Brooke in Real Life

Why does it seem that when anyone writes "Real Life" on Facebook it's the drudgery of their day? Is it a terrible thing that real life can also be good life? I don't think anyone of us are shallow enough to surmise that life itself isn't just plain hard. We all have struggles, battles, sickness, grief and loss. I can lose my mind over my computer crashing as fast I can my kids fighting. I can fall apart in moments, when I think of my friends who are sick, really sick. But "real Life", the one that can bring me out of my despair or the one that gives me hope in humanity, is not my MSN feed. Nope that one just reminds me of our natural depravity. Today I was reminded that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We get to hope in the fact that we are loved through all our "real life" drama and joy. Life is about the ups and the downs, right? So I personally love to see the lists of people's joy and family funnies on my Facebook Feed. Like I said no one is so daft to think that those joyous posts are the meat of our souls, right? In light of  the Christmas month, I was just sitting by my fire this morning, drinking a cup of coffee and meditating in the Word and in Prayer and I was hit with the realization that we are allowed to be hopeful and joyous and restful, even within the anguish in our day.  Being real also means sharing the joys and beautiful things in our lives. I get to live in a world with a reality of sorrow, that is true. But I get to be loved with perfection. So today, well this morning, while my house is quiet and I'm being reflective by a warm fire and a glowing Christmas tree, I'm going to rejoice because today it was given to me. The cynical side of me knows that at any moment that could change and that life as I know it could forever be altered..... But the truth is, the good days get to be "real life" too.  Love cast out all fear. So here's to loving that "real life" no matter the outcome.

Here's a little real life conversation that happens at my house:

Cozy, Braxtyn and Quinn in my bathroom getting ready:
Cozy: Am I done? Can I go?
Quinn: We are getting cute.
Braxtyn: We are all so cute.
Quinn: I'm the cutest!
Braxtyn: You just took that to a whole new level girl!

Quinn: I'm so stressed out, wait. What what does that mean?
Braxtyn: It means you have too much on your plate and you can't eat it all.

At Archery and Graham's friend Elea was being picked on.

Graham: I'll take care of it.
(walks up to a 15yr. old boy and let him know you don't pick on girls)
Graham: (to Elea) It's handled he wont bother you again.
(Later Graham proceeds to jokingly rope the boys feet as he walks)
The boy: Ok Graham your younger than me but since your a real cowboy and can actually use a lasso. I respect you.

My Huckleberry! 

My rules for an awesome Christmas!

Christmas is a month long of traditions and I love it! My rules for an awesome Christmas are as follows:

1. Christmas music is the only acceptable sound that should come from my home from November 28-January 1st

2. A tree and decoration must be up no later than the Saturday following Thanksgiving

3. Each week something homemade and sweet must be baked in the oven.

4. Even if I have to open the doors and windows, a fire shall be in the fireplace most evenings and occasional mornings.

5. Coffee. Every. Day.

6.  Even if I am done Christmas shopping I must visit a shopping mall

7. Reading a novel to the kids by the fire each evening

8. No School from the 2nd week of December to the 2nd week of January

9. Parties!!

10. A visit to see Santa!

11. My Birthday is an integral part of my Christmas month and I have embraced it and made it my own with time cut out for just me and my little family. 

I look forward to our Secret Angel game with the kids. Each family draws a name and we do things for each other all month. We then buy a small gift for our person and reveal it on Christmas Eve Eve. We also watch a Chrsitmas movie and get new P.J.s. I almost look forward to December 23rd more than the actual day!

Truth in The Tinsel has been a new tradition this month. So much fun to create an ornament each day! Christmas Eve brunch is also a new thing since my Sister in Law is a nurse and works on Christmas day:(. 

Today I will join the Be The Match group. One little cheek swab and I will forever be a bone marrow donor. I am excited to see if I'm a match for Michelle, but I was a little apprehensive to be a match for another person, a stranger. It's a big commitment and I keep trying to think if there was a stranger that was a match for my friend I would absolutely expect them to donate to save her life. So what's my problem??? I'm afraid.  Bottom line, I worry about the effect of the whole procedure on my family. Being an organ donor was a no brainer (pun intended), it just seems selfish to keep perfectly working organs in a body that's already gone. But to take something from your healthy body and share parts of it with a total stranger, now that was a different thought process. I'm absolutely ok with it now, I've read about the process, I'm ready for the possibility of a match and therefore we are going this morning to be tested. It just took some time getting used to the idea.