i love the holidays, but

...i really don't like what i let them do to my schedule. :)

so...what's been going on in the past 2 weeks? oh, much...but nothing much out of the ordinary. the Christmas Eve Service was marvelous - the Lord always pulls these things together, even though at the next-to-last rehearsal things look dire and dim. :) it was amazing, all the kids did so well! ...what else? oh, i don't know... Christmas came and went - that was pretty mellow and uneventful. except that i was sick, so it didn't seem as...jolly...as usual. but it was okay. :) no biggie. at some point, the russell family, (a)erin, dominick and the nothnagles played a pretty heated game of catchphrase. that was pretty good. it know it sounds simple - playing games with friends... but we're all so busy, i really value the few moments we have to just hang out and enjoy each-other. :)

the rest of my hours and days have been spent on the usual - housework, ministrywork, workwork... and dogwork. we have since found out that the wolf can (and DOES!) scale the fence freely, so we now keep her in the house as much as possible. this makes our twice-daily running sessions mandatory, especially on work days and heavy ministry days. it seems that if we don't run the energy out of her, she becomes quite the destructive force in the house. the other day i heard a scrabb'ling in the kitchen and i peered around the corner to see my whole dog in the kitchen sink. all 65 pounds of her, completely in the sink. not just two paws - ALL. it was crazy. it was like the day i found her on top of the truck. but in the house. anyhow, she keeps us very busy, as you can tell. :)

2 days ago, i went to the library. here is what i got:

• DVD: fame (don't watch it - tons of cursing and lots of other stuff that i forgot about!)
• DVD: mickey blue eyes (hugh grant trying to be a mobster. pretty amusing.)
• DVD: the fugitive (tommy lee jones totally makes the movie, IMHO)
• DVD: don't bother to knock (marilyn monroe as a phychopath. crazy.)
• DVD: cat on a hot tin roof (haven't seen it yet)
• audiobook: "a member of the family" by cesar millan. (i'm not so convinced this guy could whisper ANYTHING to my wolfdog and make it stick. unless he said, "hey there, Destructo! just do whatever you want, whenever you want to... oh yeah, and make sure you run away when you get caught.")
• july 2008's VOGUE (for more button-faces)
• september 2008's REALSIMPLE (for wardrobe inspiration. lately, i've been standing in the aisles at World Thrift without the foggiest idea what i'm looking for. i think the holidays made my fashionbrain go haywire and a little, classic help never killed anyone [i think!], so...)

speaking of button-faces, i was hoping to find a good pic of hugh jackman in that VOGUE (it had an article on Australia in it), but no such luck. i have just recently watched him in Oklahoma. the dude is crazygonutsMADtalented. i can't imagine his life.

oh...it's really late and i feel that i'm just babbling now. i'm sorry if i am; i just didn't want another day to go by without a post. :( okay, i'm going.

much love, guys...
myself :)

PS - we went and saw "Seven Pounds" tonight. idk how i feel about that movie yet.

PSS - oh wait - this is really cool! you know how i wanted a digital camera? well, the Lord gave me one... i think. i'll come back and post details later, i promise. :) yay!