Every year I take a look back at all that the year brought and share a few highlights. Sometimes I focus on just the good, sometimes I focus on the most memorable, and other times I focus on the things that I have pictures of on Facebook. That is my life in a nutshell. Sometimes good, sometimes simply memorable, and other times I can't remember it all unless I am reminded. On Facebook. This year i will try to do a little of each.
We started the year with a family party that lasted until 6 AM. For most of us. Like me, and the big kids. January also brought snow, and David's third birthday. We had many days off in the first half of the school year and tried to buckle down and get things done in the second half. But I had extreme morning sickness often, so it was hard.
February rolled around, and we were still trying to push through school. We had a a nice visit from Uncle Dave, however I spend some of it in the hospital. More morning sickness. But the rest of the time was movies, games, the Science Center, and Chick Fil A.
March was another long month of morning sickness and school work. My school work, school work with the kids, and observation hours. We started up our homeschool co-op classes again, and the CLP play held auditions and began practices. We did community service, and lots of it! The days were getting much nicer as we prepared to have our Easter cantata and celebrate Easter.
April brought Easter, Honk Jr., a cantata, Remembering Adam show, and more co-op classes. April for us is always a time of performing! Andy had a few shows, too. My morning sickness was easing up and I was headed into a nice spring and beginning of summer without any problems other than being busy and tired.
May started with Honk Jr at CLP, the end of co-op, shows for Andy, and yet another behavior specialist for Faith. We had a huge yard sale and took a trip to the Creation Museum. We also got to catch a movie at Sarah and Anna's outside. School was finishing up for the kids and we were scrambling to complete things before the end of the month.
June was a fun month, and quite busy! Andy had shows, we finished school, and took a few mini vacations. First up, though, was a fun family day at my dad's power plant learning more about what he does and what the plant does to generate power. Contrary to my high school belief, he is not a spy. Or is that what he wants us to think?? We got to see Tony in Cats, we did community service, and we celebrated Father's Day early because Andy and Isaac went to Sandbox Camp. We had our year end evaluations. That was only half the month! After Sandbox Camp we took the kids camping for 11 days! We also got to see a Curve game. During camp my nice trouble free time of pregnancy wrapped up and I was taken by ambulance to the ER with heat exhaustion and the beginnings of my high blood pressure problems.
We came home from camp on July first only to turn around and take the girls back to Pony and Swim Camp. The boys and I had some fun while hey were gone. The week after picking the girls up my blood pressure became enough of a problem that I was on bed rest. for most of the month. Missing birthday parties, VBS, and summer. I did sneak to Spirit Fest, and one day of VBS to ward off the unending, mind numbing boredom of bed rest. And the messy house that I could do nothing about. We spend some time doing school early to keep the kids occupied, and Angel became the head chef of the Raehl household. I had an overnight hospital stay, and we did not get to have a birthday party for Faith.
August brought more hospital trips, and I finally had enough bed rest. We had a birthday party for Faith the first weekend, and on our anniversary we had our sweet Micah! I was finally feeling better, and got an awesome gift, my sweet son! The SC Raehl family came to meet Micah, and I began to dig our house out from under about five weeks of bed rest. We enjoyed the rest of summer with a trip to Lakemont, a family reunion, and began to look towards the new school year.
September came so fast! We celebrated the month's birthdays, including a trip to Slinky for Isaac's birthday. I began the kids school in full force, and my observation hours, too. We had a few field trips, and Andy had several shows. the girls began taking baton lessons. We were still trying to catch up from my bed rest.
October was just as busy with baton, co-op, classes at IUP, choir in preparation for Christmas, and youth group meetings. I had more observation hours, and the countdown to my student teaching is on! Angel had her birthday party and then we went bowling.
November rolled around with more of the same activities, plus Thanksgiving! And of course, Black Friday! Although my crew was thinned a bit this year we had a blast, as usual. Angel really enjoyed her second year, and I still had to call Josh for directions.
December brought snow, Christmas, and the end of this looong year. It is the first time that we have reached our halfway point before Christmas, so we celebrate by taking a long school break to prepare for Christmas. We made tons of cookies, wrapped presents, decorate, and then ended up in the hospital with Angel and a severe stomach virus. But it is the end of the year, we are beginning to feel better, and soon 2013 will bring more surprises, more joy, and more laughter. We are ready, bring it on 2013!!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
Top Ten Things I Learned this Christmas
With all the excitement of the holidays, the rush of preparation, and the worry over sickness I have found that there are a few things that I learned this Christmas that I was least expecting...
10. Isaac knows where everything is. Because he takes it. This inlcudes things from my purse, like change, gum, and flashlights.
9. If a kids says that they dropped your purse, take out the compact. It is most likely broken and will cover everything in a fine powder.
8. Preschoolers can survive for days on cookies. And candy. At least it feels like days.
7. When your never really sick child says I need to go to the hospital, go. Immediately.
6. When wrapping presents with a preschooler do it right before giving the gift. That way they don't let slip what you got someone. Repeatedly. Or ask them if they opened the 'whatever' yet.
5. It is a good idea to practice gift giving behavior. For example, one should never say, "Here I got you this bow tie. Merry Christmas".
4. Kids will ALWAYS surprise you in many ways. When you least expect it.
3. Multicultural Christmas celebration unit studies will enable your preschooler to shout out equal holiday festivity messages for the parade, including Happy Hannuak, Happy Kwanza, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Live Long and Prosper.
2. While I can entertain myslef for quite a while with only the things I have in my purse (crayons, pens, small toys, half a deck of cards) there is nothing of actual value in there in case of an emergency (like money, change, a coffee maker, or pizza).
1. When you least expect it God turns the worst situations into miracles. You just have to be looking for it.
10. Isaac knows where everything is. Because he takes it. This inlcudes things from my purse, like change, gum, and flashlights.
9. If a kids says that they dropped your purse, take out the compact. It is most likely broken and will cover everything in a fine powder.
8. Preschoolers can survive for days on cookies. And candy. At least it feels like days.
7. When your never really sick child says I need to go to the hospital, go. Immediately.
6. When wrapping presents with a preschooler do it right before giving the gift. That way they don't let slip what you got someone. Repeatedly. Or ask them if they opened the 'whatever' yet.
5. It is a good idea to practice gift giving behavior. For example, one should never say, "Here I got you this bow tie. Merry Christmas".
4. Kids will ALWAYS surprise you in many ways. When you least expect it.
3. Multicultural Christmas celebration unit studies will enable your preschooler to shout out equal holiday festivity messages for the parade, including Happy Hannuak, Happy Kwanza, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Live Long and Prosper.
2. While I can entertain myslef for quite a while with only the things I have in my purse (crayons, pens, small toys, half a deck of cards) there is nothing of actual value in there in case of an emergency (like money, change, a coffee maker, or pizza).
1. When you least expect it God turns the worst situations into miracles. You just have to be looking for it.
A Christmas to Remember
Every year I do the same thing. I begin planning on how to create the best Christmas ever. Not with gifts or decorations. Not with expensive items or over the top activities. But with family. With friends. With purpose. One that allows us to say, "That was the year we..." with fondness. With joy. With hearts set on giving. On sharing.
We bake and give away cookies. We ring the bell for the Salvation Army. We collect hats and gloves, or coats, or toys. We adopt a family. We make treats for friends. We spend time together. We serve. We laugh. We visit grandparents. Many of those create traditions. Some of those give us those memories. All have made our kids, or us as parents, say that it was memorable.
This year, however, was different. It will not be those same things that we remember. Not the cookies we gave away, the service projects we did, the crafts we made, or the fun we had. It will be in what was given to us, to me, that will tell the story of this Christmas.
We prepared as always. A busy season with parties, cookies, crafts, more parties, and finding ways to serve. We shopped, we caroled, we wrapped, we laughed, we made sure to serve others. We focused on THE gift given, not the gifts we would receive.
Christmas Eve morning Angel looked pretty rough when she woke up, and complained that she was not feeling well. She got sicker as the day wore on, and we decided that we could not risk getting others sick. We decided to stay home from the family parties, meeting with my grandparents later to exchange gifts. She looked worse and worse, and felt the same. She could not keep any food down. Finally she looked at me and said, "I need to go to the hospital." She was having severe pains in her right side, had not kept food down since lunch the day before, and was shaking.
I hurried to get ready, thinking that we would go over and they would give her something to stop the vomiting, maybe IV fluids for a few hours, and we would be home. I was not prepared for CT scans, blood work, and an ambulance ride to a larger hospital to see a surgeon. They thought for most of the night that it was her appendix. Three rounds of blood work, two bags of fluids, and one long night later it was evident that the problem was a severe virus, not her appendix. We were relieved to not have surgery, sad to be in the hospital, and exhausted.
Our Christmas was not ruined, however. Every time someone came into her hospital room for any reason, they gave her a small gift. Many of the gifts kept her distracted. They were donated by local churches. There were coloring books, puzzle books, paint sets, stuffed animals, and some candy. During the few hours of sleep I got Santa visited with a sack of toys. She got a large stuffed bear, a pillow pet, a puzzle, and some craft sets. She hung onto that bear the rest of her stay, squeezing it during blood work. She clutched it when the surgeon came in to give us results. She hugged it when they announced no surgery. We got to play X Box in the hospital. The nurses were all wonderful, bringing us anything they could to help us settle in and trying to give us a bit of Christmas.
At home, Andy struggled with the kids who were scared and sad. Faith did not want to sleep in her room looking at Angel's empty bed. Isaac was afraid for her and offered his room to Faith. David missed his best friend Angel and his Mommy who both read to him at bedtime and tuck him in. Micah missed his Mommy all night like any nursing infant would. Daddy was there to keep everyone together, even when his heart was with us in the hospital. And Santa came. My dear children grabbed their stockings and got ready to head out the door to bring Christmas to Angel. They grabbed her stocking and headed to see us, not a peep about the presents they past to leave the house.
This was my Christmas miracle this year. Strangers seeing our need and meeting it in the form of small gifts. A stuffed animal. A tooth brush. A can of Pepsi. A cup of coffee. A puzzle. The gifts of people who did not even know we were there but wanted anyone stuck in the hospital on Christmas to know love. The children who past by their own presents in a rush to get to their sister, to their mother.
You see, for years we have talked about the meaning of Christmas. We have done projects to serve others. Form soup kitchens to coat drives. From park clean up to community events my children have served. At times they have served instead of participating. They painted faces instead of attending the party. They picked up trash in the park instead of play there. And when it came right down to it, they not only gave of themselves on Christmas, missing their own presents for a while, but they also got to receive the gifts of others. Angel was ministered to in ways that she usually ministers. And they got to see that there are others who serve. Who love. And in days that seem so very dark at times, this is the best kind of light.
We bake and give away cookies. We ring the bell for the Salvation Army. We collect hats and gloves, or coats, or toys. We adopt a family. We make treats for friends. We spend time together. We serve. We laugh. We visit grandparents. Many of those create traditions. Some of those give us those memories. All have made our kids, or us as parents, say that it was memorable.
This year, however, was different. It will not be those same things that we remember. Not the cookies we gave away, the service projects we did, the crafts we made, or the fun we had. It will be in what was given to us, to me, that will tell the story of this Christmas.
We prepared as always. A busy season with parties, cookies, crafts, more parties, and finding ways to serve. We shopped, we caroled, we wrapped, we laughed, we made sure to serve others. We focused on THE gift given, not the gifts we would receive.
Christmas Eve morning Angel looked pretty rough when she woke up, and complained that she was not feeling well. She got sicker as the day wore on, and we decided that we could not risk getting others sick. We decided to stay home from the family parties, meeting with my grandparents later to exchange gifts. She looked worse and worse, and felt the same. She could not keep any food down. Finally she looked at me and said, "I need to go to the hospital." She was having severe pains in her right side, had not kept food down since lunch the day before, and was shaking.
I hurried to get ready, thinking that we would go over and they would give her something to stop the vomiting, maybe IV fluids for a few hours, and we would be home. I was not prepared for CT scans, blood work, and an ambulance ride to a larger hospital to see a surgeon. They thought for most of the night that it was her appendix. Three rounds of blood work, two bags of fluids, and one long night later it was evident that the problem was a severe virus, not her appendix. We were relieved to not have surgery, sad to be in the hospital, and exhausted.
Our Christmas was not ruined, however. Every time someone came into her hospital room for any reason, they gave her a small gift. Many of the gifts kept her distracted. They were donated by local churches. There were coloring books, puzzle books, paint sets, stuffed animals, and some candy. During the few hours of sleep I got Santa visited with a sack of toys. She got a large stuffed bear, a pillow pet, a puzzle, and some craft sets. She hung onto that bear the rest of her stay, squeezing it during blood work. She clutched it when the surgeon came in to give us results. She hugged it when they announced no surgery. We got to play X Box in the hospital. The nurses were all wonderful, bringing us anything they could to help us settle in and trying to give us a bit of Christmas.
At home, Andy struggled with the kids who were scared and sad. Faith did not want to sleep in her room looking at Angel's empty bed. Isaac was afraid for her and offered his room to Faith. David missed his best friend Angel and his Mommy who both read to him at bedtime and tuck him in. Micah missed his Mommy all night like any nursing infant would. Daddy was there to keep everyone together, even when his heart was with us in the hospital. And Santa came. My dear children grabbed their stockings and got ready to head out the door to bring Christmas to Angel. They grabbed her stocking and headed to see us, not a peep about the presents they past to leave the house.
This was my Christmas miracle this year. Strangers seeing our need and meeting it in the form of small gifts. A stuffed animal. A tooth brush. A can of Pepsi. A cup of coffee. A puzzle. The gifts of people who did not even know we were there but wanted anyone stuck in the hospital on Christmas to know love. The children who past by their own presents in a rush to get to their sister, to their mother.
You see, for years we have talked about the meaning of Christmas. We have done projects to serve others. Form soup kitchens to coat drives. From park clean up to community events my children have served. At times they have served instead of participating. They painted faces instead of attending the party. They picked up trash in the park instead of play there. And when it came right down to it, they not only gave of themselves on Christmas, missing their own presents for a while, but they also got to receive the gifts of others. Angel was ministered to in ways that she usually ministers. And they got to see that there are others who serve. Who love. And in days that seem so very dark at times, this is the best kind of light.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)