Gives Me Hope

Like Santa gives a child hope of better things to come, mankind gives me hope! -me

Thanks to Dana, The Homesteading Housewife for turning me onto the site Gives Me Hope. I went to the site and was immediately engrossed in the simple gestures that give people hope!

The site brightened my day and I thought I would share some of the simple things that give me hope!

1. Photography, I capture so much through the lens that my naked eye misses! Tender moments between a father and his child, generations of hands that tell the family story, the love of a newly married couple, a father's love for his newly married daughter. I could go on and on.

2. A significant other caring for her dying partner in spite of it all!

3. A total stranger who opens the door for a young mother who has her hands full of groceries and babies.

4. A mother, struggling to make it on her own, who gives up food so her kids can eat.

5. A blogger friend, whom I have never met, telling me she is there if I need to talk.

I could keep going but you get the idea! These things all give me hope that the world can be a better place for all of us if we just work together and help each other! What have you witnessed or experienced that gives you hope?

Sadie and Santa.

Waiting to see Santa.

Hello? Santa? Can you hear me now?

Well we made the trek to the mall to see the big man in red. It was a crazy scene! Keep in mind that I don't consider our mall a real mall because there are very few stores. The only time this place is busy is during the holiday season when all the vendors set up in the center of the mall to peddle their wares.

We left the house at 1:30 because Santa was supposed to be there at 2:00. When we got there we were fourth or fifth in line and, of course, the photographer was late. Finally, it was our turn and all Sadie could think about was the candy cane she would get when she was done. Not mention the fact that she would not put the Ipod or the cell phone down long enough for me to get a good picture but at least she wasn't screaming.

The other issue is that she that she filled her pants right before her it was her turn to sit on his lap and there was NO way I was getting out of line because it was now half a mile long! I couldn't smell her but Spencer could so I am not sure if Santa could smell her or not! He never let on that he smelled her so right after she was done we made our way to the bathroom to change her and finish our walk around the "mall".

Spencer was ready to go since he has not been in the best of moods since the whole IRR call back to active duty came the other day! In fact, he has been so depressed that he cries every time he looks at Sadie and it is heartbreaking.

Today is our busy day because we have our Christmas program at church. I am singing and Sadie is going to be an angel in the program. Immediately following church we are off to Spencer's Dad's house for Christmas and then to Spencer's Mom later in the afternoon. By the time we get home we will all exhausted.