Welcome!

Today, I would like to offer a great big warm welcome to everybody.

Welcome to the Christmas Season! With the lights, the goodies, the Christmas trees, the happy music, the warm smiles, and the nativity scenes set up everywhere, this truly is one of the happiest times of the entire year. Welcome to Joy!

Welcome to the Snow! For the first time in my life, I can look outside my window at my yard that is covered in beautiful snow. The pasture has horse tracks that crisscross from one fence to another, and Cruise is a beautiful, fuzzy, black contrast to the scene. I see the tracks that I made through the yard last night when I went to feed him. I see the shoveled driveway that tells me of the care, and concern, and loving devotion my husband showed last night even after a crazy weekend of traveling. I see all that, and feel the warmth that envelopes me from the house with its pretty new furnace and comfortable furnishings, and I am grateful for it all. Welcome to all that Winter means!

Last and best of all...

Welcome to My Birthday Season! That's right, friends. My birthday is on Sunday. And as much as I absolutely love Christmas, as much as the Holiday Season brings true joy to my heart, very little brings the immediate excitement and the big smile to my face like my Birthday! So if, for this week, I mention every single day that my birthday is coming up, just know that every time I do, I am singing a little song to myself. I skip and frolic. I thoroughly enjoy the anticipation of coming up to the day that is all about celebrating ME. :) Welcome to the Best Time of the Year!