or a family member (living or not) about service they had been shown or participated in at Christmas time.  All their stories were so appropriate and wonderful!  I loved it.  I could not contain my emotions.  I hate it when I'm like that.  But my heart has been so tender.  Scott still does not have a job.  He actually has had some interviews, but still we do not know what will happen.  I shared some mission Christmas experiences and summarized the story, "A Christmas Dress for Ellen."  I think the lesson went well, but again wish I wasn't so emotional.  The leaders had prepared a cute gift of the stretchy magic gloves and a quote about how each of us are the Savior's hands.

This past week I loved spending two days in Mrs. Soderstrom's classroom.  Tuesday I did my regular hour of spelling homework check-in.  Thursday I went back to play games with the class for the Christmas party.  The kids only had a half day on Thursday.  After school we went to the craft store so we could make snow globes.  Our ideas were cute and I thought I had researched it well on how to make them, but they did NOT turnout.  They were an epic fail.  Our glue didn't hold the figurines down so they came undone and the water turned murky.  There was too much glitter and it was too small.  I'm horrible at crafts.  Usually I can pull off paper crafts but there has to be glue and other substances, I have problems.  I don't know why.  I would like to take Eric and Rubie shopping to pick out gifts for other family members, but I can't decide.  It is important for them to give, but should we spend money on it, I don't know.

I'm trying to have faith, hope, and be positive.  I know Scott is too, but in the back of our minds is always the chance that we are going to go a long time and have to use all our money to survive this unemployment.  Please Heavenly Father, help us to find a job quickly.