5 Christmas Outfit Ideas

Well, its in the 50's here in middle Tennessee... not very Christmas-y but hey we are making the best of it. The lights are still beautiful, the cookies just as tasty. The tree smells heavenly... so now we just have to come up with something lovely to wear for Christmas day! Here are a few ideas, 

Outfit 1:

 Icy blue top with a crisp white skirt and a scarf in several shades of blue. Paired with black slip on shoes and snowflake earrings. I actually wore this to our youth groups Christmas party (everyone calls me Elsa there so I decided to go with it)

Scarf: it's actually handmade

Sweater: Vintage Store

Skirt: Vintage Store

Shoes: Walmart

Earrings: Burke's

Outfit 2:

Sparkly red shirt with a red cardigan with red sequins sewn on. White skirt, black high-heels, pearl earrings, and white jeweled necklace. Oh and red nail polish!

Shirt: Ross Store

Cardigan: Ross Store

Skirt: Vintage Store

Jewelry: Necklace: Burke's Bracelet: A gift Earrings: Burke's

Shoes: My Mom's

Outfit: 3

Red top with sequins, black skirt and black high-heeled boots, with pearl earrings and a simple charm necklace.

Skirt: Ross 

Shirt: Vintage Store

Boots: Vintage Store

Jewelry: Necklace: A Gift Earrings: Burke's

Outfit: 4

Red short sleeve top, red gingham skirt and black high-heels with a pearl necklace and earrings. 

Skirt: I made

Shirt: Vintage Store

Shoes: DSW

Jewelry: Necklace: My grandma's Earrings: Burke's

Outfit: 5

Red dress with black shoes, Shiny earrings and pearl necklace.

Dress: Ross

Shoes: My Mom's

Jewelry: Necklace: Sears Earrings: Claire's Boutique

Merry Christmas!

I Know Just What You'd Say...

The house is so quiet, so still. How can life change so fast? Your clothes are still hanging in your closet. Your bed is still made where I made it the day after you went to the hospital. I walk through your room so still. Everything just the same... or almost just the same.  The night light in the bathroom is off. Your cane rests in the corner of the room instead of in your hand. 

Despite the heater humming your room seems so cold. Like stepping outside on a snowy morning and knowing no one else is out. Your footsteps seem to echo over the frozen ground. 

I can't stand to stay in this room long but sometimes I just can't stay away. I half smile at the boxes of Christmas village stacked in one of your closets that you loved so much. How many years did we put it out together? How much fun we had as I handed you things to put out and smiled up at you telling you if it was "the perfect spot" which of course it was... perching on a ladder with steaming hot cups of cocoa on a freezing morning putting Christmas lights up. 

And then one year we switched, I was the one on the top of the ladder you at the bottom smiling up.  Oh, how you loved Christmas! And then as the years went on, I did more by myself but the light was still there in your eyes. Making you almost look like a small child filled with the magic of Christmas... But as the years went on that to began to dim... until only at certain moments could you see it in your blue eyes. But it was still there. I can almost hear your voice in my mind as I run my hand over the rough cardboard boxes. 

I know just what you’d say…

You’d say “oh my goodness” and “I love you, honey”.  “Do you want to spend the night?”, “Can I pray for you?”. And with that guilty look of yours and a hand over your heart “Who me?” followed by a twinkle in your eye and “How could you think so?” 

“Drive carefully," - even if you’re just walking “I pray a hedge of protection around you and your car” or “Lord surround their car with angels” and “Can I sing you a song?” 

You see Grandma I know just what you'd say... "It so nice to see you,"Do we have anything sweet?"  "Ice Cream sounds good" and "Bless your heart". And "I need to blow my nose."
You would pray every day for your children and grandchildren, on your knees even when it hurt to do so.  When you would hear of a need you were quick to offer help, love, a place for those that needed a home.  You stood in the cold serving food you helped cook for the homeless and you were not afraid to love on the ones that stood before you. Strangers became family in the blink of an eye.  Sailors hundreds of miles away from their family found family in your arms.  Those hurting and needing a home found a place of love and care seldom seen in this world.  Orphans became grandchildren in the blink of an eye.  You held nothing back from anyone.

I can still hear your voice as we sit around the table... and I know just what you'd say... Faith plops down beside me with a sigh and I know just what you'd say, " What's wrong pooch?" 

The Most Important thing to me is ending up in heaven and having all of my children and grandchildren make it there, so be there everyone. - Martha Gibson 1996