Christmas

First, I'll give you what you really want, which is a look into the humorous life that is lived in the Pistone house.

Since the Midgordens (my sister and brother-in-law) were spending Christmas Day with the Midgordens, we celebrated a new holiday this year which shall be called Christmas Eve Day. Really, we basically decided that the 23rd was Christmas Eve, the 24th was Christmas, and today was second Christmas. Excellent decision on our part, I must say. Events included dinner at my Aunt's on the 23rd. That was awesome because I missed seeing my cousins and loved hearing about their lives. Also, I finally got to see my Aunt Paula's bear (they keep telling me it's a dog, but that's impossible) and her new house. Wonderful times were had by all and surprisingly I'm pretty sure none of the aunts were even tipsy.

The 24th we awoke early to open presents only to be foiled by Vincent's eye appointment. But present time finally came and much rejoicing followed. Good loot this year. My grandparents decided that the weather was too bad for them to leave the house (though it was only raining at that point) so we went to their house. We had a traditional all-fish-holy-day-of-obligation Christmas Eve (Day) dinner and then left as the ice started to fall. Well, the ice continued and we pansy protestants cancelled our Christmas Eve services, and so we all went to hear my parents play bells at the Christmas Eve service. Four boys in matching homemade red vests sat in front of us and both of my siblings managed a "Ding fries are done" joke during Carol of the Bells. After mass we said good bye to my sister and Jon who left to have Christmas with their other family.

Today we got up late since there were no presents to be opened. We all continued to lay about the house in pajamas until about 4:00, when my mother and I decided to go see a movie. I put on my boots and went to defrost my car. However, it was surrounded by about a foot and a half of snow on all sides and after pretending we were maybe going to go for about 10 minutes we went back inside and watched both Love Actually and The Holiday instead. When the movies were over my mother said, "What should we do now?" I realized I hadn't eaten in at least an hour and a half and since calories don't count on Christmas (or second Christmas) I seized the opportunity to stuff my face.

Now I find it about time to go pass out filled with merriment from my do-nothing and eat-everything Christmas. For sure, this is how Jesus' birthday was meant to be celebrated.

I hope you had as great a time as I did. I also hope to work out for as long as my little body can take it tomorrow.

Love!

-Veronica

Welcome Home?

Sometimes I wonder if I'm crazy. But then I remember that I'm 20 and I think we're supposed to be like this.

There's a funny thing about school and that is this: it keep you so stinking busy that you don't really have time to think about things if you don't want to think about them. You don't have time to deal with life-- you just live it and process it later. Healthy? Oh, probably not. But you know what, I've been learning the 8,000 paradigms that go with Greek verbs and I do not have time for this.

And so this semester, I kind of hit the wall. School just got really hard the last few weeks and I could not keep my paradigms straight for the life of me. It probably has something to do with going straight from school to overseas to school and never stopping to just be. Also, I've never really been one to turn the brain off for a moment (unless, of course, I'm watching the O.C.). So here I've been scrambling and dying, just a little bit, to get to this break and be able to just be for a while. I think my mind needs it.

But the problem with rest is now that my lower needs are met I can crawl back up the pyramid. Thanks Maslov for the imagery. And frankly, it is uncomfortable. The real question that comes out is, "If God and I are really doing pretty well right now, why am I still unhappy with this?" This can be whatever you need it to be-- but the issue for me is that I can't seem to shake it. It's there and I don't know how to make it go away.

I think I've been so busy for so long, I've forgotten how to be satisfied.

It's been a while but if I remember correctly, relearning satisfaction is neither pretty nor comfortable. Necessarily ugly, if you will. Oh, I will.

Here's to a break of rest, weddings, and freaking out. Should be... interesting.

Other news of interest: I am teaching a class at Gateway this January about Walking in the Spirit. So, that's going to be awesome. And if you'd like to pray for that, I'd really appreciate it. Adults are scary. Just trying to be obedient.

May the peace of Christ, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Cheers!

-Veronica