Right around the corner

After a handful of busy weekends, we decided that tonight would be pizza and movie night. I headed to the Red Box and to the grocery store while the pizza was cookin'.

Driving there, I got stuck behind a s-l-o-w driver.  The kind who made complete stops before turning.  The kind who drives 5 miles under the speed limit.  Grr.

First stop, Red Box. Get out of my car and there is only one (yay!) person in line in front of me.  The kind who takes her time reading the full synopsis of the movie before making a selection.  I take a deep breath and wait it out. Sure enough, the line is building up behind me.  Soon there were four people in line after me and still, no hurry from the lady in front of me.  I had a sinking feeling she would ultimately decide on the movie I wanted and that it would be the last one.  Thankfully I was wrong and. Secured the movie and moved along.

Stop number two- grocery store.  I NEVER shop on Friday nights and had no idea how busy it would be.  I had actually gotten groceries earlier in the day (Don't ask. Well, I'll tell anyways. I am kind of funny about groceries.  Hy-Vee for produce. Fareway for meat. Target for yogurt. Wal-Mart for...well, I only make it there occasionally but it just makes sense to buy stuff like toilet paper there when it's half the price of Hy-Vee!) Ok, back to the grocery store.  I struggled to find a parking spot and finally made it in. Hustled around the store and got in the checkout line.  I ALWAYS choose the wrong line.  Tonight was no different.  I got behind a lady who needed a store manager to come over and sign off on something, then wrote a check for her groceries which I realize takes only two seconds longer than swiping a credit card, but still.  It just seemed like I was in that line for-ev-er. (Sandlot, anyone?)

It seemed like I was in fast forward but my world wanted to move in slow motion.  As I rushed out of the store something caught my eye.  There, at my very favorite Starbucks, in cute, artsy letters were the words 79 days until Christmas.  I paused.  I smiled.  And I slowed down.

I love Christmas.  I know, I know, we have several holidays to celebrate before then.  But I'll be honest, Halloween is not for me.  I don't like anything about being scared.  I don't care much for spiders, bats, witches and things of that nature. And I lack the creativity to inspire wonderful costumes.  Thanksgiving, on the other hand, I love. Here's a random fact about me- I only eat turkey on Thanksgiving.  I'm weird, I know. 

But Christmas...just seeing the word Christmas at Starbucks made me happy. It lit up my night.  And then I got it.  That's exactly how it's supposed to be.  The very idea of Christmas is meant to ignite that feeling.  Not because of Peppermint Mochas, but because of what Christmas really means. 

I headed home and gushed to Kylee, "Can you believe there's only 79 days until Christmas?" Her reaction was exactly as I anticipated.  Big eyes, big smile. She gets it, too.