blessed.

It's been a delightfully festive and fun couple of busy days here, which my lack of posting shall thus be blamed on. Sometimes it really does just feel right to step away from the ol' computer and snuggle down into winter days with loved ones, instead, including lots of hot chocolate, holiday movies, shopping and last minute party planning duties....

The Infamous Weebly Christmas Party went pretty dang well, if I do say so myself (phew, another successful year off my list!). It was great to see so many of my friends and coworkers laughing, dancing and celebrating. And it was especially great to have B as my super handsome and fun date for the evening. I'm incredibly grateful for how much he helped me with all of my day-of and day-after tasks and how he never once complained, but kept a playful and sunny disposition in every moment of my can you carry this? can you pick that up? can you drive all of these here? requests.

Below is probably my favorite (tho slightly blurry) shot of us from the night that I simply couldn't resist posting here....

I look pretty happy, don't ya think? (read: I am so, so happy).

This year, Weebly collected toys from party guests to donate to Glide, a local church based organization that does amazing things for folks struggling in our community, in order to help them with providing gifts to kids who may not otherwise receive any for the holidays. When B and I arrived back at the party venue the morning after the event to pick up the load, we were totally blown away by the generosity of our guests--the whole SUV (middle seats, too!) was filled to the brim....

My weekend also included a bit of fake-Christmas romance with B, which you may feel free to bow out of reading about now, if you are more likely to gag than swoon over these types of things....

So that's me, opening #3 of 4 gifts from B, who creatively sent me on a mini scavenger hunt to find each one--including nooks and crannies of my apartment, my mailbox and eventually (OK here's the super swoony part, get ready) a walk down the street to our very first date spot for the very same breakfast burrito we had 8 months ago. He "hired" a Santa's helper in Dre (thanks so much for your help, Dre!!) to set up the most adorable little table for us: mimosas, photo collage place mats and my last and best gift of tickets for us to see Elf on Broadway over Christmas "break" from work! My shaky handed iPhone photo does not do it justice (I was super flattered and flustered and swoony)....

Alas, I must take a moment to shift gears a bit.

In the midst of feeling so much holiday love and spirit around me this weekend, I of course also felt the sting of the tragic events in Connecticut. I have debated on whether I would...or even could...comment on the deep rooted sadness so many are feeling over Newtown community's unimaginable loss and manage do it any justice when there really are no words that seem to fit. But, I would be remiss not to at least use this tiny blog platform to add my condolences and prayers of healing to each broken heart.

While I am not yet a parent, I do know what it feels like love someone unconditionally (my sister holds, without a doubt, the largest piece of my heart) and I cannot fathom what it would be like to ever bury a child.  Frankly, I'm not sure any greater pain exists on earth.

So instead of attempting to add my own thoughts to the growing mix of lovely sentiments (it's amazing how the human spirit perseveres, isn't it?), I will simply highlight my 2 favorite sections of President Obama's speech last night:

"Someone once described the joy and anxiety of parenthood as the equivalent of having your heart outside of your body all the time, walking around.  With their very first cry, this most precious, vital part of ourselves — our child — is suddenly exposed to the world, to possible mishap or malice.  And every parent knows there is nothing we will not do to shield our children from harm.  And yet, we also know that with that child’s very first step, and each step after that, they are separating from us; that we won’t — that we can’t always be there for them.  They’ll suffer sickness and setbacks and broken hearts and disappointments.  And we learn that our most important job is to give them what they need to become self-reliant and capable and resilient, ready to face the world without fear.....

....There’s only one thing we can be sure of, and that is the love that we have — for our children, for our families, for each other.  The warmth of a small child’s embrace — that is true.  The memories we have of them, the joy that they bring, the wonder we see through their eyes, that fierce and boundless love we feel for them, a love that takes us out of ourselves, and binds us to something larger — we know that’s what matters.  We know we’re always doing right when we’re taking care of them, when we’re teaching them well, when we’re showing acts of kindness.  We don’t go wrong when we do that."

For me, this is yet another reminder to live in the moment and act with love, kindness, faith and gratitude in each day we are given. It is a reminder to share love, send love, be love, always; to stop putting emphasis on shit that just.does.not.matter (no seriously, let it go, it doesn't matter and it's holding you back) and instead focus on making every day an opportunity to connect with others, to laugh, to live, to play, teach, grow.

Love is the only rational act. Let's hold that truth in our hearts as we give thanks for the beauty and good that was found in 2012 and send forward gratitude for what will be in 2013, including the hope for healing and grace for all of God's children.

Much love and light,

Trish