Count it All Joy

Joy came in the morning, as you can see here, along with all the other emotions in our series.  The theme of the day was Joy, which you spell Jesus, Others, You.  Madison is pictured above, enjoying the service with about a thousand other kids over the course of the morning, learning about Joy, and having a great morning with a funny skit, great videos, and wonderful praise and worship music.

Today, however, was not all joy.  Madison has not been told yet, but Uncle Dave has been moved to hospice.  It's a difficult time for the family, as he has been sent there to be made as comfortable as possible with the few remaining days he has left to live.  Daddy went to visit again today, having been a few times over the last week, but now visiting at a new location just south of Cumming.  The rest of the family was there, and it was tough.  There are really no words that adequately describe the situation, actually.

Daddy got home a little more somber, and cold too.  It's very chilly outside.  The weather is such that it takes a tremendously long time to warm up your feet.  The only option for a more lasting warmth is a bath or shower.  Two pairs of socks help, as do extended trips to the fireplace - either the real one, or the electric one.

Madison finished her piano for the day, so she earned a couple power discs for Disney Infinity, namely Ghost Rider's whip, in honor of yesterday's concert experience.  That was by the fireplace, of course.  Also, a Hydra motorcycle, which was hidden nearby where Mommy and Daddy watch "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

So obviously, we played that for a bit.  But bedtime needed to come earlier tonight, as Madison was noticeably more tired today.  We want her well-rested for school and more, so we headed upstairs, and continued reading from our latest nighttime book, one with Rush Revere. She still has Liberty the horse with her, and the two sit and listen as Daddy reads aloud their latest adventure.

Did I mention she got something in the mail from Rush Revere?  I'm not sure if I did, but just this week, she got a solid cardboard cylinder, and inside it were two posters of Rush Revere and his 'crew.'  These were wall-sized posters, and really nice ones too.  We seem to be adding to our collection of posters here, as there's the one from "Frozen" and a few from "The Descendants" as well.  This made Mommy and Daddy ponder how far off we are from the years of random posters on the wall, or if that will ever come.  Daddy had them on his wall, posters of singers and movies.  I had this ginormous Amy Grant poster I remember vividly, and now I'm trying to remember where it went to - this thing stretched longways across the wall.  It was like wallpaper, almost.  I had that, but then there were Star Wars posters of course, and the random calendars such as my favorite, one from Pee-Wee's Playhouse.  Madison's calendar is from Santa this year, a Lisa Frank one.  Yes, you can tell that Mommy and Daddy love it too - it's so sugary and sickening sweet!  The pictures are hilarious, and I'm still looking for one of those nice coffee table books filled with Lisa Frank imagery.  Someday there'll be a gallery or an exhibition on tour with Lisa Frank stuff.  And yes, I'll be there.

Anyway, Madison went to bed happy, and Daddy and Mommy started their "Romantic Movie Fest" a little early with a great movie from the 90's called "It Could Happen to You."  As you might suspect, the recent lotto fever that has gripped our nation was inspiration for this.  No, we haven't bought a lotto ticket.  Daddy was cured of gambling a long time ago, having only won twice in his life.  You can have seven drawings with me and one other person in the room, and that other person will always win.  Fortunately, Madison has won a few items in drawings, so it's apparently not a genetic defect.

But we did win tonight with a nice movie, and a nice fire in the fireplace, and some nice snuggling under the blankets.  It's a cold night out there, but we were very cozy, and very blessed.