Searching for Spirit

So far, December hasn't really been very kind to my family, which puts me in the difficult and uncomfortable position of searching for Christmas spirit.

Here are the efforts I've made at finding it, to no avail:

~Christmas shopping with my sisters in law and mother in law: CANCELED due to the illness of my niece and my son

~Christmas concert at Bethany: SCREWED UP because I had it written down as 5pm; it was at 4. We were on time, just an hour later than everyone else. We were there for 4 numbers, but during two of them, I was in bathrooms with my children, respectively ("It was a long car ride!" - 15 minutes).

~Christmas party at work: SCREWED UP because it's the same night as our cantata at church. Now, mind you, that will be beautiful - handbells (that's me), kids singing, choir singing - beautiful. But I flippin PLAN the work Christmas party, and won't be able to attend.

~Online shopping: FAILED. Tried doing it when we had to cancel our trip. I HATE online shopping. Let the record show, it will not be attempted again.

~Anniversary trip: CANCELED. We were going to Wichita to just have dinner and finish shopping. Due to the stomach flu that has invaded the house, my sick husband missed work yesterday and is therefore working this weekend. Yeah, that sucks.

Here's what HAS worked out.

~Six trees a-twinkling. Yep, all 6 are up. And beautiful.

~While my son was convalescing on the couch this weekend, I rendered it "Christmas movie day" - we watched "Elf," "Santa Clause," "Santa Clause 2," "Santa Clause 3" and "Ponyo" (which isn't Christmasy, but still cute).

Tomorrow is the beginning of my third year at my job, which is a Christmas gift in itself. Hey, maybe I'll get a raise - wouldn't that be a nice Christmas gift - but at the very least, they're taking me to lunch.

Unless I succumb to the stomach flu first.