I'm all over it now/and I can't say how glad I am about that

i am done with school.
i am on Christmas break.
i am happy. :D <<<<
*sigh* three finals today, in four hours. it was kind of a pain, but at the same time it was nice just to hit them all in a row and get them over with. and actually I think I did better than I expected on all of them. not that I'll find out until later, but still. I know I did really well on my botany exam, which I seriously needed because that class has sucked all quarter. but enough of that.....I'm DONE! I don't think it has quite sunk in yet that I don't have any more homework to do. that I really don't have anything stressful to do. the biggest thing I need to prepare for right now is playing three hours of Christmas music on Saturday, and come on - playing Christmas music is fun.

I may be getting some more hours at work over the next couple of weeks. I'm really hoping that happens. over break I'm going to finish planning my trip to Europe as much as possible, and every time I look at it I get a little worried about finances. so more hours = good. I've also been doing this temporary house-cleaning thing with my mom that pays really well, so that's been a blessing since I'm not making as much as usual from piano due to the holidays and everyone being gone.

speaking of piano, I'm kind of excited for my students' recital next Friday night. I'm kind of terrified too, because last week most of them weren't really close enough to being ready - not as close as I would like anyway. but I teach today so I'm hoping everything will work out. somehow or other, it will.

my worship team is doing TSO's Appalachian Snowfall in a week and a half, and I'm really excited for that. my worship leader is excited about Christmas for the first time since I've known him, and that is really cool.

stuff at home is overall getting a lot better. I feel like I'm emerging into the light at the end of the tunnel, like I can turn around and see these dark days, but we're mostly through them now. and that is very encouraging. and around me I see all the people and all the prayers that helped me get through. and I know that I'm stronger and I've learned some very valuable things too.

we got a window seat in our front window, and it is beautiful. my uncle built it. it has bookshelves going up both sides with lots and lots of books in them, and a little cabinet built into the backrest on each side, and tons of storage inside the seat. it's been my dream since I was a little girl to have a window seat in my house, and now it has finally happened, so I'm really happy - especially now that I'm on break and have a little bit of time and a big stack of books.

I put Radical on hold at the library last week and today it came in, way sooner than I was expecting! so I think tonight I'll go pick it up. because I DON'T HAVE ANY HOMEWORK. hahaha, this is pretty fabulous.

and now i'm going to get something to eat before my students come. tell me, how's your December going?