So much to do and so little time!!!

I have been very much out of the blogging world for the past few weeks. I have barely found time to check other people's blogs for updates, but certainly haven't had time to update mine. For the past three weeks or so, I have been extremely busy at work preparing for our upcoming Bowl game and trip to Jacksonville. I have quickly learned that even though all year I have been praying for the UVA football team to do well so we can go to a good Bowl game, I am now rethinking some of those wishes! I never realized how much preparation goes into ONE FOOTBALL GAME! It's unbelievable how much time my co-workers and I have spent getting everything straight. We have worked past 8:00pm the past two nights and have worked through lunch for many days recently. We have basically been travel agents, event planners and secretaries for 250 people - making flight and hotel arrangements, figuring out who is going to what event, putting together itineraries, information packets, and any other information you can think of, gathering info about things in Jacksonville - shops, restaurants, bars, fun places to go.....you name it, we have done it! Oh, and then there is also the game to prepare for, so in my case that means my regular week-before-a-game practice work - typing practice schedules, scouting reports, practice scripts, making copies, and anything else that the 10 assistant coaches would like. Oh, and did I mention that in all of this hoopla the University decided to change voicemail systems???!! So, starting yesterday everyone was supposed to log in to the new system, record their name and a new greeting, and update their "message waiting" button on their phone so it goes to the new voicemail system and not the old one. Unfortunately, none of us have had time to do any of that - other than record our name - and in the case of most of the coaches, I was supposed to do that for them but other things have taken precedence! We found out today that the system seems to have some glitches so people aren't necessarily getting their voicemail messages, even if they did all that they were supposed to do. Oh well, who has time to return messages right now anyways?! :-)

In the midst of all of this craziness at work, there have been other things to do at home also. The biggest one of course being preparing for Christmas. Lucky for me, I have a wonderful husband who has done a lot of the shopping and wrapping while I have been working. We got our tree and other decorations up a few weeks ago, so we have had some time to enjoy the season of Christmas. We have also been packing for the past few nights - one suitcase for Jacksonville (which is going down on a truck on Saturday and will be delivered to our room) and one for our PA/Richmond trip. It has been hectic trying to figure out what I am going to wear in 60-70 degree weather in Jacksonville and then also what I might need in PA, where it may be in the 20s and 30s! I guess whatever gets packed for both locations will be what I wear - let's hope we pack enough underwear! :-)

Our time with family is being cut short this year due to the Bowl game trip. We are leaving tomorrow after work, which hopefully will be around 5pm and not too much later, and heading to Southwest Pennsylvania to visit with Keith's mom. We will be spending some time relaxing along with doing some shopping, watching movies, and whatever else his Mom wants to do. We are staying there until Monday - Christmas Eve day - and then heading to Richmond to spend some time with my family. We are planning on going to the late (11pm) Christmas Eve service at our old church and then spending Christmas day at my parents house. My grandparents are flying in from Rochester on Christmas day and I am excited to see them. Unfortunately, we will have to leave my parents house late on Christmas day because we are flying out of Charlottesville early on the 26th to head to Jacksonville. It sucks that we can't spend more time with my family, but at least we are able to be there for Christmas and spend some time with everyone. I'm looking very much looking foward to a break from work and some fun time spent with family.

We will have internet access in Jacksonville, so I will try to post a few blogs while we are there. I am looking forward to our trip there also, but I will also be happy when it is all over!

I hope you all have a very blessed Christmas and that you are able to enjoy special time with family and friends! Merry Christmas!