Black Friday Bag

Well who doesn't love a bargain? And black friday shopping is, as my dear brother Chris says, "the super bowl" of bargain shopping.

So I combed the internet and studied the ads and plotted my course. Part of the fun of black friday shopping is doing it with a friend. Not only do you snag items for each other (improving odds of getting what you want) but one stands in line while the other shops. You know that's a biblical principle- Ecc. 4:9 says 2 are better than 1 for they have a good reward for there toil. And best of all you have someone to talk to while you wait, which inevitably you do.

My husband and I have gone before, last year we stood in the cold for over an hour to get a new front loader washer/dryer set for $500! It was worth it. This year I had 2 quarters in the shopping super bowl. One at midnight and the other at 4. At the midnight run the line was 5 blocks long at Toys R us and the traffic horrible so we went home after an hour. Distressed I called my bestie in CA who is the guru of black friday shopping bargains. I asked if you could get the same deal online and so as we went back to my brother's home she ordered it for me online-

My sister in law never woke up at 4- so I went on a solo mission within minutes of their home. I hit walmart, target, staples, kohls and home depot. It was a blessed time, I even shared some good conversation with others. Cody's sister helped me when I couldn't find a gamestop store in Ft. Worth by buying what I needed in Duncan.

So the totes above (both new) - my bag from Nepal that I've been carring around these days and the little red thing is a fold up reusable bag I got black friday morning at target. They actually had run out (I asked) and I found it on the ground as I people watched. There was nothing I needed in that store worth waiting hours in a checkout line. The tote found me :)

So begins the Christmas holidays... I still prefer Thanksgiving. Did you know the early settlers didn't celebrate Christmas? they thought it had gotten too pagan....

I did get out the Christmas Boxes- several years back I bought 4 large golden tubs after christmas and vowed I would only have that much Christmas stuff ever, it all had to fit into those boxes each year. Sometimes it's hard but I try and I have to pack smart. The whole tree fits in there too! 4 Christmas boxes are apart of my "rules". I have certain codes I live by. For instance- birthday cakes are always homemade. Today I told silas to stop putting more than more ornament on a branch, he said, "Is that a rule? " Yes it is. I love family traditions but I am not a legalist. There is much grace in my house probably because God's given me so much of it.

Our tree this year is neat, until last year I did theme trees-music for years, then a natural tree with hunting stuff and feathers. I had a small tree for all the kids ornaments and last year we combined and the thing is like a historic monument revealing all kind of windows into our lives.

Me and the Purple High Sierra backpack

I had mentioned in the last post about my incredible backpack that had lasted a long time and been everywhere with me... here are the long awaited pictures of the tote above all totes....

the one above is my favorite picture, our first hike up to the church

My promised and unforgetable motorbike ride in Nepal


getting the directions from new friend and fellow American to all important shopping destinations

arriving in Nepal that bag is right in front of me on the left there....exciting times- thanks for reading...

Old Purple

Well I have been home over a week now and I am still putting it all together (my life, my experiences, all this new world I've been exposed to)

I am patiently waiting for more photos to share (my friend, the photographer took most of the pictures) . But I did have access to this one and wanted to share it.

This is Anand Bhaka, he's pastor Bishwa's 11 year old son. He's a typical boy and I enjoyed meeting him very much. I hope to take my son to Nepal one day so they can meet. He spoke English well. Here we are up on top of a building overlooking the rented church building for Inspiration Fellowship. I am always sneaking around and he led me here. I just love kids. That was what I found very interesting is that kids are kids in any culture. The Nepalese children were well behaved and sat on the floor in front of me for hours- praising, singing, praying, dancing, bowing on their knees and even flicking paper and getting into things. One little boy inverted his eye lids and turned around to the other kids to show them, I couldn't help but laugh. Kids are kids in any culture.

But since I am the tote girl I have to comment on the tote that carried my money (rupees ), my journal (I wrote a lot about everything I saw, ate, smelled and did), my encouragement notes, my precious Bible and blessed passport around. This is old purple, my backpack from high school and carring it on any trip is more tradition than anything. It's beginning to look a little worn out and dated. There are much better looking backpacks out there but none with the character old purple possesses and faithfulness- never has it let me down. It's gone all over the U.S. on every airplane ride and road trip, every single one. It's gone with me to Mexico, Canada, Jamaica and now Belguim, India and Nepal. I am forever grateful for it, it's been comforting and utilitarian. It is the tote above all totes in my house.