A comfortable Christmas Eve...

We made it safe and soundly to my parents house on Tuesday evening. We left Illinois later than we would have liked but Mike had a visit with the hand specialist before we could hit the road. As far as Mike's hand it is starting to heal and it will be 4-6 more weeks with the cast on before Mike is good as new. He is very anxious for this to be OVER!!

Today we had lunch with my Mom's family at my Aunt and Uncle's house. Normally we have dinner but due to some changes in the Christmas eve church services at Seville UMC we changed our time to accommodate. It was a lovely afternoon with good soup, delicious breads and lots of cookies. Both my cousin, Jessica, and my cousin Bill's wife, Ricki are pregnant. They are both due in April and it is great to see someone other than myself adding kiddos to the family! My grandfather makes the kids a wooden toy each year and this year was some of the best. I'll have to post pictures. They are priceless toys that we will cherish forever. Very, very special.

We went to church at 6:30 in the same church where Mike has gone his whole life, I have gone since I was 10, where we were married almost 12 years ago and where all 3 of our children were baptized. That is where I think of when I think of home. A very comfortable place for me. In a long story I got separated with Amanda from sitting with our family. I was sitting in the over flow room with Amanda and our friend, Earleen, who has celebrated Christmas with our family every year since 1981. Earleen commented that the hymnal she had must not have been used very much because the binding seemed tight. I was surprised to hear her say that as the hymnals in our church are at least 20 years old so I took it from her and flipped it to the front to read the placard in the front. That tells you who the hymnal has been left in memory of or if it is honor of someone special. Much to my surprise when I flipped it open it read

"This hymnal has been dedicated to the Memory of Eva McMurray."

That is my grandmother. She died in 2006 and the church memorial committee had purchased some new hymnals to replace some of the ones that were getting really used. I could have sat any where in the sanctuary but some how I picked exactly the seat where I think I was suppose to be. I miss my Grandma very much but her presence is every where in my life, even on Christmas Eve.

Home, Sweet, Home...

How lucky is Molly? She got to make a Gingerbread House at school yesterday. You were suppose to have your Mom or Dad come in and help you but we were in a bit of a pickle. Amanda was still sick and Mike wouldn't be much help so Aunt Margaret got to go with Molly to school yesterday. Molly was thrilled and I was relieved that we had someone generous enough to help us out. Thanks again, Margaret!





The frosting was yummy and this was a really fun project to do. Molly, you made a beautiful Gingerbread House! Good work!

Yucky day...

I'm tired. I'm cranky. I have no right to be but this is my blog and I can complain if I want to. Mike's orthopedic visit went well. He's in a temporary cast for a week. The cast is driving him nuts and hurting tonight. The straps that it attaches with are rubbing his skin raw. He is to call first thing in the morning and speak with the doctor's nurse about getting in to have them look at it. I personally think a regular cast would be more comfortable but they didn't ask me. The best part (NOT) of the whole visit was in the exam room. Amanda wanted me to pick her up so I was holding her and listening to the doctor explain how the x-rays looked. The next thing I know she is yakking all over me. All over me. And herself. The doctor looked at me in horror but kept talking and smiling through the whole thing. I wanted to die. I wanted to throw up, too. Gross. Apparently she has a bug because it has happened about 6 more times today. Gross. She is sleeping peacefully right now but I'm afraid to get too comfortable in bed because I'm sure I'll be right back up. I was feeling really sorry for myself tonight until I ran across this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn5qN5xRjkQ

You have to see this and then know that this group of high school football players are singing this crazy song for their fellow teammate who was injured in a football game in October. You need to read this, too...
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/korywiita

This boy is paralyzed from the chest down due to a football injury. He lives in the town next to my parents and I came across his story on Facebook. And I thought I was having a bad day. No way. There are a lot of inspirational people out there. This boy is one of them.

I have no idea what I am doing wrong on adding links. Does anyone know how to do it correctly?? Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

Metacarpal #5...

Because there seems to be a requirement here in our family to always keep things lively Mike decided to keep up his end of the agreement yesterday. In a classic home accident he was running up the basement steps and tripped and completely wiped out. He caught himself with his right hand and immediately felt a tremendous amount of pain. His pinkie was going in a direction that it really shouldn't be. We went to the Prompt Care here in town and found out that he has a fracture of the Metacarpal #5 or in regular speak he broke his hand. This type of fracture is often called a boxer's fracture. I only wish he had some kind of fantastic story to go along with it but no, it really isn't very good. We really hope that this doesn't cause us to change our plans in visiting our families in Ohio next week. That would be the biggest bummer of the whole thing. We'll find out tomorrow as we visit the same orthopedic specialist that we took Amanda to last spring.

Wish us luck, please!!

Now what have they done to Baby Jesus...

Oh my!

I don't think this is what God intended with the birth of baby Jesus in a manger. The nativity scene has been rearranged again and here's what it looks like now...



I think tomorrow there may need to be a serious discussion here about the birth of Jesus story. I'm pretty sure there weren't any Army men present.

As much as I respect the history and the symbolic nature of the nativity scene secretly this brought a smile to my face. I kind of thought it was funny. Weird sense of humor, I know. There should be an asterisk by this post that states...this is what happens when Daddy is home alone in charge. Lots of little minds at work!

Joseph is missing...

The kids love their Little People nativity scene. I got it a few years ago and they look forward to getting it out every Christmas. I don't worry about them hurting it and apparently it has been touched. Joseph and a Wise Man are missing! And they have been replaced...



I'm not sure 2 rubber ducks are the proper replacement for the father of the Son of God and a Wise Man. Creative, though!

Lincoln School Christmas Concert 2009...

Here are some photos from Cameron's school Christmas concert. I was very impressed that they sang "Silent Night" and "Joy to the World." Kudos to the music teacher for not being afraid to remind us the reason for the season!





Yes, Cameron's Santa hat was too big! And here I thought he had a big noggin!

Name this bird...

This bird was sitting on our bird bath the other day and Mike got some pictures of it. We don't have any idea what it is. Any ideas? I need to go get out the bird book we got for Christmas last year!

Good morning, Bethlehem!...

I can officially say that I heart Morton United Methodist Church. What a great day my kiddos had yesterday at church. It started out with Cameron receiving a bible in church. They handed out the Junior Adventure Bibles to all the Kindergartners and First graders.



Cameron promising to read his bible every day!


Our family then lit the advent wreath at the 9:30 service. Could that have gone anymore wrong?? The story is best told in person by Mike and I so remind us to share it someday soon. Yikes is all I will say!!

In the afternoon we returned to church and Cameron was a townsperson in the Christmas musical Miracle at Midnight. It was so good and all the kids did an excellent job! Since Cameron can't read all of the words yet to the songs we listened to them a lot in the car. My personal favorite is Good Morning, Bethlehem! It's a catchy song and I'm wondering how long it will be before I get the song out of my head??

Here's our townsperson...


The preschoolers also sang 2 songs. It was so surreal to see Amanda up on stage singing with the group. I don't think she is our baby anymore. We practiced the songs and she loved it! Molly was one of the "old" kids singing and belted it out. It was super cute!



The children's education department at our church does a fantastic job. We didn't have kids old enough to participate at our church in Ohio and our church in Michigan was too small to be able to offer what we have at our church in Morton. It is unreal and such am important part of our lives right now. We have little sponges and our kids are so curious about God. It is a learning experience for Mike and I to find the answers for them. We are all growing in our faith.

Is it wrong to need a drink while at the health department?...

Oh my.

Yikes.

I think I will survive our experience yesterday getting the kids second dose of the H1N1 vaccine but it was shaky as of last night. I have been scarred for life. I know deep down that getting the 2nd dose of the vaccine was the right thing to do but I have regrets based on what we saw while waiting for our turn in line. I am by no means criticizing how scared most children were to get the vaccine. I know it can be very scary and overwhelming. Molly told me it was scary after we were done and back in the car. Poor thing. It was the reaction of many parents that made our experience worse. I know that I shouldn't judge the parents reactions to a stressful situation. I am SO blessed that I have pretty laid back children who waited patiently and without any drama. The family in front of us had 3 children with them. I guess it was the tone of the father and the words that he used that really bothered me. "Turn it off." "Turn if off, right now." (What he said to one when the waterworks of tears started.) "You want to act like a baby, I'll treat you like a baby." To his wife when he was tired of the crying - "Do you want to to walk out of here and leave you?" The one child was kicking and screaming so loud and fiercely that it took 3 workers and the Mom to hold her down. By this point my children's eyes were as big as saucers and we couldn't help by stare. Not a good feeling. The experience is over and done and we won't have to go back for a year. I'm seriously considering bucking up and paying the nurse at our doctor's office to do them next year. Maybe in a year the memory will be distant. It just isn't today.

I said a prayer for that family and I said a prayer for myself that I work on keeping an open mind. I haven't walked in their shoes.

Our weekend of giving Thanks!...

We had a very nice Thanksgiving break. We had Mike's parents here for an extended visit, I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner and we had some nice family time as Mike took last week as vacation. Here are a few of our highlights!


Cameron was a pilgrim at his Kindergarten Thanksgiving feast! The feast was fun and a great way to get ready for Thanksgiving.


We had Thanksgiving dinner with my brother, sister-in-law and our 2 nieces. Here are my kiddos with their cousins.


Happy Thanksgiving 2009!


Saturday morning Mike ran in the East Peoria River Trail Classic, a 4 mile fun run. It was kind of cold when he started but it turned out to be a nice morning and day.

On Sunday we went to a breakfast with Santa with my brother's family. The kids were so excited to see Santa and Mrs. Claus. The Santa we saw has been visiting this country club for 30 years! Authentic!




I just love how Amanda is holding Santa's hand. So sweet!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Ours was a success!