And Then Appears The Perfect Christmastime!

Yes, dear reader/follower, yet another Christmas post.  Hang on or pass on by, it is the last one in Year 3 of this Campaign.  Well, maybe.   I can't say the same for the Wooti Dawg stories.

This time of year is filled with expectations. Packed to the rim. Stuffed into our hearts and minds like Santa stuffing his sack full of goodies (or us stuffing ourselves full of goodies).  Expectations are so delicate, they can get shattered so easily.  When I'm full of expectations on how things are going to go or the way things are, I usually wind up sadly disappointed and so out of the moment, it takes me a bit to get my self back into the flow.
So, I work to not deal in expectations.  Especially, this time of year.   There is so much wonderful stuff going on that if I step out of the moment, even for a moment, I miss it all.
This last Sunday, was my scheduled day to decorate Pirate Cookies.  See I plan and schedule so I can give up on expectations and be more in the moment.  It really is a fine dance here.  Anyway, I get a message from Wooti's mom that she is going to be in my neighborhood, maybe with Wooti.  My past behavior would have been, "Oh, I'm busy." (with decorating cookies...I know, give up a chance to see favorite people, just in order to get something off a "to do list". Who does that?)  Not wanting to take time out and stay on track.  Now with this commitment to being in the moment, I was thrilled to see my friend, excited, and very happy when both she and Wooti were standing at my front door.   It was the start to a perfect Christmas week!  As there is nothing better than spending time with these two loving and joyous beings.
As a side bar, Pirate cookies got their due, for those wondering.
I had no idea I was going to get to see Wooti and his mom.  I was planning on shipping their presents to them. The day before, I was baking pirate cookies and my oven decided that it wasn't in the plans.   Everything I touched burned.  I even had a pan of melted chocolate fly off the stove, spin around my head and land on the refrigerator door.  Talk about your magic Christmas moments.  I just hope Santa understands that I had to say those bad words.
In an effort to "shake it off", Broadside and I went for a walk.  We found ourselves in a neighborhood honky tonk bar (I live in Portland, Oregon- and in my neighborhood we have everything).  We were enjoying one of the best holiday drinks I've ever had, listening to a guy spontaneously singing Christmas Songs in the style of Hank Williams.  It brought back so many childhood memories of my dad. Those past moments were filled with some great stuff.  And the moment I was in, was being filled with great stuff.  I decided it was time to let go of the expectations for all my prefect Christmas plans and live in the moment. As all we ever have is now.
The next morning, I baked wonderful pirate cookies.   And had my visit with Wooti and his mama. (Who by the way, gave me a plate of the BEST, yes the BEST vegan cookies- enough to get me to turn vegan.)
And then appeared the perfect Christmastime!  It just keeps coming.  All week long.  It has been filled with the magic and delight of this wonderful time of year.  I know that I can take all this into every moment I experience in the coming year.   Now that is a gift.
Are you willing to give up expectations for a opportunity of some magical moments to come your way?
I wish a very Merry Christmas to you all!
Until next week...create to feel great.

8 projects complete 44 to go!

This week's project is an Advent Calendar.  It was made for a little girl in Serbia.   Her mom and I are swap partners.  I had so much fun designing this.