My maternal grandmother passed away in the middle of the night a couple of days before Christmas. But it was a blessing because she was able to leave behind an extremely frail, decrepit body and mind and have a joyous, sweet reunion with my grandpa.
On the 23rd, my washing machine died the great death, and because of the holiday, a repair man won't be able to fix it until Monday. Thank the good heavens above for Bill being able to get all of the laundry done except for one load and for Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and having $1000 emergency fund.
We woke Christmas morning to a vomiting two year old. Throw-up all over the place ... and a broken washing machine. Nice. Thank the good heavens above for a very loving and understanding mother who came by on Christmas to collect the soiled sheets, blankets, pajamas, pillow cases and stuffed animals to take to her home and be washed and folded and returned by her and my dad the next morning. Mothers are a wonderful, wonderful thing.
Later, on Christmas night I suffered a miscarriage. It was something I had a hunch might happen - my doctor said it might. And it did. Thank the good heavens above for a loving husband who fought it out with me, and for his big hand to squeeze tight, and ibuprofen, and a hot, hot bath, and a hot rice heating bag, and cold ginger ale. We did it together. And I'm okay. I was blessed with strength and perspective and a family and parents who have taken care of me. It was a miracle that I was even pregnant. And that, in and of itself, brings us hope.
Even through all of this, Christmas was good. We were surrounded by family and friends through much of it. We ate lots of good food. We had a family Christmas party at my brothers new house. I turned a year older on Christmas Eve. We fed two friends on Christmas who didn't have family to be with. And my husband turned a year older today.
Here are a few pictures from our Christmas:
Eli and Evelyn. Cousins. Best buds. Miracle babies.
Family nativity. Does your family nativity have a Christmas elf? Ours does.
Porter and Kennedy playing Mary and Joseph in our church's primary nativity story.
Awesome, face-pullin' sis...
... and her adorable daughter.
My dad. I love him. Bill pushed the button on the camera just as my dad's mouth was coming out of his 'fish lips' pose.
My joys. Porter and Evelyn. Santa brought Porter some tools and Super Mario Bros Wii. Santa brought Evelyn a baby doll that she named 'Pancake'.
Christmas is always good.
