OH I WISH I HAD A RIVER...

MY APPETITE FOR THIS... WAS ABRUPTLY STUNTED THE OTHER DAY.

WHEN THIS CAME...

IT WAS A STRENOUS TASK TO WAKE UP THAT MORNING, BUT SOMETHING INSIDE ME SHIFTED WHEN I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK- DRIVING IN THE DARK WHITE MORNING WITH HEATER BLASTING, WOOL COAT BUNDLING, AND THOUGHTS OF CHRISTMAS IGNITED IN MY HEAD.

OH CHRISTMAS...

MY FALL-WORSHIPPING HEART WAS SUDDENLY DWARFED AND MORPHED INTO A, "I GOTTA HAVE CHRISTMAS NOW!" IRREPRESSABLE LONGING.

THAT'S WHY SARAH MCLACHLAN'S "WINTERSONG" WAS DOWNLOADED AND PLAYING THE MINUTE I ENTERED MY CLASSROOM. THAT'S WHY MY FACE WAS PERMA-GRIN FOR THE ENTIRE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY. AND THAT'S WHY I KNEW "FAMILY STONE" WOULD BE THE GO-TO MOVIE THAT DAY WHEN I GOT HOME FROM WORK.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?

  MY CHILD-LIKE EXCITEMENT TO DRESS UP LIKE A WITCH, AND HAND OUT HALLOWEEN CANDY WAS SUDDENLY NON-EXISTENT. 

AND ALTHOUGH I'VE COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT MY STUDENTS ARE BURSTING WITH EXCITEMENT TO COME TO MY CLASS AND DANCE "THRILLER" WITH THE TECH SUPPORT OF TWO FOG MACHINES AND A STROBE LIGHT... AND BESIDES THE FACT THAT I HAVE A KILLER WITCH COSTUME TO WEAR TOMORROW... AND I GUESS I CAN KINDA ADMIT THAT THE AUTUMN LEAVES ARE PRETTY...

I WANT EVERY WARM EXPERIENCE WRAPPED UP IN MY MEMORY TO COME ALIVE AGAIN THIS YEAR.

THIS CHRISTMAS.

I'M READY. 

ARE YOU?

BY THE WAY...

THE TITLE OF THIS POST COMES FROM THE SARAH MCLCHLAN "WINTERSONG" ALBUM I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.

IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD HER SONG "RIVER,"

IT IS SERIOUSLY WORTH THE .99 CENTS. 

MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL.