Saturday, December 26, 2009

It wasn't quite what we expected,

but nonetheless, Christmas was good.

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.


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

She's been waiting for well over a month now...

...patiently?  I wouldn't go that far.

It all started when she watched her Grandpa blow out his birthday candles the first part of November.

And it's been escalating ever since.

"Mommy?  Mommy can I have birthday cake?"


"Mommy, I blow out candles on birthday cake?"

This happens multiple times in my day.  When she talks to people on the phone, she wants to talk to them about birthday cake.  (Uncle Andy even went so far as to make a pit stop to drop off some chocolate cake for her on his way from Provo to Rexburg).

Well, last night after a nice dinner with my parents, Evelyn reached an exciting climax of her short 2 year life.  And, oh how exciting it was!





It had been 9 and a half years since I had celebrated the two-year birthday of a child.

I'd forgotten just what a riot it is.

Happy birthday my little one.  Thanks for reminding me how exciting life can be.


Thursday, December 10, 2009

She opens doors...





...my life just got a little bit more complicated.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

He is


-An engineer.  He builds amazing contraptions with his hands.

-Interested in girls

-Wanting a little more freedom with his bed time

-Building a Go-Cart with his dad down in the garage in his spare time

-Drinking milk like no one's business

-Opening the car door for his mother

-Disliking homework

-Helping us solve problems and adds valuable insight at our Sunday morning Family Councils

-Taking the garbage and recycling down so I don't have to

-Becoming extremely proficient at the ukulele

-Getting embarrassed by his parents ("Dad stop singing!!  We're in Walmart!")

-Quite the comedian, always has been.  But right now, learning from the best; Calvin and Hobbes

-Experiencing growing pains (times 100) right now in his ankles, knees and hips  (we took him in to the doctor where they did X-rays and told us his growth plates are inflamed.  I swear every morning when he wakes up, he looks taller)

-Really good at making his sister laugh

-Still holding my hand and giving hugs and occasional kisses  :)

-He is ...






becoming a young man.

(sigh)