Last night we got a very pleasant surprise in the form of our oldest son coming home from college a couple of days earlier then expected. The front door swung open at 9:15 and in he walked. I had just been thinking about him and how much I wished for all of us to be home safe and sound under one roof on the cold, rainy night we were having and in he came. Don't you just love moments like that??? So now he's home until next Wednesday and then back to school for another day or two and then he's officially back home full time. My son made a huge and very mature decision to not go back to Hofstra after his first semester. The amount of student loans that he would've had to pay back after attending four years there would've been astronomical. We explained this to him but it was something that he had to find out for himself. I think the realization of how bad our economy is finally hit him when he spent a day at Occupy Wall Street (before it got crazy down there) and spoke with some of the people who were in the same boat he was putting himself into ~ no job, minimal job opportunities and major debt hanging over their head already at a very young age. He told me his biggest fear is that he'll graduate from college and there will be no opportunities for him. He's now enrolled in our community college and will be starting the end of January. He's also going to be working where he worked over the summer until school starts again. I'm so proud of him and the knot in my stomach for him has gone away. He's such a great kid and I know there will be lots of opportunities for him when he graduates but now he won't have to live with us until he's 40 while he's paying off his student loans!! : )
Yesterday, I finally sat down and made up our Christmas card for this year. I find it extremely difficult to get all four kids together for a photo. I took some pictures of them at the beach this summer and I thought they came out nice. I used
Picnik for my editing and ordered them online at our local Walgreen's pharmacy. It took me about a half hour for the whole process. I'm crossing my fingers that they came out okay. I still have lots of Christmas shopping to do. December always seems to be a busy bill paying month for us and since we don't use our credit cards anymore we have to rely strictly on cash. It's pay day for both of us next week so I'll be able to finish up then. I work well under pressure so I'm not worried. It will all get done!! How are you all doing with your shopping? Are you done and wrapped or are you more like me???
Many blessings for a happy Thursday ~ Wendy
