7 Quick Takes: My Christmas Wishlist

7 Quick Takes

Linking up with Mary Kate as well for her gift-giving link-up.

— 1 —

Gift cards from Barnes & Noble. I have a NOOK. I like to read. Enough said. 🙂 I’m also having to replace books which were damaged while they were being stored and it makes more sense to get them on my NOOK.

— 2 —

Gift cards for Kohl’s. I’m slowly having to replace out my wardrobe and I’m fond of the stuff at Kohl’s. I can try stuff on in-store and I’ve actually found clothes that I would wear when I’ve shopped there.

— 3 —

Peace on earth. A girl can dream, right?

— 4 —

A Kiva loan. Kiva loans allow you to loan money to entrepreneurs all over the world to help them become self-sufficient. I’ve made 17 loans and only $200 has been my own funds or new loans that people have given me as present. This means that those funds have been loaned out several times over and it’s honestly the highlight of my month to get an email saying that I have Kiva credit. I’ve made loans to 12 different countries on 3 continents and 16 of those 17 loans has been paid back or is in the process of being paid back. (One person did default and unfortunately that does happen on occasion.)

— 5 —

A Target gift card. Daniel needs some long-sleeved shirts and I’m a fan of Target’s clothes on him. I love the Circo and Cherokee brands and I find that they hold up to lots of abuse.

— 6 —

For Daniel to develop speech. He’s making so much progress right now in that area but it’s hard to be patient sometimes. I did get to see him say the letters in his name when I was dropping him off at school on Tuesday. When his ABA tutors have been working with him, they make him sound out words.

— 7 —

For Brett and Iris to have families adopt them. Do you see these lovely children?

L-R: Brett and Iris
BrettIris

Brett still needs a mama. Iris finally has a family committed to her and their dossier has been submitted to her country.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

Five Favorites: {Virtual} Coffee Date

{Virtual Coffee Date}

I’ve been a bit busy so I’m combining memes. Once you’re done here, go visit Karianna and the see what she has to say as well as visiting Hallie and the others doing Five Favorites.

If we were having coffee, I would share my favorite settings of the Magnificat with you.

One

Holden Evening Prayer. I used to lead this in seminary.

Two

“My Savior’s Love Endures” by J.J. Heller. I found this because of Bonnie at A Knotted Life. It’s the song I would probably do if I were to do “special music” this month.

Three

Nicola Porpora’s 17th century setting for women. I sang this with the Women’s Chorale at UC Santa Cruz in the fall of 1998. The only problem is that I couldn’t find the entire work in one video so you’re stuck with watching the first five videos on this playlist.

Four

Charles Pachelbel’s 18th century setting. I did a chunk of this with my church choir in December 1997. This isn’t the Pachelbel who wrote “Canon in D” — it’s his son who emigrated to America.

Five

“Holy Is Your Name” by David Haas. The hymn tune is “Wild Mountain Thyme”, one of my favorite Irish folk songs, and it’s Mark Haas singing it.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you how much I do not want to go to my endocrinology appointment tomorrow. My endocrinologist has no clue about how much I’m constantly moving and having to be flexible which means that the diet and food plans she recommends aren’t a good option. There’s also the fact that most of the food on there makes me gag and some of the things also irritate my stomach. *sighs* I’m bribing myself to go with the promise of a Target shopping trip afterwards.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you how completely scrooge-esque I’m feeling right now. Our Christmas stuff is down in LA at my in-laws’ house and I haven’t set the kid-friendly nativity scene (the one thing I do have up here) up yet. Eventually, I guess.

Thanks for having coffee with me! See you next week.

Five Favorites