On the Fourth Day of Christmas

Tonight we will celebrate our third (and final!) Christmas.

Whew!

It seems like the older I get, the longer the celebrations last.

And the older I get? The more it wears me out.

I'm exhausted!

So, what about you? How many times did you celebrate Christmas this year?

On the Second Day of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas, we're celebrating Christmas.

Yet again.

The End.

The Right Thing To Do

After decorating the house...

after finishing the shopping...

after wrapping all the presents...

after shopping for the Christmas dinner...

after coordinating the Christmas clothing...

after planning for a small, intimate, family-of-five Christmastime...

we headed home for Christmas.

It was the right thing to do.

We didn't want to go. We didn't want to drive four hours. We didn't want to see lots of people. We didn't want to hear lots of loud voices.

But we did. And, in a way, we wanted to.

Because it was the right thing to do.

Mr. Einstein's beloved grandfather has lung cancer.

The same kind of lung cancer his other grandfather died from years ago.

Treatments aren't going well. He's in constant, terrible pain.

So, we went home for Christmas.

It was the right thing to do.

We made peace with the decision. We postponed our small, intimate, family-of-five Christmastime until the 26th. We will still do things the way we originally wanted to, just a little later than planned.

But first, we saw family. We finally got to meet our four month-old niece for the first time.

We got to take the (hopefully, first of many) opportunities to say goodbye.

Because it was the right thing to do.

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Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you have a blessed time with friends and loved ones.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given...And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

In the Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers

In the Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers live three children.

E, the oldest, has a runny nose.

C, the middle child, has a runny nose.

M, the baby, has a runny nose.

Their mother is so proud.

Now, E, being the oldest, doesn't wear diapers anymore, but she spends her days fetching tissues for her mother and overseeing diaper changes.

C, the middle child, is 2 1/2. She still wears diapers, and, consequently, still poops in them. C shows no signs of potty training, wanting to potty train, or interest in potty training. Her mother would desperately like her potty trained.

M, the baby, wears diapers, of course. He is expected to poop in them; his mother wouldn't have it any other way. Although, she does wish that she didn't have to monitor his poopy diapers so closely, due to his wheat problems (not allergies, problems).

In this Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers, the mother wipes noses at least eight times an hour. It's a wonder she herself isn't sick. No worries, though; she's confident she'll have her own runny nose to take of by Monday. She is so looking forward to this.

The mother also changes, on average, four poopy diapers by nap time. She thinks her children may have issues.

The father is, of course, at work during most of the day in the Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers. He is blissfully unaware of the nose-wiping and bum-wiping that go on while he is away. The mother, though, makes sure he does his fair share when he returns home each evening. She is good at sharing like that.

Fortunately, in the Land of Runny Noses and Poopy Diapers there is nap time (which is a whole different Land to explore at another time) which begins soon. For this, the mother is grateful.

When Worlds Collide

Hi, Mrs. Einstein, meet Krista.

Yep. I actually got to meet another blogger! For the first. time. ever.

And you know what? It actually wasn't weird at all. (Okay, well, the part where I had to leave her five minutes after she arrived to go pick up E from school was a bit weird, but, whatever.)

Meeting Krista in person, a blogger whom I've "known" for almost 2 years, was like meeting up with a friend that I see all the time. There didn't seem to be any awkward moments, any embarrassed moments, any oh-my-goodness-I-can't-think-of-a-single-thing-to-say moments, any ack!-what-must-she-think-of-my-kid(s)? moments.

Instead, we were comfortable, companionable, relaxed.

We were friends.

I don't know about Krista, but my head was spinning for just a little bit, trying to figure out where this meeting fit in, since my worlds had just collided. But you know what? I'm so glad they did!

Thanks, Krista, for such a wonderful day! I can't wait to get together with you again!

Thanksgiving

Last year on Thanksgiving, I was in the hospital.

Last year on Thanksgiving, I ate a hospital Thanksgiving meal for lunch, and had hospital Salisbury steak for dinner.

Last year on Thanksgiving, I spent the entire day gazing at my newborn son.

Last year on Thanksgiving, I was recuperating from birthing a 10 pound 11 ounce baby.

Last year on Thanksgiving, I was thankful for the nursing staff at the hospital who did everything they could think of to help me avoid a c-section.

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This year, I am home.

This year, I am once again cooking Thanksgiving dinner. For dinner.

This year, I will spend the entire day gazing at my one year-old son.

This year, I am thankful for my family gathering together at my home to celebrate not only Thanksgiving, but my 24 pound monkey of a son.

Happy 1st birthday, M! For you, we are ever thankful.

Wordless Wednesday--2008's Big Turkey

Last year's 10 pound 11 ounce turkey.

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For more photos, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

You Know You Need a Bigger House When...

...you live in a three bedroom house, and your baby (who is only going to be a baby for two more days) is sleeping in the nursery, your two year-old is sleeping by herself in the room she shares with her sister, your five year-old is sleeping on the floor in your room because she's sick, you are on the computer at the bar in the kitchen, and your mother-in-law is sleeping on the cot in the living room while your husband is in the self-same living room watching 30 Rock on the laptop.

It's going to be a long holiday week.

On a Monday Not Unlike Today

One year ago today, I got a phone call. A rather unusual phone call, for me. From my doctor's office.

I was three days overdue with M, and Thanksgiving was coming. My doctor wanted to know if I'd like to induce before the holiday. Would I like to come in tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7:00 am and have a baby?

Um, no, I thought. I would not like to come in on Tuesday and have a baby.

Which sounds a little bizarre considering I was huge, overripe, ready to burst. And huge. Let's not forget that I was huge.

Don't get me wrong; I was ready to have him. I just wasn't ready to go into the hospital and induce with less than 24 hours notice.

Plus, I was still hoping my body would cooperate and go into labor on its own.

So, I told the nurse I'd have to think about it. After Mr. Einstein and I talked it over for awhile, I called her back.

"No," I told her, "I would not like to come in on Tuesday and have a baby. How does Wednesday sound?"

"Wednesday?" she questioned. "Well, that means you'll be in the hospital over Thanksgiving."

"Yes, yes I know."

"Okay. Wednesday it is."

So, one year ago, on a Monday not unlike today, I scheduled my first (and last) induction for Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving...

When Life Must Go On

October was a rough month, and though nothing happened to me and mine, we felt things very deeply that month. And still do.

On October 18th, a beautiful baby boy was born to friends of ours. On October 20th, he went to be with Jesus, leaving his mom, dad, and brother behind. He had some complications at birth, but doctors are calling it a "medical mystery" as to why he died.

On October 20th, the husband of another friend was admitted to the hospital with complications from pneumonia brought on by H1N1. He was comatose, though showing signs of improving. On October 31st, he went to be with Jesus, leaving behind a wife, two sons, and an adopted daughter. He was the sole breadwinner in his family, for almost 10 years traveling across the pass every week to go to work and traveling home every weekend to see his family.

Also on October 20th, Mr. Einstein's beloved grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer. He's in his 80's, the darling of his family. It's the same kind of lung cancer Mr. Einstein's other grandfather died from years ago, caused by asbestos. He's undergoing chemo, but is having problems after his first treatment.

So much tragedy in so little time. So many mind-shifts. So many things taken for granted. So many opportunities missed and so much insight gained.

Life must go on.

And it does.

The baby boy's family? They've found comfort in Jesus and are still feeling blessed by the very little time their son was a part of their lives.

The widow and her kids? They are clinging to God's promises of eternal life, knowing they will see their husband and father again someday.

Mr. Einstein's family? Those who pray are doing so diligently. Other than that, there is much impatience, much waiting. Plans have been changed, have become fluid. No one knows what the future holds.

But life must go. And it does.

And it will continue to do so.

So, I Have This Thing Called a Blog...

I'm here everyone. I really am. It's just been a crappy few weeks for me out here. Really crappy. I'll post again soon. I promise.

What's In a Name?

E hates Swiss cheese.

Hates it.

H-A-T-E-S it.

To the moon and back.

You know that children's book, Guess How Much I Love You? In our house it's Guess How Much I Hate Swiss Cheese!

You know what she does like, though?

Jarlsberg.

Go figure.

You Know Mommy Takes Too Many Pictures When...

...this is what you get

over,

and over,

and over again.

Oh, my!

Oh! Almost.

Even closer!

Ah! There we go! There are those baby blues!

October

For the month of October, my blog is going pink for a friend.

A friend who is currently fighting and beating breast cancer.

I am overwhelmed with hope and thankfulness for her.

I am completely in awe of her strength and decisiveness.

I am humbled by her experiences and attitude.

I am eternally thankful to call her my friend.

I praise the Almighty for bringing her into my life.

And I pray daily that she will continue to win the battle she is so gallantly fighting.

I love you, Holli.

Aloha Friday

Tell the truth now: Have thoughts of Christmas invaded your head yet?

They have mine.

*sigh*

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For more Aloha Friday, visit An Island Life.