Ukraine Adoption

Shake shake shake

We are all being slammed with advertisements on TV and huge catalogs with awesome toys and beautiful people in must-have outfits. And Thanksgiving isn't until next week, here in America.

I started to feel a tad anxious last week and went online to buy some toys for Tara, some gadgets for Austin. I looked for good deals, the best toys possible, the hard-to-find items that are already getting all the hype.

But just as I was about to check out and pay all of this money, I stopped. And I thought about it. And I deleted the file. It is so easy to get caught up in the fray. I really hope we can all be reasonable about our holiday purchases. We say this every year, but we still run around like crazy people trying to get just the right gifts, spend just the right amount of money.

The teachers, the hair stylists, the lawn guys, can't forget any of them.

And apparently it's never too soon. Tara's preschool sent home a note this week about holiday giving. Actually, it was the parent group that sent it, but it was obviously endorsed by the school because the office assistant is in charge.

Parents are "asked" to drop off $25 cash that will be collected and evenly distributed in gift cards to every single person on the staff. OK, that makes it easier, and we really like this school, but I can't help feeling a little like someone turned me upside down by my ankles and is shaking the money out of my pockets. And it isn't even December yet.