The Spirit of Christmas

     "I had just nodded off, at a quarter past four, when the Spirit of Christmas stepped in through my door. With a great show of sparkles, he decked all my halls in tinsel and twinkles and bright, shining balls. I was really quite fond of the trimmings he'd brought. 'But there's just something missing this Christmas,' I thought...

     ...That's when the Spirit of Christmas smiles.  'Remember, this all began with a child. Because it took nothing but love to begin it, it's not really Christmas if love isn't in it.'

     Your tree may be large as the room will allow with a big yellow start on the uppermost bough, but of one thing I'm certain, I'm sure of one thing.  It's love that makes the angels sing.  And that's when I got it.  That's when I knew! The thing that was missing from Christmas was you! 

     And so then, my darling, wherever you roam, may you always be safe...may you always come home.  For as long as the world still spins and still hums, wherever you are, and no matter what comes, the best part of Christmas will always be...you beneath my Christmas tree." ~by Nancy Tillman.


Here is to NEXT Christmas and ALL that it will bring.
Merry Christmas from Little One & I.

Flaunting My 'Prints

     I was going to title this "A funny thing happened on the way to Homeland Security", but the truth is nothing funny or unfunny happened on the way to Homeland Security.  And I'm sure nine different government agencies would not appreciate any inference that Homeland Security is funny...or not funny...or whatever...Your Honor.
     I had a very quick visit last week with the aforementioned a-comical government agency.  I took the afternoon off from work assuming that I'd be stuck in paperwork Hades for a few hours, but I was literally in AND out in 15 minutes.  Biometrics DONE with no messing around!  The nice lady who processed me said I had "very attractive fingerprints"...? I'm still not sure how to file that little piece of information, but I'm willing to flaunt my 'prints if that's what it takes to bring my son home (Is there a line there that just got crossed?! I'm seriously not sure...)
     Here are a few photos (courtesy of Jessie Johanson) of my fingerprinting appointment in July. That's right...I know what I am doing.  ;)  Little One's baby book is going to be filled with somewhat unusual pictures like these, but full of as much joy & anticipation as any ultrasound photo or first tooth picture.  We'll have fun talking about God working through each step in bringing him home.  And...maybe, many, many years in the future one of my great grandchildren will climb into their Grandpa Little One's lap and ask to see the photo of Grandma Des and her attractive fingerprints. :)

Watch out...it kind of tickles.

Them are some good looking fingerprints!