Poor Jess!

I am back at work today after 4 days off...ugh! Actually, I am a bit thankful. Sounds weird, I know. I was so busy over the holiday that I never even got to breathe until Christmas evening. I went to bed that night around 11 pm and I slept until 12 noon. Can you believe that? The kids all slept in too. I was supossed to get up early and go shopping with my sister, Lori, but the alarm went off and I turned it off. It just wasn't that important to me to get the after-Christmas deals. My sleep was much more important!

We did indeed have a great Christmas. The kids got what they wanted. I gave them a limit of one or 2 things and that was it. It made it much nicer for me and Santa! :) We went to my Mom's at around noon and let all the kids (11) open gifts, then the adults opened after we ate dinner. Dinner was really good. I am a bit scared to weigh-in this week. We are weighing in Thursday this week since Monday was Christmas. I really tried to do well, but we will see.

Yesterday my Mom watched Jordan and Jackson so Jessica and I could go get a manicure and a pedicure. She got a gift certificate for Christmas and was dying to use it. So we dropped off the kids and headed for the shoe store to exchange some shoes. When we got there she slapped her entire thumb in the van door. She is not a crier so when she started to cry I knew that it was really bad. We went and exchanged the shoes and then went straight to the pediatrician's office. Dr. Karen took a look at it and decided she need to put a hole in her nail to drain the blood building under her nail. She took a heated thingy and burned a hole in her nail. The blood started to pour out. Jess cried really hard. I hated it that she was hurting so bad. We went for X-rays and thankfully it was not broken. She put a splint on it. Needless to say she could not get her manicure, but we did go get a pedicure. It was nice. I really had to gear myself up for it because I really don't like people touching my feet. I told the guy that he was the only man I ever LET touch my feet. He just smiled and said "I lucky man". So, as soon as her hole in her finger heals we will go back so she can get that manicure. To make up for it we went and ate Chinese...her favorite.

I am so thankful for such a wonderful Christmas season. I was so busy, which was really good. I hope that things stay kinda busy with my bags. I am already on the look out for some great spring designs. I have come across 2 so far. I can't wait to make mine, maybe I will do that this week. So, thanks to everyone who placed orders this year and I hope you enjoyed your Carolina Rags bag. I hope to hear from you again this upcoming year! God bless!

...Checking it twice!

What a busy week this is. I am sure it is just this busy for everyone this time of the year. I totally have not even put a dent in my shopping list! I have the list but just can't find the time to get out and go! I think that I am just gonna have to go to Wal-Mart after midnight one night this week. I think that that is the best time to shop.

I have been staying up til all hours of the morning trying to get all of my Christmas orders finished. Thanks to everyone who helped to support my business this year. I have truly been blessed and amazed at it all! I am still amazed that you guys actually love my creations. I enjoy making them and it is even more of an enjoyment when you guys love them too!

I am taking tomorrow off from work so that I can finish up with the orders and maybe run out and get some shopping done. I promised the kids that I would give them each $20 for shopping money. So we may do that too. I also have 4 orders for the "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake. This is the coolest cake ever. Every part of it is symbolic of Christ! Ever Sunday morning before Christmas the pastor at SHBC cuts the cake and reads about what each part means. Then one of the kids sing "Happy Birthday Jesus". This year it is going to be my nephew, Mason and my Jordan. It is always such a sweet part of the Christmas service.

Friday night is my brother (Bernie) and sister's (Amy) birthday (they will be 30...shhhhh!)! So we will have a little (big) family party for them. Then we are all going to go Christmas caroling. We have never really gone caroling. I think it will a fun, memorable experience, especially for the kids!

Sunday night we are going to a candle light service at the beach. That is going to be pretty neat too! The kids are quite excited about that! And of course they are excited about Christmas morning. I think we should add a few extra hours to Christmas Day. We are usually running around all day that day, and we never even have to leave town.

So, I hope that all of you have a very Merry Christmas and a very blessed New Year!

Blessings

This time of year is always so hard on me the past few years. I get very stressed out about what to get the kids and I am always afraid that I will not be able to get them what they really want. Unfortunately, when Buddy was here we really went a bit over board. I truly regret doing that now. I talked to the kids a few weeks ago and explained to them that "Santa" was going to bring them the one thing that they really wanted and that was it. So I stressed about that too. Quite honestly a few weeks ago I truly did not know where the money was going to come from. I am pretty much living paycheck to paycheck, which is fine any other month of the year.

We were not able to even afford to get a Christmas tree yet. Then yesterday a sweet lady brought us over a large 7 1/2 foot artificial pre-lit tree that someone was giving away....giving away! I haven't had a chance to put it up yet, maybe tomorrow night. But it is so amazing to me how God is always there to take care of us. He sends the right people in our path all the time. Now I don't have to worry about getting a tree EVER!

Then I met another sweet lady this week. She had purchased some bags that I made the first of the week. And she called and wanted more so she met me at my office downtown and got 3 more. First of all, that was a blessing in it self. I am still amazed that people like my bags.

Then later that day I get a phone call from a local guy who had talked to this lady. She was trying to get him to get some bags for his wife and daughters (which he is). But he said that he had someone who wanted to help a family this year and asked if he could help out my family. I was very taken back and surprised to say the least. 3 1/2 years ago when Buddy left I really had a hard time accepting anything from anybody. I was determined to do it own my own. And for the most part I have but God sends these angels my way when He really knows I need them. I had a really big pride issue. But my Mom explained to me that when people do things for us that it probably blesses them more than it blesses us. Which is hard to believe because I feel SOOOOO blessed right now. Words truly cannot describe how fortunate I feel.

So this year for Christmas my kids are definitely going to get that one thing that they really want. And I may even be able to get them something from Mommy too. I also got an anonymous check from someone at church too. God takes the worries that I have and over shadows them with such blessings. I know that I am not supposed to worry about anything and I should give God my worries. But sometimes it is really hard to do that! You would really think that it would be an easy thing to do especially with God's track record. He never ever fails us no matter how we treat Him.

So to say the least, I am feeling very blessed this Christmas once again. My business is booming, especially right now with Christmas orders. The word is getting out about Carolina Rags. My children are all very healthy. My family loves me unconditionally. My church families are always there for us. God is just good! Please know that I am so thankful for everything that God has blessed us with.

6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that
he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares
for you. 1Peter 5:6-7

Cooper

Yesterday was a pretty rough for the Bennett household. One of our boxers, Cooper, was hit a car and they could not save him. This is the first real pet that my kids have lost. They were devastated.

Cooper had never been out of the yard. He used to be an inside dog with his momma, Harley, but he eventually decided that he liked it better outside and would not come in anymore. Cooper was the most beautiful boxer I have ever seen. The day he was born I fell in love with him instantly. He was the only male in the litter. He was fawn colored with solid white all the way around his neck. He was mine. He was a good dog, just very, very hyper as we did not get him fixed. We had kinda planned on studding him out, but never did.

The kids were very upset to say the least. Jessica started crying immediately, I told her first. Then we went out and told Jordan and Jackson. They were outside playing with friends. Jackson just kinda looked at me and stared really hard. I could tell he was fighting back the tears because his friends were there. Then he just let it go. I picked him up and carried him in the house. I talked to him about Cooper going up to doggie heaven with my sister's dog, Buster. He kinda thought that was cool. "At least Cooper would have a cousin there." Jackson eventually cried himself to sleep on the couch, bless his heart. he woke up and maybe thought it was a dream, because he came and asked if Cooper was really gone. I told him yes and he cried a little more and all night he kept talking about things Cooper would do that were silly.

Jordan actually handled it pretty well. She is my tender-hearted child, I kinda thought she would take it the worst. But she was comforting the rest. My brother, Bernie, came over last night to patch up the hole that they were getting out of under my deck. Thanks Bern, I love you!

I did try to explain to the kids that this is part of life. This is just the first of many heart breaks that they will have throughout their lives. We did not get to bury Cooper in the back yard because I really wasn't sure how to do that by myself.

Harley (the momma dog) moped and cried all night to go outside and I would get up and let her out and she would wonder around the yard just waiting on Cooper to come out to ponce on her. She knows that something is not quite right. She actually looks sad. I guess she will be ok.

Ok..ok..here I am...

We have been so busy these past few weeks. I reckon it is just this time of the year. I have had tons of shows, which is a great blessing because I am pretty worried about Christmas coming up. Here it is the 11th of December and we have not even gotten our Christmas tree yet...not real sure we will be able to get one, but that is ok. I haven't had anytime to even decorate the house with all of my pretty decorations. I even have new ones that I bought the day after Christmas last year and have been waiting all year to bring them out.

I thought that I would be able to decorate this week but I am gonna be even busier this week. Last night we had the Christmas Pageant at our church (SHBC). All of my kids were in it. I am one proud Momma. They all did so well. ALL of the kids did well. It was a real miracle that it all came together. Although I really should not have doubted it would come off without a hitch, my Mom was the director. She did an amazing job. She may have a new job calling in directing. She paid attention to every detail, and I mean EVERY detail. It was really good!

Friday night my 2 girls were asked to sing at a live nativity in Port Royal at the tea house called 'Lil Peace of Heaven. They sang for about 45 minutes or so. They did so well. The live nativity was so cool. They had a real donkey and pony and goats. They even had a real live 'baby Jesus'. But he didn't last long because it was so cold out. So once again I am a very proud Momma.

This coming Tuesday all 3 of my little ones are performing in the school Christmas program. Jessica is the choreographer for one of the dances they are doing. She has worked very hard. She loves to do things like that. She must take after her Mamaw with the directing gene. Her music teacher thinks that she hung the moon. She calls her her little administrator. So I can't wait to see this performance too.

Friday night is my Christmas party for my office that I do title researching for. We are all going out to dinner. I am not real sure when things are going to slow down. I was up until about 4 am working on purses and it looks like I will be doing that quite a bit this week. I have to get all of these orders out this week. I am do it, I just wish that I could buy me some real energy somewhere. Anybody got any for sale...cheap? On top of it all I got bronchitis last week. I have been coughing my lungs out. I am tired of coughing. But today I feel a little it better, not 100% yet. But definitely on the mend.

I guess this is just an update of what has been going on in the busy, hectic life of a single parent. It never ends! It is so hard to forget the reason for this time of year. It's not just programs and gifts and shopping. It is ALL about the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Sometimes we get so busy we tend to forget all about that. I guess that is just the devil working on us. So don't forget. We would not even have Christmas if it wasn't for Him, some people just don't truly realize that! I know it. Even if we don't get that Christmas tree this year or the kids don't get everything that they want, we still know that Jesus came to this world to save us all and it all started on that first Christmas all those years ago. It is important to keep that thought in the front of your mind at all times. Happy Birthday Jesus!