A few fun Christmas presents

We have been enjoying a few fun Christmas presents. This is Darren's Grandma Hills mixer. My thoughtful husband wanted to surprise me and finally buy me a mixer this year. I do most everything by hand. That includes kneading bread by hand, mixing cookies, etc. This machine is such a good machine after 20 years of not being used it only cost 55$ for a simple tune up and it works wonderfully. We made our first batch of cookies on Sunday. Tyler kept saying this is so easy to mix it Mom. He HAD to help push all the buttons and mix all the ingredients.

We also got two large maps to hang in our house. One of the USA and one of the World. Ella is pointing to were our Harston cousins live in Texas. She also knows where Aunt Nellie lives, and Tessa. We will add more to her map skills as we go.

I want to remember this part of our lives. This is an email I sent to a few friends regarding a job offer Darren was considering. It would have been some accounting but traveling. Traveling and being away from us, his family for part of the month. It was a hard decision we were trying to make, it would have been a new challenge.

Dear Friends and sister-
It seems I spoke to you five friends/sister about the job opportunity that Darren was told about. One night I was particualary upset up the possibiltiy of Darren traveling during the months/years to come. We called our home teacher who came over at 9:30 at night and gave us both a blessing. Immediately I felt calm about the situation. There have been moment in the last 4 weeks that I have challenged and doubted the calm feeling I have continued to have... but I just remember that I felt very strongly that I would be able to handle what ever came from this situation. I haven't cried, or been upset about it since then.

Here is the end to the story. To be fair Darren's company felt they needed to interview others. In that interviewing they found someone they feel will do an excellent job. The Boss came down and talked to Darren today and told him their situation. Letting him know that they plan to officially extend the job to the other guy. ( I guess if the other guy doesn't take it, they could still come back and offer it to Darren)

Darren is a bit disappointed. He is happy with his job but was eager to NOT have to do the company audit again this year. (frankly, I feel that played some very heavy weight in the decision. The audit prep has started and would they be able to higher someone in time to effectively care out the audit? DEFINITELY NOT!)

I feel great about it. And looking back, understand the calm feeling. Darren on the other hand ... is thinking he doesn't want to be in the accounting area is whole life. So I am SURE when another opportunity opens, they might offer it to him, and he will accept. But for now... He is home with me, maybe for less hours since the audit means 14 hour days, but he will be home every night in our own bed--- with his family.

Thanks for your love and support. I seem to need friends who can let me talk and who can talk back...and will bounce ideas off each other.

Love amy