2 AM Parties

Okay, I get it, but I don't want to get it. Does that make sense?

Shane's shift's Christmas party is tonight (tomorrow morning) at 2 AM. Yes, he'll be leaving soon for a party that will take place while we're all sleeping.

Part of me wants to be hacked that our family holiday has to be intruded upon by the SO's night shift party. Good grief, it's not like it's Midnight Mass, it's a lot of crude jokes, gag gifts and junk food.

However, if my staff at my office were in that situation (having no choice but to have at least some of us working during a time we'd all like to be home), I'd be there, too. It's kind of like Bathsheba's husband when he wouldn't go home to sleep b/c his troops were not able to go home. I appreciate the camaraderie.

Shane has to work Christmas afternoon and night, so when he leaves the festivities tomorrow, I won't see him until Wednesday morning. I'm trying hard to focus on the gift we were given-that he was home tonight when he's usually on duty, he'll be home and awake (believe me, I'll make sure he's nice and awake, lol!) for our immediate family's Christmas time and for the meal at my aunt's. I'm focusing on the positive-that he has a good job, works with people he likes, got a Christmas bonus, we're all healthy and we are celebrating for the right reason (Jesus!). Above all, I want to honor the Lord and Shane by having a good attitude. I know it'll be a challenge, but I think I'm ready!

Merry Christmas!

Inmate Coffee

Now here's a holiday recipe that you just won't find anywhere!

Shane has frequently referred to inmate coffee, but somehow I missed the ingredients until we had a little get together at our house. Along with all the normal discussion surrounding tasers and pepper spray, Shane introduced inmate coffee. Since we had the coffee pot full and hot, some of us tried some. It's good stuff, here's the recipe:

In your favorite My Heart Belongs to an Officer mug, put the same amount of hot chocolate mix as you would if you were making hot chocolate.

Instead of using hot water, use hot coffee and fill up your cup.

I'm not patient enough to wait, so I add a few tablespoons of milk to cool things down a little and to add a tad more richness.

If you're making this for a crowd, you might consider renaming it something a little more suave, like "Coffee Flavored Hot Chocolate" or "Chocolate Java"...anything but "Inmate Coffee".

Just a bit of trivia-it's called Inmate Coffee b/c at the SO where Shane works, the inmates don't get hot water for hot chocolate, but they do have hot chocolate packets, so they substitute the coffee for the water. I think that's why anyway...sometimes I don't listen fully to all the stories-but don't tell Shane that!

Frustrated...

Okay, I'm bummed about Shane's SO's Christmas party. It was announced today that the detention officer's party will be held in the jail, and no spouses or children are allowed. I understand we don't need to be in the jail, Shane doesn't even want us in the jail during Open Houses because the Trustees are allowed out of their cells and it's just not always wise for inmates to see the family. It is a bit discouraging to feel like we give up a lot for the SO, yet are excluded at the holidays. With a degree in Family Studies, it's hard not to get upset when agencies don't have family friendly policies.

Oh well, at least it will bless the socks off the spouses that hate these gatherings anyway!

To socialize or not to socialize...that is the question!

It's the holiday season-there are already three or so parties on our calendar and another couple are in the planning stages, including one with the guys and gals from the SO.

While Shane really likes the officers he works with, and he seems excited about getting together with them for Christmas, he doesn't usually put socializing with co-workers high on his priority list. He's just a simply guy-when he's at work, he's all about work, when he's home, he's all about our family.

I, on the other hand, am a bit of a social butterfly. While sometimes I get intimidated in social settings, I really like getting to know people Shane hangs out with every night. They're part of his stories, sometimes they save his rear in an inmate run-in, and sometimes they are the subject of our prayers and concerns (like an officer's baby who's dealing with brain tumors). I like to know the people he's with day in and day out, it makes his stories much more fun!

What this means for our family is that I'm wanting more socializing with his friends than he is. It comes to a head at the holiday season. Amazingly, Shane and I butt heads on more than this issue, so I have a little practice in making this kind of disagreement work ;)

First, I can't rely on my socially backward (just kidding, Honey) husband to meet all my socializing needs. He gives me his blessing on hanging out with my girlfriends and he enjoys hosting a little gathering here every now and then.

I need to be available if Shane wants to attend a work party that spouses are invited to. But, I don't need to get my hopes up. Keeping my expectations in check always helps our marriage!

I need to remember that it's more important to pray for his co-workers to get to know God than for me to get to know them. I can still pray for people I've never met-and for some people out in the world, they may have no one else praying for them. That puts my socializing needs in perspective!

The holidays have enough stressful temptations, so I'm working hard at keeping the little things little! I hope you can too!

By the way, I know many of you are in the opposite situation and don't like being dragged to all the events-just remember that you are blessed to be invited into his work life, that you can put faces to names and you have a chance to build relationships, which is what this side of heaven is all about!