FOUND IT!!!!!

 In classic "isn't that just how it goes" fashion...

yesterday I finally decided to take the plunge

and order a replacement green card.

I've been waiting for nearly 60 days for

the USCIS to respond to my request

for a phone call from a "Tier 2" manager

to help me complete the form.

(I've also tried twice before to submit it,

but their payment portal was down...

they were "aware and working on it..."

for two months.)

Anyhow.

I got an email over the weekend from them

saying thank you for your inquiry.

Go to the website. 

It has everything you need.

SERIOUSLY???

So, I adjusted my application a little,

and then, presto, the payment portal was fixed.

So I paid my non-refundable $415.00

and ordered a replacement card.

They said the average time to complete was....

So.... 2 years from now?

(based on their definition of time...)

My original response was anticipated in 10 days.

That was September 10.

But it's done.

Then I walked into my office and changed my

calendar to December.

And realized I wrote some November stuff on it.

Oops.

So I opened my closet to get my white out to fix it.

And noticed my little pink wallet I kept all my cards in

prior to the move.

I have looked in that thing at least a dozen times.

But, what's one more.

I opened it, and my fingers went right to a

little hidden pocket I had forgotten about.

And there it was!!!!!

(Yes, I was 6 when I got it originally... haha)

Along with my little wallet sized birth certificate!

Of course, the $415 is already processed,

and non-refundable...

but I'm sure there is a reason I NEEDED to 

order the replacement.

So as soon as I did, Heavenly Father gave me

back the card I've been so desperate to find.

And TODAY I am driving into Hays to meet

my Social Security rep and hand her my

card (so she can take a copy and GIVE IT BACK...)

and get me all signed up for Medicare.

YEA!!!!!

Anyhow.

I am beyond grateful!

Any of you who have been praying for us,

a prayer of THANKS would certainly be appropriate.

*****************************************************

In other news...

yesterday I got a wild hair and we 

re-arranged our bedroom.

I prefer it with the bed under the window.

The room is short and wide.

So it's a little squishy.

But.....

the window wall is (obviously) an exterior wall.

And my pillow feels like its been in the fridge

all day!

Moving the bed to an interior wall made

for a MUCH better sleep last night.

So.....

we will be squishy until spring.

When we will put it back the way it belongs.

But for now...

it was a lovely, warm sleep.

And I didn't wake up with a frozen head.

Christmas Tree Lighting

 One of the main reasons we purchased a 

home in WaKeeney was because of its

small town "Hallmark" qualities.

Including an annual Christmas Tree Lighting.

And this weekend was IT!

We went to the Christmas Bazaar

held at the fairgrounds and across

the street at the high school gym.

I wanted to purchase this SO BADLY!

Adorable snowmen made out of

bedspreads!!!!

So cute!

And so nostalgic!

But both Mom and I live in tiny places

with really NO MORE room for "stuff".

Boy, it was tempting though!

(especially since this was their last show

for the year and they marked everything

down by $5!)

I resisted though.

Instead I got some other cute little gifts

for others and talked to the town butcher

and put in a request for a 1/4 beef for the freezer.

Our friends Dave & Mary from the market

were there so I bought a couple of cute

little baskets made from tin cans 

to give in our YW Secret Santa this month.

Aren't they cute?

She does such fun things...

All I REALLY wanted was some fun

Christmas earrings to add to my collection.

(My Santa from last year lost his beard!)

These were pricier than I wanted, 

but "support the locals"...

We also bought a couple bars of really

wonderful smelling soap!

The hemp, honey, marigold is my favorite.

In the middle is lemon / poppyseed.

It smells delightfully lemony.

And Kyle already broke into the lavender mint.

He loves lavender. 

I'm not a big fan... but he likes it.

We also got some local honey.

YUM!

I'm having a piece of toast with butter and honey

for breakfast this morning.

Later in the day we got all 

bundled up!

It was in the 30's....

(I'm squinting cuz I took off my glasses

and I couldn't SEE anything! haha)

We headed to the town square

with a bunch of other folks

for the tree lighting.

EVERYBODY was there!

We wandered up and down main street for a bit

while we waited for Santa to arrive.

He came by police car, since his reindeer

were busy eating.

We stopped in at the HomeTown Bakery

and got a couple cinnamon rolls to eat

while we strolled.

Talk about sugar coma!

They were yummy though.

We got back to the square just in time to hear

the high school band regale us with a couple

of caroles (there was a choir singing earlier....)

and then...

Ta Da!!!

If you zoom in on the banks sign

it was 6:14 pm and 35 degrees.

But there was NO WIND so it was

actually quite pleasant.

It was fun!

And I'm glad we were there!

Now.....

Let the festivities begin!