Purchased the Wii she put #1 on her wish list for the last three years now that it has fallen to #2 behind hamster, the kind of retro hamster that – like the two fish, turtle and dog – requires someone’s mother to clean and feed it.
Encouraged her good dad to buy a little Christmas tree and found out three days later it cost $100.
Coerced my daughter into having a cup of hot cocoa with me at Starbucks despite her protests that, in 70-degree sunshine, she wasn’t very cold right now.
Raided her piggy bank to pay for the cocoa with every intention of repaying it.
Let my husband pick out a computer for her and he chose one that is better than mine.
Spent $160 on gifts at Target and allowed the cashier to sign me up for a store credit card to save 15 percent, a process that took 15 percent of the trouble it will take to cancel the credit card.
Soon realized that 15 percent of $160 isn’t nothing but amounts to less than nothing.
Learned that a plumbing leak requires replacement of the dining room ceiling before our Christmas company comes.
A ceiling over our heads instantly amounted to my greatest wish and blessing.
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Karen,
Thank you for letting your full humanity shine through your posts, including this one!
I have included your blog in my recent post on "15 Great Women Buddhist Blogs", here:
http://minddeep.blogspot.com/2009/12/15-great-women-buddhist-blogs.html
May you continue to inspire other sisters, and brothers, along Buddha's path!
Deep bow,
marguerite
Comment by Marguerite Manteau-Rao — December 13, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
Gotta love this season!!!
Comment by Shawn — December 13, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
how funny. our lesser-of-two-evils issue is currently wii vs. rabbit. ugh.
Comment by Terri Fischer — December 13, 2009 @ 9:42 pm
My daughter (11 yrs old) just bought her own laptop today. It was $470, but she'd already earned almost $300 towards it. Her Christmas present will be $100 off her debt, but she still owes us the seventy.
Another kid is getting a room redecoration for Christmas and the last two are also getting $100 off of what they've borrowed from us (and were super excited when I offered that as a present). But Santa is bringing the entire family a stack of books and games for us to share together and that's the one I can't wait to open.
Oh yah, I've totally raided my kid's piggy bank. It's a good thing she doesn't charge interest.
Comment by Wendy — December 14, 2009 @ 12:06 am
i've also raided the piggy bank for starbucks, and baja fresh.
we have the dreaded "robo dwarf" hamster, which requires an adult to do the cleaning. he's on his last of a 24 month lifespan, a gift of christmas past.
my mom just bought an ipod for my 9 year old this x-mas, it's way nicer than mine and my husband's combined.
cheers!
Comment by Yogajill — December 14, 2009 @ 12:54 am
Merry Christmas Karen! You won the give-away on my blog. I think I still have your address. Thank you for your endless compassion and kind words.
Comment by Kathleen Botsford — December 14, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
Around here it looks like a Christmas elf threw up, with boxes, paper, packages, ribbons, decorations and knitting projects scattered all over, and this morning I discovered one of our toilet seats is broken. Good luck with your ceiling.
Comment by Swirly — December 14, 2009 @ 4:13 pm
Signs of a mother's love:
-buying and then caring for daughter's hamster
-smuggling hamster through airport security in your pocket so that the hamster can move with the family from Texas to California
And, yes, the hamster did bite me!
Comment by Tricia — December 14, 2009 @ 7:59 pm
Thankful that my kids are not yet old enough to know that they may request something for Christmas.
You are doing a great job Karen!
Comment by 6512 and growing — December 14, 2009 @ 9:06 pm