This time of year known as the Holiday Season to everyone else is known as Year End to those of us in the non-profit world. Now's when we make our last push to get those extra donations in to meet our budgets and fundraising goals, so we send out letters, double-check with funders that we've approached about pending grants, and start preparing for the annual audit. In a word, it's just been busy, and I've definitely been on that crazy treadmill too. And lately, the running theme in my mind has been "All I want for Christmas is my sense of humor back...or at least my sense of fun back" because I find it really hard to disconnect from the busyness of work and reconnect with the not only the true meaning of Christmas, but also the funny, silly things that GG does.
Anyway, today started the first day of an entire week off. I spent the morning -- probably like a gazillion other people -- trying to get the last minute things done that I should've have done weeks ago, and of course GG was with me -- partially so she could see Santa, and mostly so we could reconnect. GG calls it a "Mom and GG Day." We got up early, headed to the mall in the blowing snow and made it there before the crowds hit. She picked out a present for her uncle, and then we headed off to see Santa. I love Mayfair's Santa because he looks like the genuine article. Each year, he says "My you've grown" and that always makes me feel like "maybe, just maybe he does exist." But today was the capper of all cappers -- he says "Well, you're on the good list.....BUT you've got to work on your listening. Especially when you're shopping with your mom." That was the very thing we've been talking about over the last few days! How did he know?!
Call me naive, but all of the sudden, I was 7 years old again, wondering along with GG how he could've possibly known that she's got "listening issues." I couldn't have asked for a better present than that. And GG had renewed motivation to work on her listening.
Think I'm officially off the treadmill now. Merry Christmas everyone.
