Christmas Miracle

First, I have to tell you how I finally talked to B. and he said 'Mom, have you talked to Dad?'  'Yes, I have - I know it's pretty likely you won't be home for Christmas'.  'I'm sorry, Mom'.  'It's OK, honey. I'm already thinking of getting stuff ready to ship'.  'What?  You're going to send me stuff'?  I said 'of course I am, honey!'.  He said 'that's really great Mom, thank you!'.

Did he really think if he wasn't physically here that Christmas was cancelled?  The excitement and joy in his voice upon realizing that I would be sending him stuff was so sweet.

And I spent the next couple days plotting and planning and had a zillion ideas which led to a huge to-do list for this weekend.  A teeny bit stress inducing but I was up for it - baking cookies, making fudge and wrapping everything I could to ship.  Did find a plan for a flat tree - which I will tuck away for another time.  I was even ready to take pictures of things I couldn't ship (glass bottled Coca-Cola's - a Christmas tradition) and then attach an envelope with $ in it for him to go to the store and get them.

It's been a long week - with a surprise announcement late yesterday - that my Payroll person is retiring after 16 years with the district.  I'm strangely exhilarated and excited about the change while simultaneously being disappointed that she failed to give more notice (something she always said she intended to do).  But oh well.  No one is indispensable and we can make it work.  And I'm sort of excited because now I have two positions open and the opportunity to hire people myself (vs. inheriting them) is appealing.

J.'s car will be ready to be picked up tomorrow at 1PM so we will be spending our Saturday afternoon at Modesto Toyota and spending a fortune.  J.'s new Camry hybrid should be in the driveway by 5, I hope.

And then....late afternoon - I see J. on Facebook briefly and he messaged me 'B.'s pass was approved - he's coming home for Christmas'!  Yeah!!  So, so thrilled about that - and just like that, the weekend freed up tremendously -

So happy he will be home - I'll have to tuck all my ideas away for when he actually isn't home for a Christmas.  He will be 25 in January so it's bound to happen at some point.

Beer in hand; burgers and fries cooking in the kitchen; Amazing Race finale tonight.  It's going to be a great weekend -