Catching up

Well, here I am and it's the end of November. I am always catching up from something. I went to Utah for a wonderful long weekend 2 1/2 weeks ago and then had to catch up from that. But it was SO worth it. Had a great time being with friends and roaming my alma mater. Bought great stuff at the bookstore, got a milkshake from the creamery, went to see the Minerva Teichert exhibit at the art museum. LOVELY. Awe-inspiring.
Ate well, introduced my friend there to good media: took her to see "Stardust," the movie that is my favorite of the whole year, probably since last year's "Pride and Prejudice." (Or was it 2 years ago? Time slips away.) I've now seen it four times in the theater, which is unprecedented for me. Now it comes out on video soon. CAN'T WAIT!! It's funny, romantic as all get-out, swashbuckling, clever, just fun entertainment. Need more movies like that. Also introduced Sarah to "Pushing Daisies." I can't say enough either about this TV show. It's funny, romantic, clever, quirky, unbelievably original, and great entertainment. Unlike anything else on and SO worth watching. LOVE IT.
Ah, the joys of really good media and good food. ...
Books. Still a highlight of my life. I've read quite a bit lately. Enjoyed the gothic style of the new book "The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox," was completely drawn in to Orson Scott Card's genetic thriller "Invasive Procedures," did rather enjoy "The Last Summer of You and Me." Those were all new books I reviewed for my book page. Hm, what else? Can't think right now.
Family is good. The girls are growing and busy. Charlotte has teeth now and is eating solid food, which she is still not crazy about but is managing to get down. She is a roly-poly little bundle compared to my older girls. It's fun having a baby with rolls of fat! She is such a doll! Just dripping wet from all the drool thanks to teething.
Brianna is enjoying her private school and Cami and Marissa are doing just fine at the public elementary school. I'm still involved with the school and the system at large in trying to make things better. This year has seen a lot of good things happen, in some tiny parts thanks to my input. So I feel positive about the progress that's being made with our somewhat struggling city system. It has a bad rap, for some real reasons and for some just perceived things. But I'm trying to do my part to change that. I hate to see the inequity that it's created. The school system right now is largely composed of children from poor backgrounds who are black. So it's not diverse at all. That's not good for anybody. I love to see good diversity and equality and fairness and equal opportunity for anyone, regardless of background. The schools are really the start of that. Well, it's a complicated long story but one that I'm passionate about. I hope to be able to do some small things to be part of a larger effort for positive change.
Church is busy. Good. The usual, really. I stay busy as the 1st counselor in RS, over education now. That is a change from being over HFPE for four years, so it's fun.
Marce is thrilled that it's finally Christmas time. He is decorating the outside of the house. He's been so busy getting the painting done outside and getting storm windows taken care of and trim painted and so on, that now that he's mostly done with that, he can have fun with lights and reindeer and such. He loves Christmas and would be happy if it were all year round, I think. Me, I just kind of groan because I know what kind of work it all entails. Bah humbug me, I know.
My best Christmas present will be if our court date for finalizing the adoption actually holds for Dec. 20, and we will actually be done with it all. Then we can bless Charlotte and have her sealed to us in Birmingham. That will be wonderful after all we've been through legally and emotionally this year. It's been terribly draining, emotionally and financially. But an end is in sight.
That's the short of it. I still love my book page job. SO fun. I'm in the middle of two children's book pages; last Sunday was picture books, and this coming Sunday is chapter books. I'm really proud of my work, and I've had good involvement from local young readers this time, which is great. I love getting free books, reading them, writing about them, and just having them around. Talking about them, etc. ... I am happy to be surrounded by full bookshelves.
I think I must conclude. There is so much to say but not as much time as I would like to say it in. Here's hoping I can enjoy the holiday season and not be too much of a humbug.