Peace in My Heart and Orbs

I had the best Christmas ever. I was snug in a comfortable house in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by my children and husband and family. I'm am so grateful for God's many blessings. I'm glad to be me, right now, right here, in this moment.

I wish I was able to have this same kind of peace as a child. All I really cared about back then was what I received. As an obese child/adolescent, I didn't feel good about myself so I thought maybe if I got the right clothes or shoes people would like me. I lived in a DC suburb where kids wore Express and swung around in new cars. I drove around in a Ford Fairmont , rusted floor (it was actually the only car my parents had for a while... it didn't become mine for a while and then I upgraded to a decade old plus buick centry which lasted all of a few months) in K-mart clothes. Considering the limited budget my parents had, what they were able to afford me was never enough to make me feel better, even if my mom was able to snag the occasional sweater on clearance from the Gap. As a hefty teenager, the disgusted looks and snide comments hurt me and I took it out on my family. Every year I'd find a way to ruin the family Christmas with an ungrateful comment or remark.

Thank goodness I've grown to know that love doesn't come from things or any person. It comes from within. No one can buy you happiness. It's your personal responsibility. I feel the best I ever have in my life even if I have a few extra pounds on my frame (a worthy price for my adorable green eyes) and (gasp)... a few gray hairs. With food, health, shelter and love taken care of, how could I possibly want for more? I'm glad to be me, right now, right here, in this moment.

We hosted Christmas at our house this year. We did a seafood feast Christmas Eve (in the B family tradition) with grandma Linda. On Christmas Day I made a ham and several other things to share with the P family.

Above is a pic taken Christmas Eve with G-ma Linda and Green Eyes.

Below is a pic of the P Family Christmas Day Bash. Notice the orb in the photo below near the picture frames. Maybe I'm completely crazy, but these orbs tend to show up at the weirdest times. The only orb photos taken that night were when the family was huddled together.

Below, there is another one, right near Linda at a different angle.
Another orb incident occurred a few years ago just before the birth of my first child. Nick and I spent our Christmas (just us that year) anxiously awaiting Ladybug in Albuquerque.

Make of it what you will. The orbs aren't coming from the Christmas tree because the tree was not taken in the room where the P Family Bash was had.

Nick thinks they are simply "visual flatulence". And no... I wasn't farting in this, nor any of the other pictures.