These are a few of my favorite things

Julie Andrews and those Trapp kids have nuthin' on me!

Forget whiskers on kittens...

I have these -

I love this sculpted angel couple -

made in the 40's by the neighbor of my family in Chicago.

I bought them from her estate back in the 70's - 

and have looked forward to having them out every December since!

Sometimes, 

even an angel has to adjust her 

attitude

halo.

This sleeping angel, 

with yellow feather hair,

was placed within the branches of every childhood Christmas tree 

I remember while growing up.

I can vividly remember hearing my great grandmother tell me the story 

about how the littlest angel fell asleep 

while telling shepherds about Jesus being born - 

because she was so young but had stayed up too late the night before.

Then, since she was sleeping when the rest of the angelic host left to return to heaven, 

she was left behind to spend the rest of her life living among humans on earth.

You could never tell 

(so the story continued to go)

 but everyone you met was potentially 

the littlest angel all grown up now - 

which is why you had to be kind to everyone -

since they might be an angel in disguise!

I long ago refused to confined her to a box for 11 months

 or a tree for 3weeks.

I think if she has to be exiled to an earthly eternity,

she can at least rest in a wicker buggy!

Actually - 

thinking about that story and the impact it had on me

explains a lot about my sleep disturbances, 

themes of abandonment 

and earth not being my true home!

Good Lord - 

sounds like something right out of the Brothers Grimm...

no wonder I think most Christmas stories nowadays 

are too saccharine!

Apparently, nothing quite says Christmas to me like threats of being exiled  

if you give in to the need for adequate self care!

No wonder Julie Andrews and troupe doesn't sing about all THIS 

while cavorting in bed

during a thunderstorm!