Yesterday Scott decided to surprise the family by taking a day off of work. Knowing that we have missed having a Christmas tree, and wanting to avoid the crowds over the weekend, he thought it would be fun to take advantage of his being home by going tree hunting. The weather was gorgeous, the fields were empty and the air was brisk. It was, in my opinion, the perfect day to get a Christmas tree.
After much debate, we settled on an 8 foot beauty. It wasn't until we got it home and set up in the stand that we noticed the odd slant of our tree. Oh well, it isn't perfect, but neither are we. Somehow the slant adds a touch of personality that fits our family perfectly.
Even though our
tree is obviously tilted, she is sturdy in her base. I can't help but
feel an kinship with our new evergreen. We both stand a little askew,
but we remain proud and strong.
Timmy and I spent the rest of the afternoon stringing thousands of lights on our tree. He definitely has my affinity for colorful twinkle lights. Our tree is definitely bright. Hopefully it is bright enough to be seen from Santa's sleigh.
Ugh. There is no doubt that winter is in full swing. Even though we don't (yet) have snow, the cold weather has definitely arrived. I don't mind winter, but one aspect leaves me with dread. Pulling myself out of a warm and snugly bed and having to slip on an ice cold liner simply stinks. Talk about a miserable way to start a morning!
Most of the time I don't think twice about putting on my prosthesis. I have been an amputee for more than 16 years and the task has become second nature. All of that changes in the winter. Sliding on an ice cold, silicone liner each morning is an unpleasant reminder of life without a limb.
If I were able to plan better, I would bring my liner under the electric blanket to warm it up before donning. Unfortunately, Timmy would take full advantage of the opportunity and would probably sprint to the kitchen to snitch an ice cream sandwich. As soon as I hear the pitter patter of little feet down the hallway, my day begins in earnest.
I realize that cold liner woes are relatively low on the gripe scale, but that doesn't make the few seconds each morning any less pleasant.
2019 has not been an easy year for me. Between professional frustrations and Timmy's health struggles, I feel like I have been torn apart over the past twelve months. Instead of dwelling on the negative I am making a concerted effort to focus on the positive. One bright spot in an otherwise dismal year has been receiving our nonprofit status for Amp'd.
Dave and I started Amp'd nearly a decade ago. Originally designed to be a twist on the "he said, she said" format with the inclusion of "above knee and below knee" perspectives, our discussions quickly spiraled into the development of resources and collaborative projects. We have been wanting to establish an official nonprofit for several years, and this year we finally went for it!
We have a lot of ideas for Amp'd in the coming year and I am finding myself chomping at the bit to get started. For the first time in what feels like forever, I am actually excited and energized. I can't wait to turn the page on 2019 and get to work on building our new resource and network for the amputee and limb loss community.
To date we have been entirely self-funded. Amp'd has been a passion project, but it is time to grow. We are launching our first official fundraiser this month. We have teamed with Lynch Creek Farm to sell tabletop trees, wreaths, and garlands for the holiday season. (In anticipation of this fundraiser, last year I sent a small tabletop tree to my Mom. The quality was topnotch and it was the perfect addition for the holiday.) If you are in the market for some festive greenery, I hope that you will consider shopping through our fundraiser. All funds will be used to develop more resources through Amp'd.
It's hard to believe that another Thanksgiving week has passed. Yesterday we packed up our car, overflowing with Christmas treasures from our Black Friday adventures, and headed back to Virginia. While it is always sad to say goodbye and to leave, it is always wonderful to be home.
Our drive home was uneventful and relatively quick. Because we traveled on a Monday, I think we managed to miss most of the holiday travelers. I suppose flexibility is a major bonus to cyberschooling!
Today we are back to reality. Robby will be working on his school assignments while I try to restore order to our chaotic, package laden living room. I suspect that Timmy will gladly assume the role of "happy elf" in order to help decorate our house for the season.
After a successful Black Friday shopping extravaganza, I was able to spend the remainder of the weekend relaxing and just having fun. I have never before finished my holiday shopping in one day, but I love that the pressure of finding the right toys and gifts is behind me. Now I can just enjoy the rest of December without the frustrations of scouring the mall and internet for the perfect gift.
After shopping on Friday my niece, Robby and I all headed over to my cousin Dan's house. Dan is an avid guitar player and invited Robby to his "man cave" to jam for a little while. Robby was thrilled and had a fantastic time playing with another guitarist. He is over-the-moon with the amp and pedals that Dan gifted him. I'm sure I won't be nearly as thankful when the sound is turned up in my house during Robby's solo practice sessions.
After working on Saturday, Tiffany came home ecstatic that she had been awarded two tickets for Christmas Candy Lane. (Her working at Hershey Park certainly has advantages!) After Timmy went to bed, we bundled up and headed to Hershey Park to soak in some holiday spirit. The lights were beautiful and the crowds were nonexistent. We had an awesome time.
Yesterday was dubbed "Baking Palooza" because I spent the majority of the afternoon in the kitchen with my niece. She learned how to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. She also made cut-out Christmas cookies and a gingerbread gift box.
I've had a great week away from reality, but today I'm returning home. I think the holiday season has been appropriate kick-started at my Mom's house, so now it is time to infuse my own home with some elf touches.
