Party Hearty WITH UPDATE

One week to Christmas exactly. It fills like it in Overgaard. The air is bitterly cold and you can still see patches of snow scattering the ground. However, I'm in Mesa, Arizona, one of the many cities in the Phoenix Metro area. The weather plays to Scrooges, and coincidently, many of his peers flock to this Valley every winter. Right now it's a gorgeous 70 some odd degrees outside. The only hint of typical holiday c0mes from the White Elephant gift exchange in which my relatives are about to partake, and sadly, I too will be involved with it. My inclusion in the grown-ups game means my exclusion from the massive gifts reaped by "the children." Translation: I'm not getting $75 in Wal-Mart gift cards. It's ironic eh? Now that I'm an "adult", that "I'm on my own," "living in the real world," I actually need the money. Darn it.

That said, it's good to be in Arizona because I really love this place. Sadly though, it feels less and less like home every sucessive trip. Maybe that's a good thing, I don't know. Maybe I'll see it more as a mission field, who knows.

Well, the youngens' are starting to open their gifts. I think I'll just sniffle softly.

UPDATE: I got the sweetest thing in the White Elephant gift exchange. It's (drum roll please) Truth or Dare Jenga! With questions like "How Many Times Have You Been In Love" or "Describe Your Idea of a Perfect Date," this thing has "Mixed Company" written all over it. The Spring Semester won't know what hit it! Feliz Navidad!