Attitude Adjustment

This morning I woke up and Christmas was only five days away.

Don't freak out, there is actually a week between us and Christmas day. But this morning, Husband and I decided our little family Christmas should be Thursday. We plan to be on the farm for Christmas with my family, and will arrive Christmas Eve for the traditional Sunday School program in the Little Church. The little family likes to enjoy a full day of Christmas festivities, and Thursday was seemingly the best day.

Except now I had only a mere five days to get mom duties done for Christmas, clerk duties done at work, and tax duties done at school. I got up, studied some Tax Code, then did some online shopping.

Somewhere between American Eagle and Macy's, I tried to put my computer on the coffee table -- one handed. My other hand was probably doing something very important, like running the remote control or texting on my phone. As the computer slipped out of my hand, it landed hard on its side. At first glance, nothing seemed wrong. But then the charging cord fell out. Except the end of the charging cord was still in my computer...HUSBAND!!!

While husband made a valiant attempt to super-glue the cord, the writing was on the wall. An emergency trip to the cities must be made to obtain a new cord from Best Buy. A law student without a working computer is one thing; a law student who is also a mom with a budget, deadline and the making of life-long memories on the line is Quite Another.

The tragedy has a surpise ending: It all turned out great. Earlier this week, I realized that yet again, Christmas had more or less snuck up on me. One minute it's Thanksgiving, the next minute you're running around Hallmark displays trying to find that special ornament when even the display ornaments have been picked off! But being "forced" to take an evening off, to have dinner with the Teenager and then do some light Christmas shopping in addition to the emergency cord, was just the perspective I needed.

My attitude is my choice. The next few weeks of the holidays will challenge me to Cherish the Moment. I am brought back to that earlier quest, and while my Tax grade is important, I won't be framing it or scrapbooking it! That honor is reserved for fun memories enjoyed in the presence of loved ones.