...With Two Cats in the Yard: Pure Magic

When we returned from Thanksgiving break, I knew I was nearly out of leave time from work. In nearly every category of leave, I had hours in the low single digits. I knew I could afford almost no level of sickness or other emergency, let alone a mental health or shopping afternoon. Given that December is usually one of the most stressful and busy months of the year, I felt the challenge of my situation. I have set an intention, therefore, of eliminating unnecessary activity and worry from my Advent. I need a quiet, peaceful Advent like never before.

Well, so far my plan has been successful. I had good health last week, and last weekend I was able to feel really caught up on sleep. And it may be that I responded by being a bit too active! But the weekend was so stuffed with magic and positivity that I have great hope it will be a net gain for well-being.

We began by attending the Winter Lights Festival, which is another of those town events we've attended every year since we moved to Blacksburg. It is just too wholesome an expression of holiday cheer to miss. It begins with Santa at the Lyric Theater!

Adele may forgive us someday... she was seconds from tears here.

Miles, by contrast, was wild to befriend Santa and all his staff!

Next, we had a quick dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant downtown and hiked up the hill just in time for the tree lighting!

It's such a beautiful crowd of humans.

Isn't this such an Advent picture? Waiting....

Christmas Blacksburg <3 td="">

Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Children's Choir and the Mayor of Blacksburg attend the tree lighting. It's so small-town and precious!

There it is! There was the usual ooh-ing and ah-ing. Bless.

After Tuba Christmas, we found our places on Main Street to watch the parade.

The kids were in ecstasy, just from anticipating the parade!

Marching bands are the best parts of parades. Am I wrong?

Precarious float angel/

Last year the kids rode on the Chinese school float! But this year, we were very happy to watch their adorable presence, both marching

and riding.

It was a lovely night! But a late one. Fortunately, we were able to sleep in on Saturday, which gave me the energy to cheerfully round the kids back up for a road trip the next day: to Lynchburg! To pay homage to our new niece/cousin, Addison Claire!

She was born on the night of this full moon:

I took this on our way back from Canada on the 25th of November. Soon after, I texted Michaela to see if labor had started. It hadn't!

Yet.

So we found ourselves in the car again last Saturday. And.

It was worth every driving minute:

She is sooooooooooo perfect.

Adele surprised me by being uncharacteristically maternal. She wanted to hold her as long as possible:

She's going around saying she wants to be a mom when she grows up, now.

Miles took this:

Both kids enjoyed cuddle time with Addison.

Singing, "Hush Little Addison, Don't Say a Word"

I got a real baby fix this time. Praise God for new babies.

Sunday brought another spectrum of beauty.
The kids went to Sunday School. Then, I taught Children's Chapel. We used play-dough to make valleys to exalt, mountains to bring low, crooked roads to straighten and rough places to make smooth. We heard the words of John the Baptist and as always, I thrilled to the briskness of their challenge.

After church, Miles had choir and then both had pageant rehearsal. After 3.5 hours of church, you can understand his glazed expression!