Just 40 Days

I love laying in bed in the morning, listening to the sound of silence.  The sound of snow.  The weathermen have been predicting a storm all week and the silence signifies that they were right. The first (significant) snow of the season is always the most special.  It makes the bare trees beautiful and the earth seems a little more at peace.  It's even better when the snow is before Christmas.  The lights looks brighter and everyone always wants a white Christmas.

Today is my birthday.   I'm 56 years old.  My body feels like it's 100.  It's been a long year. Scratch that. Today is my birthday.  My dog Aiden woke me up an hour ago. He actually let me sleep in a while.  Thanks for that Aiden!  Sometimes I wonder what I was thinking, getting my first dog at the age of  50. I followed him down the stairs to the light of my Christmas tree.  I smiled. As I walked through the living room, I noticed the stockings and other decorations that I created over the years.  I grinned as I held Derrick's snowman stocking. It came from a kit.  I had to glue it together.  Onto Haylee's stocking, which was made of felt, stitches and stuffing.  It took me three years to complete the little bear that Holly Hobbie is holding. Justine's Raggedy Ann and Andy was cross-stitched and Paul's was stenciled elves on a stocking I made from scrap fabric I had.  His was the first (and only) not made from a kit!  I made mine out of appliques an