Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas was merry!

Hope yours was!

Certainly Not Ready But Certainly Grateful

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

I need another week to really be ready!  

Christmas cards didn't make it to the mail 

(although since they're already printed they will be mailed - 

just after Christmas). 

Haven't wrapped the first present for my kids. 

Just got off the phone discussing a package that was supposed to be here last week. 

They promised tomorrow. 

My house is still a mess. 

But in the midst of it all, my boys and I have had a great day 

(Anna was at a friend's house). 

I am blessed to have healthy children to buy for 

and much laughter sprinkled throughout the day!

It's been a great Christmas Eve Eve!

Our Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree is up.

I love it.

I always do.

The kids love it.

They always do.

Someone once told me that our tree 

looks like a tree that The Waltons would have

(I took that as a compliment).

Our Christmas tree is simply a family tree.

One that 

holds pieces of

our past;

our present;

and still has some room 

for pieces to come in our future.

We have been
and
continue to be
blessed!

Anna made this Christmas ornament for me when she was very young.

It still has a place on our tree!

This is Wesley's 1st year ornament - 

that, 14 years later, still doesn't have a photo of him in it.

That's right - it's still the baby photo that came in the frame!

It's a running joke by now.

And, every year, we put up the stock photo baby in the stork ornament.

Maybe this will be the year that I actually get around to 

putting a photo of baby Wesley in it!

Father Christmas was a gift from one of my students.

Santa with the green bag was chosen by my Caleb.

The deer belonged to Rob's grandparents and they have been ours since 1997.

It's been Luke's job for as long as he can remember to put them together.

And the singing snowmen family is a tradition started by Jacqueline C., 

a very dear friend from one of my father's churches.

Until her death, she bought one every year for my children.

We have continued the tradition in her memory.

Hope you all enjoy the countdown! 

At Least We're Starting

FINALLY starting to put up our Christmas tree.

We've never been this late before.

My 2 trusty elves are helping.

Luke even put on his Christmas socks.

We will get the tree put up tonight 

and I will add the lights

and string the beads.

Then, after her last class of the semester 

tomorrow afternoon,

Anna will join in as we hang all of the ornaments on the tree.

So, even though we will not get it 

completed all in one night like we usually do, 

at least we're getting started.

(And that may or may not be the clean but unfolded 

laundry that lives on our couch). 

Long Day With Tuxedo

We moved to where we live now in June 2012.

A stray cat decided to adopt us in July/August 2012.

I wasn't going to keep her.

I did not want to be responsible for another living being

at that point in my life

(only 10 months after Rob died).

Really, at that point, I was doing good to be 

responsible for my children.

But my children wanted to keep her.

My children said their dad sent her to them to

help them be less lonely at their new house.

So they won.

I kept her.

The kids thought she was a boy.

(I didn't even look - I just took their word for it

and it turns out that they just assumed-

they didn't look either).

Thinking she was a boy, they named her Tuxedo

because she looks like she's wearing a tuxedo.

She was an outdoor cat.

We fed her and loved her.

She became ours.

When the weather turned really cold one night last winter (11 degrees),

Anna talked me into letting Tux stay in her room.

She then became an indoor cat for nighttime

and loved getting to be outside during the daytime.

Then while we were gone on vacation last June,

Tux ran away.

We had someone feeding and taking care of her

but I guess she decided we had left her.

So she left us.

I called the animal control office,

the animal shelter,

and the local veterinarian offices.

No Tux.

After 3 weeks and 4 days,

we had almost given up.

And then, just like nothing had ever happened,

Tux walked up to Wesley when he was outside.

My kids were thrilled she had come home!

Tux was so, so skinny.

Obviously, her 3 week adventure had not

provided much nutrition for her.

She ate the can of tuna we gave her

like she had never seen food before.

And, because Anna was so fearful that Tux would

run away on another adventure,

Tux became an indoor cat

(but because of Luke's asthma, 

Tux is only allowed in Anna's room).

Last night, Tux started getting sick.

By this morning 

(around 10:30 and right when Anna was leaving 

to go take her last final of the semester),

Tux was much worse.

So it was off to the vet for Wesley and me.

Tux never likes getting in her carrier

and is never sure of riding in the car.

She was okay waiting in the waiting room just

getting a little skiddish when a big dog came in. 

But she sure didn't like the examination that took place.

We had to leave her.

A few hours and $94 later,

we found out she has cystitis

and an antibiotic was prescribed.

We were happy it wasn't anything worse.

All 3 children went with me to pick her up.

Tux was happy to see them all.

So I had all kinds of plans for the day.

Bills, sorting out my mom's and dad's medicine for next week,

school for the boys, putting up the Christmas tree,

and getting the Christmas card made, etc.

But instead, for the 3rd time this week

(my dad and my mom had appointments this week),

I spent my time in a doctor's office,

waiting for results,

and picking up a prescription.

And here we are again,

at 10:45 p.m. 

finishing a 6th grade math lesson with Luke.

I guess I'll never learn that our days seem to never go as planned!

But I have learned that as long as by the end of the day, everyone is home

and healthy (or on the way to being healthy via a prescription),

I am blessed.

Homeschool Love

Oh, the joys and flexibility of homeschooling. 

Had to take my dad to the doctor today for his 6 month diabetic check-up 

so just now finishing school at 10 p.m. 

- Wesley upstairs being forced to read a book for a book report. 

- Luke downstairs dividing and multiplying fractions. 

And even though I'm not homeschooling her anymore 

- my 1st year college student Anna is in her room studying for a final tomorrow. 

All school around our house right now!

Wesley's Hunting Trip

My Wesley has been wanting to go deer hunting.

My cousin's husband, Nathan, invited Wesley 

to go hunting with him this past Saturday.

Wesley was so excited!

We bought his gun in October and he has

been target shooting like crazy in our back yard.

(We have a really big back yard).

But Saturday was his first time to use it while hunting.

We also bought all of his hunting clothes/gear in October

but since Wesley has been growing like crazy,

(he's up to 6' 3" now and he's only 14)

I made him try it all on Friday to make sure

it still fit him.

And well, since he was all dressed up,

I did my own shooting in our own woods.

A photo shoot of my hunter.

My cousin and her husband live an hour away from me

so Wesley spent Friday night with them to be ready for Saturday morning.

(Yay that I didn't have to get up at 3:30 a.m. to drive him up there! : )

Wesley sent me these photos from his morning hunting with Nathan.

Wesley didn't get a deer this time 

but he said he had a great time trying!

Thank you, Nathan, for taking time for my boy.

Thank you, Nathan, for making a way for my Wesley to do 

something he has been wanting to do.

Thank you, Nathan, for being a mentor for my son.

But most of all, Nathan, thank you for caring

about my Wesley.

Luke Is 12 Today!

My baby boy is 12 today.

He's no longer a baby boy.

Luke is growing into a fine young man.

It is so hard to believe my last baby

is starting his last year before becoming a teenager.

It really does seem like just yesterday that he was born 

during that horrible ice storm.

Luke was born at 8 p.m. on the dot.  

We had to stay at the hospital for at least 24 hours after his birth 

and the ice storm just kept getting worse.

I really thought we were going to end up trapped there for a couple more days 

like what happened with Anna's birth and Hurricane Fran.

But the doctor FINALLY made it to release us and we were so happy to 

get home to be with ALL of our children.

It was a blessed time.

And so is now.

We celebrated my Luke's birthday on Thanksgiving Day.

He wanted a pizza "cake" this year

(basically a very deep dish pizza baked in a bundt pan)

so that's what he got.

I did add a cookie and some cupcakes so there would be something sweet.

He had a great day celebrating!

And we had a housefull of people to help him do just that!

All of my children and I love it when our house is full of people!

Happy 12th Birthday, my Luke!

I am so glad God decided I could be your mama.

I am very blessed.

I am so proud of you.

I have enjoyed every minute of watching you grow

and I look forward to many more years with you!

I love you!

Always have!

Always will!

More cute photos of my boy found here on this link to his 10th birthday post

and this link to his 11th birthday post.