Determined

I'm going to take it easy.  I say this every year, but this year I mean it.  I'm going to relax, take things with a grain of salt (unless you count my sister's engagement or my cousin's or my other cousin's...really it's just a lovely thing engagements) and not get hysterical over things I can't control.

I'm going to ignore the fact that I'm pretty sure the fact that I haven't yet purchased my husband's gift means something significant.  Like I'm an utter failure as a wife.  All right, that is a little extreme.  It really means that I'm thoughtless and selfish and can't be trusted with valuable things like wish lists.  STOP IT.  Seriously.  Not having driven out in the rain, to the store that rhymes with...um, low -s...simply means that I'm a procrastinator.

But it doesn't mean that.  "No?" you ask.  No, what it really means is that the fairies in charge of perfect Christmases didn't arrive again this year.  Are they helping someone else?  Are they stuck in the snowstorm that is blinding the upper part of the Midwest?  Did they get kidnapped by people too selfish and mean to share them?  Did they win the lottery and retire to the moon?

But I have faith people!

I have faith that the fairies will return next year and I will reign supreme.  I will get all my shopping early.  I will not forget my sister and have to re-gift something one of my reps got me (GASP - I would never do that...really).  I will pick out a surprise gift for my husband that ends up being his dream gift and he'll love me forever.  All of my cards will go out early, with ribbons, gold sequins and fancy calligraphy.  I'll bake endless amounts of sweets, sampling freely, but somehow not gain a single pound.  My skin will be clear, free of blemish and unsightly bags (rhymes with hags).  But most of all I will have joy-such joy-in my heart that stress will bounce off of me and dissipate like badly held together craft ornaments.

And that is my dream people.