. . . hug your children . . .

. . . my heart breaks tonight . . .

. . . the only comfort 

comes from knowing 

those sweet, darling, innocent 

children {and adults, too} in connecticut 

are totally at peace tonight . . .

. . . no doubt 

wrapped in the loving arms 

of their savior, 

whose christmas birth 

we will soon celebrate . . .

. . . but what of their parents? . . .

. . . what of their empty arms? . . .

. . . christmas will 

never seem the same for them . . .

. . . every year at this time, i think 

of the little brother i lost . . .

. . . it helps put this earth life 

into perspective . . .

. . . tonight, i will pray 

for the families of newtown . . .

. . . i will pray that 

as they try to carry on . . .

. . . as they fill christmas stockings . . .

. . . as they wrap gifts . . .

. . . as they struggle 

with the hustle and bustle 

of the season . . .

. . . that they will feel 

the loving arms of the savior 

wrap around them, too . . .

. . . i hope they'll 

hug those around them 

a little bit tighter . . .

. . . i hope they'll 

be a little kinder . . .

. . . and i hope they'll 

find some source of comfort . . . 

. . . for me, it has always been 

my testimony 

of the plan of salvation . . .

. . . the great plan of happiness 

that the atonement of jesus christ 

made possible for each of us . . .

. . . on a much happier note . . .

. . . in the last box of decorations 

i got out today . . .

{please don't judge. i'm running way behind this year}

. . . i found this gem . . .

. . . taken in december of 1992 . . .

. . . exactly twenty years ago . . .

. . . every time i see this photo, 

all i can think is 

"santa! my! 

what dark eyebrows you have!" . . .

{penny's preschool ~ the good ol' days. 

and yes, drew is wearing a red turtleneck 

with a green sweatshirt that says "just say ho". 

precious.} 

. . . also . . .

. . . when i went to bed last night, 

the pool was empty . . .

{algae again/sand blasting tiny pits/trying to avoid 

having to replaster/blahblahblah/don't ask}

. . . then it rained a little . . .

. . . i'm thinking it'll take 

a pretty torrential downpour 

to cut down on our water bill . . .

. . . fingers crossed . . .

. . . my phone says 

the rain should start again 

at about one in the morning . . .

. . . i'm counting on it . . .

{i apologize for the random rambling nature of this post. 

i feel a little scattered today.}