Merry Christmas!

We've been having a great week...

I got back from Denver on Sunday, and Patrick picked me up from the airport. He greeted me with a rose and a CD of love songs by the Rat Pack. He can be such a romantic sweetheart. When we got home, Patrick ran downstairs and started up our new dryer...a Christmas surprise for me. Yeah!!! I am so excited to have a dryer again!

The 22nd was our 1 year Anniversary. We went to a little dinner at Noodles & Co., saw RocknRolla, then came home to enjoy the evening together. It was nice to spend an evening focused on each other and our relationship.

Last night, the 23rd, I finished Christmas shopping, and when I got home, I was super antsy to give Patrick his presents. He had mentioned that he had one more gift for me, besides the dryer. So, I set up his presents on the dining room table, near the little blue Christmas tree I bought to take with me to Denver. He came into the room, and we exchanged gifts.

I got him a Simpsons 2009 calendar, the book 101 Nights of Romance (we need a little spice), a frame for a sweet picture he bought at Speed Week, a jar of pickled herring from Ikea, jam, juices, and soda from Ikea, and I have another gift of the vintage and vehicular nature that isn't quite finished. Also on the list to do as soon as possible is heated gloves so his hands don't freeze while he's riding his Triumph throughout the winter.

Patrick pulled out a 4GB memory card and handed it to me. Funny...my camera is dead... Then he pulled out a box that has a new camera!!!!!!!!! It's a really nice camera. Really, really, really nice. I am so excited to start taking pictures again. Sunday night we watched a movie, and Patrick had stuck the box with the camera with all of our DVDs and VHS. It blended in so well that I didn't even give it a thought. He wanted me to see it and ask about it, but I didn't even give it a look. Turns out, his sister and brother-in-law bought us the dryer for Christmas. They're going to Mexico for the Peace Corp, so they wanted to to do a bigger present to make up for the next couple of years that they won't be here.

What a great Christmas! I know we did presents way early, but we were both too excited to spoil each other. Tonight we're going to make dinner with a bag of Ikea meatballs I bought, and we'll probably rent a movie, read Luke 2, and enjoy a nice quiet Christmas Eve. Christmas morning, we're driving up to Brigham City to spend the day with Patrick's mom and step-dad, sister and brother-in-law, and maybe his step-dad's kids.

It's been snowing for 2 weeks here in Utah. It is most definitely a White Christmas. I love it. I really don't love the snow, but I love how it makes it feel like Christmas. Some years in Phoenix, we'd play outdoor racquetball on Christmas day and it was WARM. That can make it feel less like a wintery snowy holiday. :) So, I feel blessed to be spending the last handful of Christmases in Utah where it really feels different.

One thing we did during Christmas when I was a kid was tons and tons of service projects. We baked for neighbors, did 12 Days of Christmas for older single people at church, dropped off boxes of Christmas goodies, food, and presents to families that needed a little help, and just gave when and where we could. I am so grateful for parents that raised me that way.

This year, my mom and dad asked that instead of giving them a present, we do some sort of service and tell them about it. Yesterday when I was at Barnes & Noble, they were doing a book drive for the Sandy Boys & Girls Club. So, I bought a few books for them to donate. I think donating something like a book is a valuable gift. Reading is such an important part of life, so I was happy to participate in the book drive. Patrick thought it was pretty cool, too. :)

Well, Merry Christmas everyone! Enjoy life's blessings, show gratitude, and bless the lives of others. :)