Christmas Bliss

Just a snapshot from our family Christmas celebration. As I always say ... "chaos is BLISS"!

O Christmas Tree . . .

We decorated our Christmas Tree today and had a tree trimming party! It's not a party at our house without food ... junk food that is!

Everyone took turns putting on their own ornaments. Ornaments they've received each year of their lives. Some years the ornaments were simple and inexpensive, and other years they represented a milestone in their lives ... like the deer hunting the hunter (T.J.'s), or the ballerina (Kaylee's), and we even have the surgical scrub ornament for the year Claira had her heart surgery.

Claira had to be held by Dad because she broke her leg earlier today at church.

Evie put the star on the tree, which is a big honor in our house ... one that must be rotated to keep it fair! Now that the tree is up, I have orders to find a pair of red Christmas shoes and red princess gloves. Evie has decided that's what she needs to wear for Christmas!

Happy Halloween!

T.J. the hippie sporting his aunt's Third Eye Blind concert t-shirt and Rasta Beanie? Kaylee was a bigger version of her 1-year-old self in her 1st hand-made costume ... Pebbles! She tried to get her friend to go as Bam-Bam, but he wouldn't do it. Too bad! Claira is well ... Claira Cluck! Everyone called her a duck and she would promptly say "I'm a chicken!". Chelsea was me ... I mean a nurse! A very eccentric nurse that is. Maddy was the toothless vampire (we couldn't get the teeth to stay in). Evie was Ariel the Mermaid with spray-painted red hair ... imagine us having to spray paint red hair! And finally there's Tom ... for this there are no words.

Dancin' in the Rain

I got this from a fellow nursing student ... I love the philosophy behind it!
"It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.
I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.
While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.
The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.
He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.
He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'
He smiled, patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.' I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm. I thought to myself 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic.

True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the best of everything they have.

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.'"

Trip to Target

Recognize these darn red balls? Every time we go to Target, the girls have to "sit" on the balls! For whatever reason, Evie insisted I take a pic of her choking herself ... and since Claira's her official shadow, she had one taken too.
Btw, I'm barely squeeking by nursing school with a low B ... this is way harder than I ever imagined!

How's this one Aunt Chewie?

It ain't Fadda's Day no more!

This is for you Julie

I have been SUPREMELY busy with school ... and teenagers ... and toddlers ... and husbands (well, you know). So I'll have to commit to do a better job to keep my blogs updated!
We love you Aunt Chewie!
BTW, congratulations Laura on your baptism ... it's so fun being in Kansas with you!