Mine

Oh how soon they learn that word....my little nephew, my innocent little Aidan, yelling "mine," to me when I took his binky out of his mouth. I didn't know he knew the word. He's so funny. Mine. Mine. Mine. He also uses the word "no, quite often. Like when I ask him for a kiss it's "no," or "uh uh." It's funny now cuz he's just a sweet little baby. He's so smart. This morning he was babbling to the tune of jingle bells. I guess it was his way of singing it. He also knows how to "sing," his abc's. My niece Kiersten knows a ton too. She's advanced for a three-year-old. She's going to blow those other kids at pre-school away!!! Well it's almost time for me to shout, "mine," when I see my Christmas gifts. Just kidding. Although I do love the gifts, that's not what's really important to me. My father asked Tim and I as well as Rj and Heather, our friends, to share what Christmas means to us in church this Sunday. We have 15 minutes. What am I supposed to say beyond the fact that Christ came to save me??? It's pretty cut and dried what Christmas means, I don't know how to add to that!!! That's enough for me!!!! But I guess I gotta come up with something!!! I don't know if the other stuff I like about Christmas is important to share. Such as the fact that there are so many Christmas movies and cartoons that I like to watch, that I start the day after Thanksgiving!!! Or that I like raspberry gingerale at Christmas, drinking it out of champagne glasses with my hubby watching, "It's a Wonderful Life." Speaking of which, there was an editorial in the paper by a lady bashing that movie. Saying it was monotnous (sp?), and overly-sappy. My dad was speaking in church this past Sunday about there being a decline in the good will toward men department. I guess so if someone can bash, "It's a Wonderful Life." If that movie doesn't show you that your life is important to those around you and give you joy in realizing that, I don't know what will!!! Of course there is the moral points in Scrooge as well, although it must be the version with Alistair Sim, all others pail in comparison. My mother and I always watch that together every year, and then watch it separately at like 2am Christmas Eve. I guess that there are a lot of other things I like about Christmas other than the obvious and most important salvation. I remember a few Christmases that really stick out, all when all of us kids were at home. I remember getting my Cabbage Patch doll and wishing her name would be Rachel, but it was Emily. My sister Ruth who wanted the name Rachel didn't get it either;) And then there was the Heart-to-Heart bear, that had a real(fake) heartbeat. Of course there was the year I got my two-wheeler with a basket. It was pink and purple with flowers on the basket. I got my Jem (Pizzaz) doll that year too, along with Peaches and Cream Barbie, (which sells for like $125 now on Ebay, dang wish I still had that doll!!!) My favorite memory though is one with my Dad. I got this stationary set one year that had little bunny characters on it. It came with a stapler and a ruler and scissors and all sorts of other good stuff. I took it upstairs and created a detective agency with it. I had it all laid out on my desk and set it up like an office. Then I put a sign on my bedroom door with the detective agency name on it, (can't remember what I named it!) Anyways I was just playing by myself, entertaining myself, which I had a lot of fun doing, and my Dad noticed the sign on the door. I wasn't expecting anyone to see it, so when he came in my room and sat down I was a little shy. He looked at me seriously, with a hint of smile though, and said, "I've got a very important case for you." I can't remember what it was or how long we played my little game, but I will always remember my Dad going out of his way to humor his geeky little girl. That was one of my favorite Christmas memories. Well I guess I have rambled enough. That's what happens when you start getting old!!! "Back in my day......" lol. In the movie, "A Christmas Story," (you know the one with Ralphie, you'll shoot your eye out,) there is a scene where they come downstairs to open their gifts and his little brother Randy is shouting, "a zeplin, oh boy that's mine, a fire truck, oh boy that's mine....." Well in the great words of little Randy.......salvation, oh boy that's mine, family, oh boy that's mine, happy memories, oh boy that's mine.......mine.