Christmas in September?

It’s mid-September and my daughter is singing ‘Jingle Bells’ while she runs around the house with a remnant of material draped around her neck and trailing behind her as she declares “I’m Super Emmi!” How in Kris Kringle’s name does my caped crusader know that Christmas is hiding right around the corner? Earlier tonight as we watched Geraldo being blown over by the gusty winds of Hurricane Ike, Emelia was wrapping a gift for Santa. She asked me to call Mr. Claus and tell him to come get the present she prepared for him. I explained to her I couldn’t disturb Santa just now because he is busy building toys with his elves for Christmas. My little super heroine then asked, ‘Well why can’t he make a toy with one hand and talk to you on the phone with the other?’


Autumn is barely announcing its entrance with its seasonal storms and my daughter is already in full holiday mode. I have to admit my thoughts have also been drifting towards Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm already fantasizing about Thanksgiving dinner and making the traditional Coconut, Chocolate and Sweet Potato pies my mom used to make every year. I just love how the fall slowly enters, lingers and then fades into winter. It’s natural for me to weave this time of year altogether in my mind so I suppose its fitting for Emmi to be singing Christmas carols even though there are still 9 days left before Autumn officially kicks in.

It saddens me that September holds only 30 days and we're already ending day 12! This is one of my favorite months of the year for more reasons than its announcement of the Autumn season. The Texas State Fair starts on September 26th this year, just one day past my 37th birthday. My husband and I went to the fair together for one of our first 'non-dates' 8 years ago when we were still pretending we were just friends. So this month always reminds me of funnel cakes and corn dogs, ferris wheels and fire crackers… and butterflies in my stomach.

I’ve noticed the late evenings have held a slight hint of chill the last couple of weeks. I found myself giggling light-headedly a few days ago as I climbed into bed after adding my favorite cozy blanket to my side. I even indulged in hot cocoa one night last week after the kids were tucked away and dreaming. Pumpkins and candy corns are popping up in the supermarket and harvest decor is dressing the entryways of Texas homes. Even the scent of the air is changing and I find myself becoming refreshed, excited and invigorated by the changes my old friend Autumn brings with it. I love, love, love this time of year.

I’m hoping we can plan a trip to see some of the beautiful firey red, burnt orange and golden yellow leaves as they turn during the peak of the season just before they coat the ground. I can’t wait to walk through the leaves and hear the rustling and feel the crunching beneath my feet. I was spoiled to grow up in North Carolina where they have some of the most gorgeous Autumns I’ve ever seen. Here's hoping you have the best Autumn yet, filled with the crunchiest leaves, the creamiest hot cocoa and maybe even a Christmas carol here or there!

Shades of Laughter

During the first few months of marriage my husband, who happens to be a great home chef, created pasta for dinner one evening with a delectable red sauce. He was walking to sit in our living room when his plate of spaghetti slipped from his grasp, tumbled and splashed all over our newly purchased sofa and the carpet of our apartment. He was so upset and horrified over the mess he had made. I was doing my unsuccessful best to maintain a serious and concerned look until I broke into hilarious laughter, which did not amuse him.

I can't help it. Something hits me funny and I just can't contain it. I don’t even know its going to happen sometimes, and a louder than I realize laugh will bust out of my mouth. I snort too. Sometimes it’s a giggle, sometimes it’s an uncontrollable hardy laugh and sometimes it’s a staccato HA! My laughter is rather unlady-like. It’s inappropriate, loud, uncalled for and sometimes comes off as completely rude although I don’t at all mean it that way. But it happens and I just can’t help it. It’s always been like that. I never knew how my laughter stood out until a friend of mine told me if I ever write an autobiography I should name it “Shades of Laughter” because of the many types of laughter that rumble out of me. I thought that was funny and actually laughed it off, but I never forgot his suggestion.

A year ago, someone asked what happened to the happy young woman I used to be. It’s true, over the last few years I haven’t laughed nearly as much as I used to. I could have stood there and responded with every reason why I haven’t been as happy go lucky as I used to be. I could have explained every detail of every trial and challenge I’ve been through during the past 8 years. I could have listed each instance of pain, hurt, fear and obstacles I overcame and how and why I am different now than I was then. But I chose to remain silent in the face of this query. I didn’t want to choose words that I would regret.

I believe I made the right choice in that moment and I’m actually thankful now for having that question asked of me because it’s made me realize something. There may have been reasons for my laughter to falter, but I am the one who allowed other peoples actions and opinions to affect my joy. I gave permission to fear to enter my mind in the place of my peace. I adjusted my attitude to reflect my circumstance rather than my hope. I came to care a little too much about what others would think if they knew who I really was. And I laughed a little quieter and a quite a bit less often.

But now my stance has changed and I’m digging my heels into the ground. I’m bracing myself for the next challenge and I say to it, I dare you… I dare you to try and steal my smile, my peace of mind or my joy. I am armed with my disarming smile and I am gearing up to get the giggles. I will wake up laughing at my alarm clock instead of beating it half to death and I will not apologize for my twisted humor or ill timed laughter. I’ve determined I will be who God created me to be. I will laugh naturally and fully as He obviously intended. And so I will be who I am; lovely loud laughter, snorts and all.

More me.

• I am not the ideally perfect wife, mother, friend, writer or worship leader.
• I sometimes would rather crawl under a rock than to talk with someone I don’t know or even someone I do know.
• I lose all sense of reality when reading a great book.
• I love feeling pretty but sometimes just can’t stand going through the ordeal of dressing up.
• No matter how hard I try to turn in early each night, I inevitably find myself staying up way too late.
• I hate cleaning house although I love it when my house is clean.
• I am currently trying to dethrone myself as the Queen of procrastination but somehow keep putting it off.
• I revel in my non-perfections because they show I am a work in progress. I am simply, me.
• I willingly share my errors and exploits with a desperate hope that others will not condemn themselves for their shortcomings but grow through them to recognize and become the amazingly unique individual that God created them to be.