My nephew came to visit me at the office today. It made the day. It’s like he blesses my office when he comes. Blesses and rearranges my office. So sweet and innocent (most of the time) is the child. How in the world does God expect us to come like a child after all that … Continue reading Protection

Friday Five: Birthday, ReduxFavorite way to celebrate your birthday (dinner with family? party with friends? a day in solitude?) Celebrating with family is a must at some point. One of my favorite traditions the past three years is a trip out-of-town all by my lonesome. My parents give me several days away and it is … Continue reading Friday Five: Birthday, Redux

A big heads-up: Before long, I will be switching from Typepad to WordPress.  My site there is already up and running.  Go to http://www.melissahatfield.wordpress.com.  Eventually, I'll change my domain of http://www.melissahatfield.com to that url but for now, I'll keep it linked to this one. WordPress is free for me and I like alot of the … Continue reading I'm Cyber Moving

I wanted to wish all my readers and pop-by guests a Happy New Year! May the changing of the years bring you closure and healing as well as hope and anticipation. I've been on vacation for awhile now and with the added holiday days, it feels like I've been on vacation for a month.  I … Continue reading Happy 2007 Everyone

I have a confession to make.  I really enjoy the holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime.  I really, really do. Not the Lifetime movies about abuse or abandonment or tragedy. The "holiday" romance movies.  The Christmas "feel-good" movies where boy and girl get together at the end or a new family is created … Continue reading Confession

1. Favorite cookie/candy/baked good without which, it's just not Christmas. My mother's Mamie Eisenhower Christmas cookies. Iced, decorated and waiting for me each year.  Can't have Christmas without them.2. Do you do a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, both, or neither? (Optional: with whom will you gather around the table this year?) My … Continue reading Friday Five: Holiday Food

For this mid-December Friday Five, let's explore some Yuletide favorites.1) It's a Wonderful Life--Is it? Do you remember seeing it for the first time? Okay, I know this admission will make me seem very unAmerican or inhumane or something but I have not actually seen "It's a Wonderful Life".  I'm sure "It's a Wonderful Movie" … Continue reading Friday Five: Yuletide Thoughts

Saturday I officiated at my third wedding.  The wedding of two good friends.  The wedding of one faithful blog reader.  So, Preston, here it is for you:  Congratulations, dear friend!  Thank you for allowing me to share in you and Amy's special day.  It was a honor and a pleasure to be there for the … Continue reading Weddings and Such

Winter came last night with a grand entrance.  We woke up to 12 - 14 inches of snow. Just two days ago we were enjoying rare 70 degree temps.  Now, we are bundled up like Randy from A Christmas Story.  I spent 3 hours shoveling my sidewalk and driveway.  Still a good chunk of ice … Continue reading Winter is Here!

It was a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday for me this year.  Good times with family and very little pressing agenda.  For those two things, I am thankful. One of the traditions that I carry on from my childhood days is putting up Christmas the day after Thanksgiving.  Although it was a little odd to be putting … Continue reading Let the Anticipation Begin