it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Hi. 
I love Christmas. Today's "Big Picture" was entitled "Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas". Okay, for your information, Jimmy Mathis' version of that song is one of my FAVORITE Christmas songs ev.ver. (There's a tree... it's sturdy... a sturdy tree that doesn't mind if it's snowing... it's in a outside...it's sturdy, a sturdy tree...)

This is one of the pictures. It reminds me of the updated "Miracle on 34th Street" (my favorite Christmas movie). And I do believe that Santa was once a redhead - check out the tips of his 'stache. 
                                (Okay, a man just entered the ASB lobby and mooed at another man. Weird.)
Christmas is coming and I am so happy about it! I went to a party with some London-ers last night and it was just the ticket to sooth my sad sad heart. 


On a more sober note, I have spent the morning reading about the Elizabeth Smart/ Brian David Mitchell case. If you are not familiar with it, here's a link to the story. 
I was 12 when Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped.She lives in the Salt Lake area, her cousin went to high school with me.  I vividly remember the day that she was found and returned home. I don't pretend that I know at all what she went through and I don't mean to be dramatic and say that what happened to her affected me like it must have her - I can't imagine. I just know how horrifying the ordeal seemed to me. I remember feeling afraid to sleep alone in the basement, and remember feeling so sorry for her little sister, watching the tireless efforts of her mom and her dad. What happened to her affected the community at large, and I think that how I felt echoes the fears and concerns of all the girls that were her age when she was kidnapped.

I just want to say that I am so happy for her! She has said that she can finally move on with her life, and I have to say I believe it! She is serving a mission for the LDS church (which was interrupted by the trial, so she gets to go back to France for a few months) and she looks happy. I pray that she'll be blessed to leave this behind her and that her life will now continue as normal as anyone's. 


OKAY happy christmas y'all!