Hello Neglected Blog. Happy Merry Christmas Eve!

Oh dear.  It's been a month since I last wrote (or thereabouts).  So. SAD!  Because life is happening here at the Zoo.  Just not recorded.  I think that will be a goal I have in January:  Be Better at this Record Keeping Deal.  A dream, mayhaps.  But I'd like to think my girls could read this when they are older and be all, "Ohhhhhhhh, so my mom WAS a pretty decent human being.  We just drove her kinda nuts for a while.  She really wasn't grumpy ALL the time.  I get it now." That's what I hope.  But if I never write about it, how the heck will they know that, truly, I wasn't grumpy all the time and that I did, indeed, have a sense of humor???

So, since I really don't care for setting goals on New Years Eve, what about a goal on Christmas Eve.  Be a little better record keeper.

I like it.

I think I like it, too, because of this delightful piece my friend Bethany wrote on her blog, which I am SHAMELESSLY copying and pasting because I think it's worthy of being read and thought about (frankly, I have thought of it often these past few weeks), especially during the next few days: 

I have no gift to bring
...that's fit to give our King.

I always thought this was a silly little Christmas carol. It didn't make any sense to me. There aren't any drummer boys in the Nativity story, so who made this up? I get it now.

I've been sitting on Catalina Island, all by myself for three days. I've listened to a lot of Christmas carols in those three days. This year, The Little Drummer Boy stood out to me.

"What will you bring to Him?" it asks me. The little boy has the answer: the best you can do. His talent isn't special, some would say it's not even appropriate. This little boy can't even keep his own time, the ox and lamb have to do it for him! But, he "plays his best for Him." That's what He asks for. He doesn't care what your talent is, or how impressive it is. He just wants our best. He wants us to make our talent better and stronger than it was yesterday.

So, what will you bring to Him?"

I will be a better record keeper. 

That stated:  Something I don't want to forget this Christmas season?  Miss A had a 2nd grade music performance where they sang and "danced" to all sorts of music from the Nutcracker.  Consequently, her three sisters have now picked up on that, and we are serenaded with LOADS of thematic music (and lyrics!) from this lovely program.  But guess what?  It's pretty fun.  I will never think of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies in the same way!

Gentle Reader, may you and yours have a wonderful Christmas!!!