This is An Extraordinary Life

This week, when my life was feeling particularly disorganized and chaotic, I remembered a quote from Little Women (the 1994 movie -- I can't remember if this is in the book): "Jo, you have so many extraordinary gifts; how can you expect to lead an ordinary life?"  

I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging. I feel that we all have extraordinary gifts that we try to polish and perfect. Consequently, it creates a little chaos, and if I can just learn to accept that as part of the journey, I think I'll be alright.


Anyway, I'm having a very Little Women Christmas season. Presents are hard to come by, so I've been
baking and crocheting happily.

Over the weekend, we went to my in-law's house. I'd been bopping around town without a coat, as mine from last year is too bulky to allow me to fit through doorways while carrying a baby around.My mother- and sister-in-law (Betsy and Kim) always come to the rescue in these situations. First, Kim suggested we visit Becca's and Nathan's pottery studio while Mark watched E -- a rejuvenating baby-free outing! Then Betsy quickly bundled me up in Kim's winter coat.

"Hey, wait a minute," Kim baulked, "That's my coat!" Betsy's generosity knows no bounds. She would gladly give you the coat off of anyone's back if you needed it, including her own. This got us laughing so hard, as Kim was left coat-less. I, on the other hand, the one who generally wears safe colors like blacks, grays, whites, and pastels, was stuffed into Kim's neon green jacket. My sister-in-law bravely dresses in, matches, and coordinates bold colors -- with a talent for fashion I wish I had.

As Kim grabbed another coat from the closet, she insisted I could wear hers for the day but would need it back. The funniest thing is that, I could tell Kim genuinely felt bad about this, even though it was her favorite coat! She quickly dashed off to the kitchen coat closet and, with equal generosity, pulled out her winter coat from last year. It was like new, and she insisted I keep this one. It was neon pink.

It was also lightweight, not too bulky, and warm. I happily accepted!

At the pottery studio, I treated myself to a beautiful hand-made mug. The artist, Becca, has hands about my size, so in shaping the clay, she creates mugs that fit my hands perfectly. I thought this was a selfish purchase, but Kim made me feel blessed to find a mug so perfectly suited for me. Becca had homemade hot cocoa brewing, and I wandered around the studio with my little cup of holiday cheer, bundled in my bright coat.

After, we stopped at the flower shop which was all decorated for Christmas with old-fashioned nutcrackers and sparkly antique ornaments. I found a thick, knitted, purple hat that I tried on, complete with a softball-size pom-pom. Betsy and Kim decided that this would complete the ensemble.

So, here I am, on a Wednesday morning -- drinking my hot cup of tea, cradling my homemade mug in my hands, bouncing around town in my neon pink jacket and my purple pom-pom hat (I won't leave home without either). I carry with me Betsy's warm mom-hugs, and radiate Kim's colorful Christmas cheer. I feel truly loved and taken care of and can't think of anything else I want for Christmas!