Well, I sat down tonight to download some pictures from my camera card so I could post some recent photos. To be honest, things have been so busy that I'm not even sure what was on there. Nothing is coming to my mind other than that I needed to do it and catch up. Well, they're gone. For some reason in order to get the camera to work at all, I had to delete the pictures that were on there and was unable to view them prior to my deleting them. Terribly sorry. I guess that's what I get for getting behind.
We had a great Thanksgiving with mom and dad and JuJu and Matt. We were all able to stay at mom and dad's without getting too smushed or tired of looking at each other. Holland only fell out of the bed twice-of course it was her. The weekend went way too fast and reality hit us all on Monday morning. We had too much fun eating whatever we wanted and playing games and watching football. Dad, John, and Matt were able to get in a round of golf on Saturday and had beautiful weather! The weekend was great.
We did receive some shocking news on Friday that has really broken my heart, however. A friend of Rowan's from preschool was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He has a very long road ahead of him with chemo and radiation. He will be out of school for a year. He is 5. There is never a good time to hear this kind of news, but with the Christmas season upon us, it is difficult for his family to experience the "magic" and wonder we all so eagerly anticipate. I so desperately want them to have a sense of peace and hope in their lives despite this new reality for them. I understand there are no answers to the difficult questions they have looming in their minds right now. I don't underestimate that. I am not naive to that. I just know there is meaning beyond it. And so right now I am offering practical ways to help them as they cope. Rowan is taking it fairly well and is trusting that he will be alright. And he leaves it at that...so do we for now.
With that, Christmas has gotten off to a different start for us this year. We are concentrating on the closeness of our family and the true gift of the birth of Jesus. Our advent calendar is in full swing as we share the nativity story in short sentences each day (along with a treat). This year I bought a nativity the children can play with (
www.playmobil.com) and enjoy instead of just look at. Rowan has asked some very interesting questions: "what is a prophecy?" (he's hearing the reference in the Christmas story taken from Luke, referring to Isaiah- so smart!) and "how old do you think the little drummer boy was?" He really listens to words and wants the meaning of them. Holland is enamored with the tree and all the "exquisite" ornaments. It's amazing she hasn't torn the wrapping paper off all the gifts under the tree right now. And I'm pretty sure Shep will know the words to Jingle Bells before he says mama or dada due to the sheer number of times it is sung to him in any given day. The poor child is smothered with entertainment-it's no wonder he's so tired and loves to nap away the day-his little brain can't possibly process it all!!! I am planning to bake cookies soon and hope to share pictures of that soon. Keep checking!
