Waiting and Wondering
Advent Season and so much more
Of course, after Thanksgiving comes Advent and December and getting ready for Christmas, which is basically like drinking from a firehose for moms. We think regular life is busy, and then all of a sudden the workload doubles in December - the events on the calendar, the amount of food, special dishes, baking, traditions, gifts to buy, wrap, and give, outfits for everyone for all the special occasions, memories to be made, halls to be decked… it’s so much, but it really is “the most wonderful time of the year.” So this year, we had the teeny tiny added stress of wondering if our whole life was about to change, and if so when.
I really do love decorating for Advent… so much hope and anticipation. I thought I was being all fancy buying these spiral candles but I kind of hated them… too metallic looking and they didn’t burn well. Oh well. I do love my statue of Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem that props precariously inside the Advent wreath because it doesn’t quite fit. Hate the traditional fighting over whose turn it is to light the wreath each night, but at this point in my mothering career I don’t really listen to it anymore. Hopi defended her thesis at UD on December 4, which was a proud moment for us. That’s another thing about December - wrapping up the semester and all the extra papers and tests and stress for the kids! Somehow I managed to make a Christmas card that week too before we scooted off to DC for one night for the APP Ball.
What looks kind of glamorous actually requires a lot of planning. I had to get this dress altered in Phoenix because I wouldn’t have had enough time in Chicago, then I arranged to leave after I got the kids off to school on Thursday and be back in time for pickup Friday afternoon so as to not slack off on my mom duties - always the most important! But thankfully I was able to land in DC late in the afternoon and Brian whisked me off to our hotel where we quickly changed and left for the ball. It was at the gorgeous and stunning Andrew Mellon Auditorium, followed by an after-party somewhere, and then instead of walking home we hopped on a rented scooter and careened recklessly back to our hotel, as I clutched desperately at Brian, laughing and trying not to fall off. Even managed to take a crooked photo! Speaking of planning, the next day was St. Nicholas day, so Sam covered shoe duties at home in his usual dependable fashion.
Sunday was the feast of the Immaculate Conception. We were still waiting to find out if Brian would get the nod for Ambassador. I said, I think it’ll happen on Friday, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Monday, we went out to buy a Christmas tree because with the temps dropping and the busy schedule coming up, it was the only possible day!
Then Brian had to go to DC again for the rest of the week. Wednesday night, I was at an Evening of Recollection at our church and noticed the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe had already been set up. I knew she was watching and taking care of everything. Sure enough, on the vigil of her feast, Brian was at a dinner and got a call that Trump had asked for his number, and that he should keep his phone ringer on! He quickly called me and of course we were on pins and needles that whole night… but the call didn’t come. Surely soon, we thought…
Friday morning, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the sun was shining perfectly on our statue in the early morning. All day we waited. Brian got home that night, barely making it for the kids’ school Christmas play, starring our very own Mary and 2 angels.
The weekend passed in the usual busy whirlwind of activities: Sam took the ACT, Gracie and I spent most of Saturday and Sunday singing with the choir for Lessons & Carols, Ben had tennis, the Christmas decorating inched slowly along, and packages began to pile up in the front hall. As day followed day, we kept our phone ringers on, thinking any day would be the day. By Monday, I said my new projection was that Trump would call that coming Friday, which would be when all the big kids would be home. Ugh, said Brian, I hope it doesn’t take that long!
Waiting in joyful hope.