Christmas Eve

I fear this has become a weekly update instead of a blog. I read somewhere that a good blog should have a pattern so that readers would not have to wonder if you've written or not.  Well, thats just not me. Sorry readers, I am always and forever gonna keep you guessing.  After the holidays I will try my hardest to have more of a schedule but until then….who knows.
So- weekly update:
Last Wednesday we had a Christmas party for George's preschool.  He made ornaments, wrote a letter to Santa, and did sticker puzzles, made funny faces for the photo booth-but mostly followed Olivia around because she had an Ariel shirt on and a "dancing dress" skirt.  Boys.
Thursday we were supposed to go to Disney but it rained and was cold so we decided not to.  We went to the grocery store and I picked up two more pounds of butter for Christmas baking.  I feel like you should use at least three to four pounds of butter in the month of December to make a good Christmas.
Friday night we had our usual pizza movie night but had a special appearance by Rudolph.  I found the Christmas classic at the grocery store and the three of us sat entranced by claymation.  One of us for the first time and two of us for the millionth time-and it never gets old, especially when Rudolph says, "Im cuuuuuuuuuute!!!!!!!" and flies because Clarice bats her long eyelashes at him.  Everyone has their favorite Claymation moment, this is mine.
Saturday George had to go into work in the morning so it felt like a regular work week day until he got home and we decorated a gingerbread house.  Little George had the best time and was very proud of his handy work.  He informed us about forty times that if the candy didn't stick, he'd have to just eat it.  I can see the logic.
Then we went to look at lights. Big George found us two places: Christmas Tree Lane and the Ice Cream Man's house.  They were both amazing.
Sunday we went to church and then came home to rest.  Monday was spent on Colorado Blvd with my favorite little shopper.  We got frozen yogurt for lunch because it seemed like the right thing to do on Christmas Eve Eve.  No nap yesterday led to crazy child syndrome and the result was a deep scalp cut and a little too much blood for this girl.  I was pretty calm but glad to see big George when he came home a little after six to a popsicle-eating, iPad-watching injured three year old.  He graciously told me to go read or sit in front of my computer screen, a task I accepted generously.  I am almost finished with the Hunger Games series and at that point where you slow down purposefully because you've enjoyed the plot so much.

Today my goal is to post this and finish up all the things that I think will make this Christmas in California special for this family of three.   But before I go I want to invite you into my next goal:

It's the Christmas Eve service.  A lot more folks go to the Christmas Eve service than on a regular Sunday.  Its tradition, its beauty, its candles, and smiles, and song.  I had a realization two days ago.  Invite someone.  I bet they will come. And secondly, pray for your preacher.  Because while you shop for those last minute gifts, bake those favorite cookies of Santa's, wrap gifts, put together toys, pull stocking stuffers out from their hiding places, preachers are surely up to the same thing- only with their sermon.  Can you imagine the pressure of many listening ears that might only hear the good news once or twice a year? I bet preachers know this pressure like the backs of their hands.  The music is easy to love and to sing along to- pop culture has adopted most of the hymns of Christmas so we all know the words, plus they mean Christmas to most people no matter how many times you attend church every year. The sanctuary invites us to comfort with the beautifully lit candles, heavenly scented greenery, and warm cozy glow.  Friends and family are also a draw, with a huge Christmas smile and arms that warmly embrace.  But the real meaning of Christmas should come from the few moments of reflection in the sermon the pastor is expected to deliver.  I can imagine if I were a preacher I would spend all of Christmas Eve engrossed in my sermon.  I would take out words that sounded too dreadful, switch paragraphs around, highlight sentences I wanted to say with boldness, add and subtract content so that the sermon was just short enough to to hold everyone's attention but just long enough to hold the miracle of Christmas in the forefront of everyone's minds.  While you run your last minute errands, remember to take a few moments to lift up the one who will deliver the good news to you tonight.  To you and to that person who sits in the back who you've never seen before and may never see again.  To the friend you invite who may not make a habit of church-going, or who may….after this service.

This post may have typos, poor grammar and punctuation errors and it may be disjointed but I have a little three year old who right now asks me, "Where are we going today? is it Christmas? Watch this…." I guess its good enough and I had better go but I wish you all the most sincere Merry Christmas.  How can it not be? Christ came to us on Christmas.  Find one moment to come to him, the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, today.  The Babe...the King...  Jesus.

A weeks worth of news

So I owe you a post.  I, as most of you, have found myself extremely busy with this Christmas Season's activities.  But thats no excuse.  Maybe I haven't found time to write because all last week George decided not to nap.  Still not good enough…OK,  my real excuse……. someone loaned me the first book in the Hunger Games series.  There's an excuse for you.  

Last Tuesday was the last post and the beginning of the no-nap week. To pass the time, I tried to walk Dean while George scooted on his scooter and that was a disaster.  Dean was TERRIBLE.  Ran after kids, growled and barked at dogs, pulled me, yanked me, bolted after squirrels. I have never felt that out of control of him.  Never again.

Wednesday we decided on a different adventure.  The mall.  Usually scary at this time of year in North Carolina, CA malls are no different.  Except I had to navigate a brand new one which made it that much harder.  We emerged with three gifts purchased, one bowl of Fro-Yo for lunch and one carousel ride under our belts.  George again did not nap.  So at five we headed over to Lauren's house to make dough ornaments.  We got to meet all her friends and their kiddos, mostly around one year of age, like her son.  George was pretty nice to and gentle with them overall and behaved reasonably well for not having had a nap.  We got home and I put him straight to bed.  Also, I should add that I haven't mentioned big George because he made it home after dinner both of these "no nap" days.

Thursday was another school day and I was able to run several errands during that very short short two hours.  Another trip to the post office finished up my elf duties for the season and a trip to the spa to clean up for our date night Saturday night. Thats right, I said it, DATE NIGHT.  This is a perfect time to interject that I freaked out Thursday night about the babysitter.  I imagined a million things that could go wrong.  From small things like George "bunking" his noggin' all the way to major disasters, like a kidnapper sitter and a ransom note.  I do not exaggerate.  I do worry like this.  God helped me remember to look at Psalm 91.  And then I found my nugget that would help me sleep that night in verses 9-10.

 "If you make the most high your dwelling- even the Lord-who is my refuge-

 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent"

Friday I cleaned. Usually I clean on every other Monday but I have this weird obsession about cleanliness when someone else will be in my house for any extended time.  So yes, that would mean I cleaned for the babysitter.                ?                      IDK.  

Saturday was AWESOME. Why? Because I read the Hunger Games, and followed the score tracker on ESPN to help the Tarheels to a victory over Kentucky.  Always love to beat them.  Always hate to loose to them.  Then, George napped for the first time all week and when he awoke, big George and I were already ready for the date night to begin.  We sat and nervously fidgeted until she came.  I already described her in a previous post.  She's great.  But even Mother Theresa would be questionable to two parents not from Skopje, Macedonia.  George took a picture of her license and then got her to write down her address.  He asked for two phone numbers for each of her brothers.  This was all to my surprise and utter satisfaction.  All week, he concealed his own second thoughts about our date night and sitter. To leave your heart and soul, your one and only son in the hands of someone you've only just met-it was a feat about which both of us had reservations.  But we also had reservations at a restaurant so we kissed him and hit the road, all the while telling ourselves, "People do this. Normal people go on dates.  Normal people leave their kids behind while they spend quality time together".  And by the time we arrived at the restaurant we were miraculously both ready to do just that.  Spend two uninterrupted hours together.  And it was niiiiiiiice.  The wine was great, the food was okay, the bill was high but all of it was worth it.  And we justified the bill by our recollection that we have not really done this since June after George finished boards.  We did not even celebrate when we found out he passed boards.  So there, we had a blast and paid for it but we were so thankful for the chance to be out and about- just us.  And wouldn't you know it, when we got back home, George was still there- all in one piece with a smile on his face and giggles that melted our hearts.  He was still awake, which was less than ideal, but who cared at this point?  Not one of us.  

Sunday we woke up and thought we were headed to Palm Springs to hang out with George's friend Zoe and her parents when we got the call that her daddy was really sick.  So we changed our plan and decided to go to early church and then Point Dume near Malibu (because, hate to break it to you East Coasters, it was supposed to be 85 degrees and sunny).  Point Dume was where we went Labor Day weekend but it was too crowded to enjoy.  When we got there George said, "Hey, we are only an hour from Santa Barbara…. why not?"  I had no reason why not so onward we went.  As George is never really one to alter the plan, I was a little worried but it turned out to be the best day ever.  We took turns playing with George on the beach as the other ran on the hard packed sand and witnessed cliffs, sailors,   a harbor, dogs off the leash, and finished the day as we dined by sunset at a cute beach front restaurant with fish tacos and Bloody Marys.  Just about then George uttered these words, "I am retiring here".  I let him have his moment and then I said, "Seriously? Or does that just mean you are having a great day?" I will let you guess the North Carolina boy's response.  Don't worry family, I am sure you guessed it correctly.  

Monday was low key and Today has been a little bit of a challenge.  I worked in the classroom which is always tricky but today was the last day of school before the break.  A little more to clean and organize for the break, plus a lice outbreak (which always gets folks stirring) and many of the kids and their parents gave gifts today.  George wanted to open them all while I tried to clean up from the day.  It was difficult to urge him to wait on that bright red candy cane.  Then we got home and he did not want to nap.  Shew, of all days! Three hours with 12 three year olds, clean up their mess and then return with a sugared up three year old of my own who just WANTS TO PLAY WITH HIS NEW TOYS.  I really can't blame him.  Christmas is such an exciting time of year for all of us.  I just sincerely hope this is not the end of the naps.  I need them…Oh- I mean- HE needs them!

 roses in our yard

sunrise 12/17

 sunrise

A Beautiful Change.

Christmas cards. Check.  As much as I love to create ours to share with our friends and family, the best part of the Christmas card tradition is the collection of cards from others.  I love mail.  Real mail.  I like email, text, Skype, FaceTime, etc. for the convenience the other eleven months of the year and I am thankful for them but real mail is special, something you can hold in your hand. I especially like to gaze upon handwritten notes and signatures (even if its just the return address).  My grandmother is the best about real mail.  She sends cards all the time for all kinds of occasions.  When I was injured I probably received ten.  When my dad went through his whole ordeal, Gra'ma sent him one almost every day.  She's awesome.  But pretty much everyone sends a Christmas card of some sort.  So far I have received three and I put them on our home-made card holder all scrunched up together.  My husband said, " Are you expecting a lot of cards?" to which I replied, "Are you not?".  I understand what he meant though, it was funny to see the three cards all on one end of the card holder but in my mind, I can see it full, bursting with cards- faces of new babies and old friends, pets and Christmas newsletters.  

I keep an electronic copy and a printed version of my Christmas card list.  Throughout the year I do my best to update the written version as friends move or family grows.  Then I go back and plug in the changes to my excel spreadsheet all at once, around this time of year.  This year, there seemed to be a lot of red that represented a lot of change in my friends and families lives.  As I scratched out address after name after address after name and as I added new babies' names or new friends addresses-  I paused to take in the changes.  I paused to respect and remember each family and the race they have run this year.  As my red pen struck through and added and took away, I couldn't help but stop and think about all that happens in the span of a year.  How much change is always upon us.  Sure, there are many good changes, additions to the families of those I hold dear are some of the best!  But there are sad changes too and Christmas happens to be the time we let ourselves think about it.  Why, I wonder...  Maybe it is a blessing.  Maybe it is God's way to speak the truth to us, "This is why I came. This is why Christmas is even a thing.  Christmas is about change".   A change from a society that lives under the law to a community established in grace and mercy.  Christmas, in itself, represents the biggest change that ever occurred.  This is far from what most would say about Christmas. I would agree with anyone that says Christmas is steeped in tradition, not change.  As I reflected on the changes to my list it was clear that the reason we hold our traditions so dear is because we, as Christians, hold this time of year so dear.  We recognize, on some level, the changes represented in us by this holiday.  We celebrate Jesus and the way he came to earth to CHANGE us forever.  Before Jesus was born, our Christmas card was addressed as follows: "To: Rebecca - sinner, slave of sin, condemned under the law….With tough love- GOD".  After Jesus' birth, our card is addressed much differently (thank goodness!) : "To: Rebecca - (still a sinner) - heir, daughter, ransomed, child of God …. Love: Your heavenly Father, your Creator, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God."  Enjoy your card from the Lord this year and embrace changes, however hard or wonderful they are, because this is why Jesus came- to walk us through the changes life brings and come out on the other side a new and different soul.  Changed from slaves to sin, to everlasting lives filled with the spirit of righteousness.  What beautiful change. 

Romans 5: 20- 21

"The law was added so that the trespass might increase.  But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. "

The good stuff- Santa, GNO, wine, run, food, friends!

Thursday I went for a run while George played with his friends at preschool.  It was the first decent run since the injury and it felt SO great to breathe deeply, move swiftly, and endure for longer than 30 minutes.  Maybe it was endorphins but the songs that I heard on the Pandora Station seemed to be a perfect soundtrack for the things God has mightily done in my life the past few weeks.  I normally do not listen to music while I run because I like the sounds of my breath as I inhale and exhale and how they coincide with my feet as they pound the earth beneath me, but today almost without a thought, I put the ear buds in and God talked to me through music.  The air was crisp, the sun was bright and my hopes were high for a strong comeback into the runners' world.  I was not disappointed in my body's ability to jump right back into a trail run, hills and all.  Thank you, body. I have a lot of gratitude and respect for you.  And in that same breath- thank you, God for the creation of such a magnificent miracle, the human body.

This run was followed by a London Fog (steamed milk, black tea and vanilla) and a 99c Store errand.  Can I just say that I love the 99c store?  I know I have mentioned it before but it is such a nice change from Target, where I unload four items of junk and one bag of dog food (the only item I planned to buy) onto the belt and never charge the card for less than $100.  At the 99c store however, I unload a WHOLE CART of junk and it is never over $25.  I wish they sold our brand of dog food so I could avoid Target altogether.  I don't think the ability to avoid Target is humanly possible in America.  Who disagrees?  OK, I see no one does. Let us move on.

Thursday night we went to the Farmer's Market for a tree lighting.  There were Carolers and a happy Santa.  He was a good one too. We got there just in time because George was the last to tell Santa what he wanted.  He asked for a remote controlled helicopter and play dough and …..what was the third thing? I am certain Santa remembers.  We got kettle corn, played with friends, saw the bubble man and saw lots of Christmas lights on our way to and from.  On the way home I got a text from an acquaintance down the street. She wanted to know if I would come over for a glass of wine with a few girl friends.  Why, yes, that sounds like a fabulous idea….if only the husband would acquiesce …..and YES, he said this was just the thing to break my almost reclusive habits lately.  He didn't say it quite like that, but its kind of true.  After the injury that socially isolated me, I have been a little slow to return to the real world where people hang out with folks other than their kids and husband!  So after stir fry (prepared and cleaned up by my wonderful husband) and after my boy was bathed and read to and tucked warmly in bed…off I went to drink a glass of wine with some women.  WOW.  I don't really know how to describe in words the next 4 hours of my life.  Fun, feeling normal, smiles, laughs, wine, snacks, home made warm chocolate chip cookies, more laughs, stories told, a Southern accent that did not belong to me. The other girls knew my friend from down the street from church and bible study.  One girl did not know anyone else there either (like me) and turns out she lives across the street from me and has three young children just about George's age.  We got to know each other pretty well and by midnight it was the three ladies who live on this street left standing in the kitchen around several empty bottles of wine, cookie crumbs and open chip bags.  There were persimmons the neighbor brought from a tree in her yard as well.  Its good to have friends, especially when they live two short minutes from your front door.  Thats called community folks.  And I've never been more thankful for it.  Little George and I ended up at this girl's house the very next night to meet her three little ones.  They were so much fun and had lots of new and different toys so George had a blast.  I'll call her Berkeley from here on out because she graduated from UC Berkeley and is a true Berkeley-ite.  She's a no-plastic-policy-holding, to-the-right-hugging, prius-driving, progressive-thinking, lovable and downright wonderful lady.  I can't wait to get to know her better.  I returned to my warm house and was hit by the smell of home made pizza as soon as I walked in the door.  My husband had worked all night on home made sauce and toppings to make us Stromboli and a pizza to enjoy.  Robin Hood (the cartoon version) was cued up and ready to watch.  What a fun night.  And to top it all off, he did the dishes for the second night in a row while I put George down.  Can someone tell me how I got so lucky? Anyone? Sunday Berkeley and I plan to go to Manhattan beach with our husbands and kids.  They promise snow and fireworks on the beach.  Who wouldn't want to do that?! Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow! 

Babysitters and B-DUBS.

Wednesday we met a potential babysitter for George.  This would be stressful even if we were back home in NC where we have a church youth group to pull from, cousins, family and friends and connections.  Here, we multiply that stress by, oh I'd say about a million.  I have been given several contacts for sitters but none has been quite right for one reason or another.  I even got on Care.com and found one who said her faith was an important part of who she was etc etc.  We met her and she was fine, but just not Corrie-Caliber. I coined that term in honor of our sitter who watched George full time from the time he was three months old until I lost my job.  Even then, she was so wonderful I still used her on a weekly basis because she was such a perfect fit for our family. More than a perfect fit, we had a connection and I couldn't imagine George's life without her in it by the time we moved.  I had just stopped the search for a Corrie-Caliber type sitter when the preschool newsletter about a sitter arrived in my inbox.  Since George and I are about to DIE for a date night, I called her that instant.  "No one else is going to get her first!" I thought.  And boy am I glad I did.  We met her yesterday and she is pretty darn close to Corrie-Caliber.  As soon as she walked in, she completely engaged George.  She did not ignore me, but he was her priority.  She was sweet and kind, and knew ALL the right things to say to a three year old little boy. I was amazed actually.  She stayed about an hour and George was upset when she left.  I called a few of her references and they know her family and have had her watch their kids so I know she's safe.  And here's something else: when I asked her how much she charged she said, "People usually pay me whatever they can. I am not money hungry so I take what they can pay". What? Are you kidding me?  I think 2$ / hour will do it. Ha Ha, only kidding. Childcare is worth every penny to get some time away as a couple.  We will pay her well.  And no, you cant have her number. I am greedy with my sitters. Ha. I am full of jokes today.
As if that were not enough to complete my day, we were able to watch my beloved Tarheels play the Spartans. First, BW3s indeed had the game on. Check. George discovered the touch screen video monitor on the table and was happy to type in his "user name" and "passcode"the entire time.  We got wings, beer, salsa and chips and I even got a black bean burger to pick at.  And then the W.  Number one Michigan State falls to the mighty TARHEELS!!!! What a night.  I was in heaven.  Heaven!

Productivity

Sheeeeeeee's baaa-aaaaack!  I spent five weeks in a continuous pity party but Monday y'all….I got it together.  I cleaned my house, went to the grocery store, replied to numerous messages, texts, emails, and phone calls, planned our New Years get-a-way, created our Christmas Cards, cut three sets of nails, wrote checks, and wait for it……finished my Christmas shopping for little George (thanks cyber Monday!)  It felt good but I was wiped out come 6:00pm.  It feels good to live life again.  Tuesday I went for a run (only 30 minutes) and it felt good to return to some semblance of normalcy in my routine.

More Productivity:

The Christmas decorations got the boot when we moved to California.  My lovely stockings, my wreaths, my lights and my well loved christmas ornaments all got to stay behind when we packed everything we thought we would need for a year in a small Uhaul. You may think this sad but it made for some really resourceful and creative decorations this year.  Everything on our tree this year is in some part made by a three year old.  No Martha Stewart awards will be given out at my house but we sure had a lot of fun.  Here are a few ideas that are really inexpensive and fun in case your toddler is going nuts when the sun goes down (and my does it go down early these days!).

Clothespin Reindeer:

glue two wobbly eyes (target) and a red puff ball (target) to the flat part of a clothespin.  Wrap a black pipe cleaner around the end of the clothespin and work into an antler shape.  Then get creative with colors. We did an assortment of ACC reindeer (thats Atlantic Coast Conference, all your Californians).  

Trader Joes bags:

Cut out the cute holiday shapes that are on the bags these days and string them up.  Instant decoration.  After I cut out the shapes, I flattened them under some heavy books before I hung them on the tree.  Those hand surgery books ARE good for something other than collecting dust.  

This squirrel is our version of "Christmas Vacation" Movie with Chevy Chase

Hot chocolate ornament:

Tear an empty hot chocolate packet apart (preferably with a cute "Hot Chocolate" label-mine were from Trader Joes.  Yes. I live there part time) so you just have the front.  Round the edges with scissors and string it up beside two coffee mug cutouts from the Trader Joes bags.

Pipe cleaner Candy canes, bows, and wreaths:

Just bend into the shape you want and have the kiddos hang them.  

Toilet Paper Roll Star:

Cut an empty roll of TP into 6 circles.  They will naturally end up bent a little from the pressure of the scissors.  Glue the flat edges together in a circle and hold for about 30 seconds.  Dip in glue and glitter for a sparkly touch!

Then there are these happy little guys:

Home Made Card hanger:

Pretty Twine (from the 99c Store) hung from Point A to Point B.  Hang jingle bells every two feet and fill in spaces with empty clothespins.  Wait for those cute family photos and Aunt Susie's newsletter to come in the mail and the kids will love hanging them up. The text are cut outs from Trader Joe's bags as well. They say Happy Holidays from…, Warm Wishes from…. Peace and Joy from…
I have to say I was pretty proud of this idea :)

Home Made Advent Calendar:

Construction paper cut into squares with dates (Dec 1-25th) on each in silver marker.  Inside you can do an activity for each day like "Make Christmas Cookies" or "Get the Tree" or " Drive around and look at lights".  I did the Christmas Story in progression with a symbol and a verse to read each day.  For example, Dec 1st was "Angel" and we made an angel out of pipe cleaners and hung it on the tree.  

We also strung cranberries and popcorn and it turned out really nice.   Below is the finished product.  

I hope you have as much fun decorating as we did! Happy Christmas Season!

A Not-So-Traditional Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone.   We ate turkey, sweet potato casserole, and dressing.  We even got our tree and decorated.  We checked the news about black Friday and were not surprised to see that CNN featured crazed shoppers at a Wal-Mart in…drumroll… Eden, North Carolina.  Football scores are filling my newsfeed and basketball is in full swing too.  But somehow it just doesn't seem like Thanksgiving really happened.  I think its the weather.  The past two days have been stunningly beautiful and close to 80 degrees.  Or maybe its the lack of hustle and bustle.  Usually this time of year I am a ball of anxiety as I try to figure out what parties to attend or decline or how to fit in trips to see both families or where to meet friends for dinner or what date suits all our best friends for a Christmas party.  We have heard reports of the Flotilla in Wilmington, oyster roasts, basketball games, family get togethers, grandparents' visits and the like.   Our weekend was relaxed comparatively.  Thursday we spent the day on the coast in San Clemente with some of our best friends from NC.  It was marvelous to see them but surreal at the same time.  The day was gorgeous and the fellowship even better but it was abruptly shortened when little George spiked a fever out of nowhere.  We left right as the food emerged from the oven.  My dear friend packed us a huge plate of turkey, dressing, potatoes and casseroles as we rushed away in fear that we had already spread a virus to young and old.  It was so sad to have to leave like that but we were glad we did because we all ended up sick that night and the next day.  We were supposed to camp Thursday night near San Clemente.  Thursday night little George had a fever induced hallucination (we think).  It was good we were not in a campground.  He screamed and was inconsolable for a good half hour.  We prayed for him and also gave him more Motrin.  He slept with us the rest of the night for the first time since he was a week old.  Poor little precious thing.  I have never felt so powerless to help him.  He was absolutely terrified of whatever he saw.  Friday morning we all needed to be cheered up so we decided to see Frozen in the theater.  This was our first family movie and it was a success!  First we stopped by Panera for some broccoli cheese soup I have had my mind set on for some time.  Then we found the mall and fought the shoppers for a parking spot.  Once we were inside we settled into our seats with popcorn and and a Coke.  The movie was very well done and we all three enjoyed it.  It was not too scary, the songs were great, the silly character Olaf is hilarious and lovable and the attempt by Disney to focus on familial love instead of prince/princess love was appreciated. All in all, Edwards, Edwards and little Edwards give it 5 stars.  Saturday we got our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.  Let the decorations begin!!  I got crafty, which is rare.  I enjoyed my craftiness, which is even more rare!  We strung popcorn and cranberries, made reindeer clothespins, cut Trader Joe's bags, glued eyeballs on furry puff balls to make silly animals, made a star out of toilet paper rolls, and bent pipe cleaners into all kinds of shapes.  Our crafts also included a home made advent calendar and a card holder (so you can send your Christmas cards to us now!).  Dean is bah humbug as usual but little George made up for his lack of Christmas cheer.  I have never seen that child have more fun inside the house.  He was so proud of his tree.  His favorite thing to do was bend pip cleaners into a "candy cane" and hang them on the tree.  We have about 25 random pipe cleaners all over the tree, but do you think I am going to move them an inch? Nosireebob, I would never do such a thing to that kid.   He only fell out of the chair four times! Wait, did I actually include that?   

Sunday we did not attend church because we are all still snotty and visibly sick.  I am not sure we  are still contagious but in an effort not to spread this any further, we gave ourselves one more day to recover.  Instead we did a family devotion and then hiked to the Hollywood sign.  We thought some fresh open air would be good for us all.  It was a gorgeous 80 degree clear day and we could see all the way to the ocean.  I have never seen such a view.  So now here we sit as Thanksgiving weekend comes to a close.  It boils down to this.  We love it here and you can't beat the weather, but we miss our family and our friends back home.  Dorothy said it best, "There's no place like home!".

Thanksgiving at our table, just the 4 of us!

San Clemente Beachfront

Our first family movie

Hiking the hollywood sign trail

Our Charlie Brown Tree

Freedom Don't Come Free

Oh sweet freedom!  Freedom to smile, freedom to laugh, freedom to talk, yell and sing.  Freedom to lick my lips and chew just a little bit.  Freedom to brush my teeth!!  Two weeks more until I can really chew anything of substance but I am here to tell you…. I don't care.  The chicken noodle soup from a can I had last night could have been prepared by Emeril Lagasse himself. I enjoyed it so much.  I also tasted some turkey that was leftover from our feast at the Cannon's house.  I could not chew it but it tasted good.  I also had sweet potato casserole, corn bread soaked in butter, a can of chicken noodles soup, a piece of real apple pie and a big bowl of cookies n cream ice cream.  Make that two bowls of ice cream.  It took me a long time to eat dinner (I started at 5:30 and finished around 10:00) but it was worth it.  I savored every morsel.  Then I brushed my teeth.  Oh what a feeling, what a marvelous feeling!  

But freedom don't come free folks.  Yesterday was a long, hard and rough day.  I was told to be at the hospital at 11:30 am.  That made the morning so long.  George tried to let me sleep in but one loud thing after another caused me to face the morning with no coffee at 7:00am.  I read my bible, straightened up a bit and took it easy.  George entertained Georgie the entire morning (which made his afternoon super long).  They had breakfast, went for a run,  went to the park and played toys.  Then we set off for the hospital.  After check-in, the Georges hung around as long as they could before the little one was too curious and energetic to take anymore.  They left around noon and I sat by myself in a loud, busy waiting room where TVs blared, cell phones dinged and buzzed, and where I heard, in unison, every language except english as loved ones loudly conversed as they waited their turn.  Finally around 1:00 they called me back and I donned my lovely gown, had an IV started, answered countless questions and watched Friends' episodes on the TV.  My roommate was a little old Asian lady who did not want to hear the TV but still wanted it on.  She was pitiful by the way.  She told every doctor that came in that she was scared and to please take care of her.  They were all caught off guard at having to extend some compassion in the middle of their busy day.  I hate to say it but it was true.  I said a few prayers for her while I sat there and waited my turn.  As miserable as I was at 2:00pm with no caffeine, water or food in my system, her continuous plea to the doctors and nurses provided me with amazing perspective.  From the conversations I overheard, she waited for a cancer removal and biopsy to see if whatever it was they intended to remove was benign or malignant.  Each time I would start to have a pity party about my jaw pain, or the fact that I had no family or friends here to wait with me, or that I was NPO after four weeks of pretty much being NPO, her frail, sweet voice would ring in my right ear, "Please take care of me doctor, I am so scared".  Bless her little sweet heart. Bless it Lord.  And thank you Lord for your grace and mercy in perspective.  SO at 2:45 they finally came for me.  I became extremely anxious on the OR table as they prepped me for surgery.  If you've never experienced this, I hope you never have to.  Face up as you stare at the ceiling tiles, the nurses and assistants contort your arms and legs into positions that are convenient for them.  You feel like a piece of meat on the slaughter board.  The staff laugh and chat jovially like its just the best day ever.  They move fast with precision and purpose and ask you pointed questions in order to make you feel like you are part of the party.  But they forget to answer them so you do not feel like part of the party.  Thanks for the effort though.  Then you see the digital clock on the wall with the time.  Just as you begin to picture yourself in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, they push that lovely Versed.  Ouch, the bolus hurts but then…oh then….you care about nada, you begin to think this IS the best day ever.  Wow, I feel great! My headache is gone, my anxiety is gone, and there's nothing going on in my head.  Complete and utter bliss.  UNTIL……here comes my doc.  That's good because he's the one we've all been waiting for to do this thing. But bad because he just rips out the wires and ruins my Versed bliss bubble.  Tears came then and did not stop until about an hour later.  The pain meds are good, and my mouth is numb but I can't stop the tears.  It doesn't hurt anymore but still I can't stop crying.  They told me I would be asleep for the procedure.  This was not so.  I am a very tough girl.  Anyone who knows me will agree.  I rarely cry because of pain.  I admit I am emotionally sensitive and shed lots of tears because of that, but physically- not much touches me.  But this I will never forget.  The nurse in recovery was very sweet and brought me tissues but she said the wrong thing to me.  She said, "Sometimes when we are really brave about surgery and then its all over, it just comes crashing down on us".  Well, two things... 1.  Whats all this "we" business and 2.  The tears were mine and I know my emotional tears from my pain tears. Those were pain tears.  I think she was right in a lot of cases and I appreciate the tissues she brought me, but she was wrong about why I cried and it really bothered me.  Then I went to recovery where the nurse brought me a cup of coffee at 3:45 pm.  What a gift.  She is my new best friend.  I think her name was Christine.  We had good talks and she never accused me of bravery.  Then we called George and he came to get me.  On the way home I heard all about the boys' day.  They rode a train at the mall, ate at Red Robin and then went to the arboretum.  Mr. Mom was on point today.  By the time we arrived home, I could tell he had had enough.  Little George out all day minus his nap is not a good combo.  Add yours truly as a patient - poor big George!  We all ate dinner together and after George bathed George, I got to read him books.  I absolutely cherished it.  Books just don't sound as good through clenched teeth.  He went straight to sleep and his parents let out a sigh of relief.  Our big day was over.    Apparently George was up twice last night with bad dreams.  When he woke up this morning I asked him what his dreams were about.  He said, "One was about mommy and the 'nother one was bout my teeth hurting" So who thinks yesterday affected him? Poor baby.   

Today was great but I am exhausted.  George called with good news/bad news.  Conference was cancelled so he was on his way home but he was sick.  Since he walked in the door he's been in bed with a fever and chills.  Role reversal.  What would we do without each other? Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers as I faced this tough season of life.  As always God was good to us and blessed us  immensely.  Thank you Lord.  

ONE more day.

Mark your calendars for Monday at noon.  Finally I will be free of the chains!  I will have to go under anesthesia but the procedure will only take about fifteen minutes.  George took the day off so everything is squared away.  Tomorrow is my last full day of this torture.  I know it will not be an easy week as my gums heal from four screw holes and as my jaws remember how to chew but I just feel like it cannot be much worse.  I hesitate to say that…. and I will certainly let you know if I am right or wrong.  Today I busied myself with a coffee date with a new friend, a Target run and a pie.  I still love to bake, even when I cannot eat the finished product.  The pie looks beautiful and the coffee date was really fun but the Target run was the low point.  I am still not quite sure how it happened but George ended up with tee-tee in his eye (as well as a lot of other places).  It was not pretty.  Should I even publish this?  Its reality folks, I might as well.  Life is not all unicorns and rainbows.  Sometimes it includes public bathroom chaos.

Last night I made chocolate sauce that you are supposed to put on ice cream.  I ate half the jar with a spoon.  Today I made one of my favorite peanut butter dips.  You are supposed to dip graham crackers and fruit in the cream cheese, PB, and brown sugar mixture.  I think you know where this is going.  I am in full survival mode over here.  I am so over creative meals.  If you are out there with a broken jaw reading this post, just put peanut butter in the microwave and you are good to go.  Add some nutella if you want to get fancy.  Eat as much as you want.   Ok, enough of my rant.  If you don't mind, please say a prayer for us all on Monday.  Ta Ta for now!

Why is it so HARD to Schedule a HARDware Removal?

After another day of confusion and frustration, I am now finally scheduled for hardware removal on Monday morning at 11:30 am.  I will spare you the details of the many long and drawn out conversations both George and I had with the insurance company and assistants at the doctor's office.  Suffice it to say, we think these wires will be off my face by Monday evening.  Lets keep our fingers crossed.  I will tell you one thing….the assistant told me I would need to be NPO after midnight on Sunday (only because I interrupted her as she tried to say goodbye to ask this question) so I better eat a heavy dinner Sunday night.  A heavy dinner…right.  She obviously has never had her jaws wired shut  before.  There is nothing heavy about anything I eaten lately…well, I guess that half jar of melted peanut butter could be considered heavy…..

So to make Wednesday go by faster I took George to Disney.  This makes our fourth trip.  I am really gonna miss the close proximity to Disney when we move back to NC.  He met Donald who is now his favorite character apparently.

Can you believe how tall George looks?

Also worth a little shout out….IT RAINED today.  And rained hard!!  George's school was even cancelled because the power went out.  Now I know northerners make fun of Southerners when we cease to exist because of a 1/4 inch of snow but for the power to go out because of the same amount of rain is just funny to me.  It was so nice to hear the rain.  Since our bedroom used to be a sunroom the ceiling and walls are very thin and as I awoke this morning, the sound of the rain was reminiscent of a summer medium sprinkle under a tin roof.  I let myself go back to sleep and just enjoy it.  Normally I would feel bad that I have shared this with people that I know work very hard and never get this opportunity but today it just felt like a little gift from God - to me, his daughter.  Like he was trying to tell me, "I know you've been through a lot, but I will bring you through it. Enjoy this little gift of rain today".  And so I did.  We thawed out the rest of mom's spaghetti sauce tonight and the boys really enjoyed it! I enjoyed my tomato soup too for the record.  Three more days of wires.  If I can get through tomorrow, I have a busy weekend to keep me company.  Coffee with a new friend Saturday morning, then I get to bake my first apple pie of the season.  Sunday we have church and then our playoff game and then I will make cornbread.  All of these baked good will be enjoyed by others at a gathering of friends for Thanksgiving dinner Sunday night.  Maybe there will be leftovers. Then I will eat my heavy dinner of pureed corn soup and a banana milkshake.  That will be the last pureed soup and milkshake for a long long while.  I hope. And I pray.  Have a great weekend everyone!!

Here's to the Land of the Long Leaf Pine

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is upon us! BASKETBALL SEASON!  Bittersweet for me this year since I cannot watch my beloved Tarheels.  I have never missed three games in a row that I can remember and certainly have never missed an entire season.  I was present in Carmichael Stadium during the 1981-1982 season and never missed a season since.  Presence in the womb totally counts.  Thats probably why I feel like I do when the drum line starts.  That might have been one of the first loud sounds that I ever heard.  I may need lots of support to get through this.  I wonder if there is something like Alma Mater Anonymous....I may need to start one.  I know there are at least one or two Tarheels over here on the West Coast.   Good thing there's a BW3s down the street.  I have a feeling I might acquire a taste for wings in the next few months.
I want to share a link to a story about Dean Smith. Tomorrow he will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  If you know me well, you know how I feel about Dean.  If I could meet anyone who is alive today it would be him.  Even in his current state of mind I would still pick him.  In fact I feel as if I already know him since my obsession with him began when I was a child.
Here it is before you start to think I am a little too crazy about basketball.  He was a good man and coaching was just one of his many gifts.
http://www.unc.edu/spotlight/dean-smiths-courage/

Since we did not bring any Christmas decorations to California I guess I will have to try and get crafty.  I have a few ideas of some Christmas crafts that will help make our season merry and bright and what better place to shop than the 99 cent store!  When I emerged with my loot (all under 20.00! whoohoo. Gotta love the dollar store. Runs in my blood) I saw a bright pink piece of paper under my windshield wiper.  My first negative and skeptical thought was, "Waste of paper. WHAT now?!  (channeling my inner Bertie).  Advertisements all over the place. Leave my car alone"... Well wouldn't you know it, it was a fellow Tarheel who had apparently seen all the stickers on my car and left me a note that made me smile as big as I have since the wires were put on.
Then I felt bad about my negative attitude...

And this would be cool all on its own but I had just finished a long conversation with the cashier in Trader Joe's about how great NC is.  She checked my ID because I bought a bottle of Pinot Noir, saw the North Carolina license and said she has always thought she could move there.  She had Charlotte in mind and said the most wonderful things about our state.  She loved that the houses were all so nice and "plantation-like" and at the same time affordable.  We talked about the weather in North Cack and So Cal and we decided that California might win that battle except for the seasons.  Snow was not on either of our happy-lists.  So today was full of Carolina love and it made me so nostalgic for home.  Here's to the land of the long leaf pine.........GO HEELS!!!!!

Hot Apple Pie? Yes Please!

All this talk about Thanksgiving has got me Jones-in' for a slice of hot apple pie.  With a little creativity, this clenched tooth girl can do anything!

Hot Applesauce Pie :

1 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp Almond Butter
Micro-wave these two ingredients for 10 seconds and repeat one or two times until the applesauce is warm.  Mine took three ten second intervals.  Stir to incorporate the AB and sauce.
Sprinkle with  cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.  Amazingly good and simple.

You may wonder why I share all these pureed recipes with you- the ones who can chew.  When this first happened a dear friend sent me five different personal blogs that helped me out a lot as I figured out this whole wired-shut thing.  Here's hoping this post and my other puree recipes find their way into some poor soul's inbox.  Its amazing what good a little unique snack can do for your day when you are in the beginning of the fourth week in chains and have exhausted all your go-to snacks.
Also, the ones I post I feel like I will probably still eat when I am no longer bound because they are so good.  So don't be afraid to try them!
You are welcome!!

In other news, my appointment was today and honestly it made me a little frustrated.  After a wait while I entertained George, the doc bounced in and said, "Oh - you...So when are we doing this?" My only guess is that he meant, when are we taking the wires off.  Once I realized this I said, "Well, I thought next Monday".  So he calls the nurse in and says "schedule her for hardware removal".  On the way out the door he must have sensed my frustration because he put on a glove and felt the outside of my jaw.  "How does that feel?  Good, you are going to be fine.  Bone's healing great".  This all took about 90 seconds.  I didn't even get a chance to tell him I had been in a lot of pain the past week.  Then the nurse told me she would call me and tell me when the surgery to remove hardware would be.  She has to check insurance.  Two minutes total, if that.  I got myself and my kiddo dressed and prepared for two minutes of nothing.  We could have totally done this over the phone.  (The one redeeming factor is that the office is located very near one of my favorite coffee shops so I got a mocha to go)  So- I get it , I understand, medicine is not what it should be, but I am a little frustrated because I want to know exactly when these things will be removed.  Don't we always want to know exactly when and where? Lord, help me be a patient patient.  Help me trust that you have this too in your sovereign hands.  Help me not to take this out on docs and nurses, it is not their fault this happened to me.  Give me mercy and give me grace.  And give me more ideas about pureed food so I can distract myself until this nurse calls me back. :)
Friends, pray for me as I try my hardest to be patient, understanding, and flexible.  And pray that these wires will be removed sooner rather than later!

Giver of Good Gifts

I have decided that the third week of Maxillo-Mandibular Fixation is just as bad as the first week.  But in light of my decision to try and stay positive and not grumble or complain I will instead inform you that I have 7 days and 15 hours until these bles-sed (2 syllables) wires no longer bind my poor mouth.  Things went south Thursday and I have not felt well since then.  I do not feel well in general and one screw in particular has caused me to go back on narcotics for the past three nights in order to sleep.  So thats the MMF update.  Otherwise, things around here have been very laid back.

Here's a little story about God's goodness Friday night.
I felt oh-so-crummy and had actually commenced to peer into the cupboards longingly for a snack even though I knew I would find nothing to satisfy.  I was chilly and the pureed black bean soup from lunch was long gone.   Hot tea would warm me up but would leave me in need of something more.  I could make a milkshake to fill me up but it was almost time for dinner and I was cold.  The last thing I wanted was to chill myself to the bone.  Then George and George entered with the mail and a package from my dear friend Lindsay.  This girl knows me so well.  It was hot chocolate mix! But not just any hot chocolate mix....super healthy hot chocolate mix!  The ingredients written on a piece of card stock in her lovely handwriting were bound around a glass jelly jar with black and white twine and were as follows:  cocoa, maca root, coconut sugar, vanilla protein powder, and cinnamon.  Leave it to Lindsay to mail me a healthy superfood that I, the healthy eater, have never heard of.  Has anyone heard of Raw Maca Root powder?  Lindsay, put your hand down.  Apparently it nourishes the endocrine system, fights stress, increases stamina, boosts..well...uhhh...this is not the place to say that it boosts that....and combats fatigue.  Needless to say, I immediately soothed my cold, hungry self with a big mug of that chocolate-y goodness.  She also included the rest of the bag of Maca Root powder to add to my smoothies and milkshakes.  I am so thankful for Lindsay and the way she knows me so well.  And I am so thankful for the Lord who orchestrated her good deed so beautifully in order to meet my every need and at just the perfect time.  LHS-YAMS!

We had a lazy Saturday and did nothing.  Well, I did nothing and George entertained the little guy and took him all over South Pasadena so I could rest.  Sunday proved to be another wonderful Sabbath day.  I went to cheer my team for the last regular season game.  It was nice to see everyone but really hard to be on the bench.  It reminded me of the last bone I broke at the National Tournament for Club Softball in Ohio.  I sat on the bench with my team and learned for the first time how to take score- and left handedly at that.  I could not have hand picked a more caring and genuine team.  Even though my season was short with them, I appreciate and will miss them.  We won and will be in the playoffs next Sunday.

I must note that my husband has carried the weight of this whole ordeal.  He has been ON IT since the minute this terrible thing happened.  He does not think I notice all he does.  I notice that the trash gets taken out every night. I notice that the doggie poop bags were replaced.  I noticed that he cleaned my car inside and out and got Georgie a much needed haircut in the same outing. I noticed that he makes the bed if he can get to it before I do.  I notice that he disciplines our son even when it is not an efficient means to an end.  I notice how he now translates our son's full-mouthed gibberish for me, instead of the other way around.  I notice that he cleans his breakfast dishes so I do not have to.  I notice when he puts everything on hold to watch TV with me because I am bored.  I notice the way he gently encourages me every time I start to get down.  I notice that he was the one to get up with George both of these weekend mornings when we usually take turns.  I notice the way he keeps a good attitude when its definitely "his turn" to have a meltdown (we tend to take turns).  I notice that he tries his hardest to enjoy his food in the least vocal way possible because he knows how I crave what he eats.  I notice the way he takes over without complaint when I have to suddenly exit the scene of full throttle three year old and go rest.  I notice and have lost count of how many games of "airplane", "hide and seek", "trains" and "cars" in which he has played the lead role.   There is no one else who would be as patient with me as he has been.  There is no one else who would love and treat our son in the way he does.  Thanks be to God for this man in my life.

 I had a few rotten days in a row.  I was about to send out invites to a pity party.  Sunday morning in my time with the Lord he lead me to Psalm 100 and 104.
Psalm 100
"Shout for JOY to the Lord all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

The verses in Psalm 104 that stuck out to me were 14-15 and 27.
14-He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth; 15-wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart.

27- These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

These obviously spoke to me because of the food references (have I mentioned I am tired of the liquid diet?) however I know that God speaks to us in ways we can understand. Our human nature understands food-so he puts his words in our terms.  What he gives us though is so much bigger and better than a big bowl of pasta or a hunk of french baguette.  The wine and bread and oil he speaks of is his Holy Word and his peace, hope and love.  These are the things that truly gladden our hearts, sustain us and make our faces shine.

I had to stop and remind myself of all I have to be thankful for in spite of (and even because of) this thorn in my side.  I decided to make a Psalm 100- joyful list of all these things. I will not include my list here because it is very long but it included everything from peanut butter and good drugs to more serious items like gratitude for the chance to wake up and watch my little boy play one more day.  As dire as that sounds, it is truth.  When I feel sorry for myself, I need to check myself and realize that I have the ability to FEEL.  And the ability to feel means you're alive and that, my friends, is a blessing no matter what you face.  God will give us good things.  He promises to.  Everything from grass for the cattle to wine that gladdens our hearts, and bread...oh bread....that sustains our hearts.  He will satisfy us with good things.  In fact he already has.  Make your list and you will see and know that the Lord is good.  You will feel like a sheep in his pasture, and you will experience his faithfulness as it flows through all generations.  Thanks and praise be to God.

The Heart Speaks

Today I am so proud of my little guy. The heart says it all.  

Kinda Perfect Weekend Pictures

A Kinda Perfect Weekend. A Sorta Bad Day

If you are worried about my ability to get enough good food in me, you shouldn't.  Today for lunch I had a chocolate smoothie:
1/2 banana
1 container (about a cup) of Trader Joe's European Style Chocolate Yogurt
1 cup of soy milk
1 scoop of Soy Protein Powder
1 Tbsp Trader Joes Speculoos Cocoa Spread (Its basically cookie dough swirled with Nutella)

But on the other hand you could worry that I love this clenched teeth grin less and less every day. I want to smile BIG. I want to brush my teeth. I want to bite into my favorite fall fruit and taste the sweet crunch of the skin between my teeth.  I want to hug my son without a flinch.  I want to reach up to get the cereal down without pain.  I want to scratch my nose without the metal in my mouth piercing my lips.  This just stinks and though I am half way through, I have to just be honest- it feels like I have a long way to go.  Maybe because I began to call it 'two weeks' last Thursday and now its still 'TWO weeks' on Tuesday.  Maybe because Thanksgiving is everywhere I turn and food is on everyone's minds this month.  Maybe  because I can see my teeth as they change color because I cannot brush (sorry- GROSS, I know, but thats what I deal with every day).  Maybe because advertisements for fast food on billboards makes me drool these days. Maybe its because I am tired of the awkward explanation I feel I owe to every person with whom I talk.  Maybe its because two people have asked me if this was an elective surgery (As in- to loose weight).  My thoughts: "You have got to be kidding me right now.  Are you joking? Are you serious? I am so focused on food right now that if someone would let me out of these chains, I would eat my money's worth for the first time at Golden Corral."  A word to the wise: (and I do apologize to the person who has had this done to loose weight- I honestly hope it helped you out, really I do) This is the absolute worst way to loose weight.  There is no way I (I...me...- some others of you may have more will power than I do) would be able to keep the weight off even two days after the wires come off.  I am telling y'all as soon as I get these off I am going to KFC.  Or Carl's Jr (Hardees, east coasters) or Western Sizzlin'.  Does this sound like me? Not at all.  I feel like I might go crazy.  Maybe I already have.

So enough with the jokes- its hard but its not the worst thing.  That was just some brutal honestly for you, the ones who really care how I feel today.  BUT (there's always a "but" when we have faith in the Lord) I know God will use this to draw me closer to him.  I have thought about this a lot but no one, not even me, has been able to put it into words.  This morning I received a beautiful email from one of my biggest encouragers- my sister.   It was very timely and helped me rise above this "funk".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Msw6Kgss-0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

"Praying for you this morning. I felt like God was revealing to me his radical, extreme love for you. John 15:9 says that Jesus loves you just as the father loves him. The father loved Jesus enough to allow his crucifixion and death so that Jesus could then be glorified and his name be exalted above every name. That is crazy love. I'm not always sure I even want such love. Christ's love for you has your glorious end in mind. He'll allow insanity (maybe even a softball pegging you right on the jaw from the outfield...) to achieve glory for you, to get deeper inside you. Christ in you, your hope of glory. Watch out! He 'loves like a hurricane.' :) And if you are a tree, be a NC pine that bends like rubber and is flexible with where the spirit is blowing!"

Don't you just love her? Don't you just love that God speaks to us through our loved ones sometimes?  I sure do!  Additionally today I received emails from two different friends who had heard about what happened and THREE cards in the mail, two from my Gram'ma Margo that made me laugh out loud.  She put a smile on my face today.  Then I got another text in the later evening with promises to bring food so I could take a break from preparing meals for the Georges.  God has blessed me through my loving friends and family and he has timed each little gift so perfectly.  "Lord, you never let go of me!"

Other than drooling over billboards and a little carsickness, our weekend was kinda perfect .  Friday night we had George's friend E over.  Her parents are the ones who kept George for us when the accident happened.  E's mom had a need for a quick babysitter and called me.  Man it felt good to help- especially her and especially after I realized that two kiddos who are the same age are way easier than one.  They played the entire time.  When George got home we ate together at the kitchen table for the first time since we've been here.  G and E just played and played and played.  Date night for me and big G.  

Saturday morning we decided to go to Big Bear.  In the winter it is a ski slope about the size of Wintergreen or Winterplace on the East Coast.  In the summer and fall, mountain bikers claim the slopes.  You pay five bucks (cheap by CA standards) to ride up the chair lift, which George referred to as the "wheel chair" and then you either hike or ride your bike down.  We - obviously- hiked down and it took us about an hour.  Fresh air, lots of giggles from an out-of-control little 3 year old, picnic lunch, sunshine and a gorgeous view.  It does not get much better.  Then on our way down the mountain we saw a sign for a Mile Long Alpine Slide.   Turn this car around, that sounds fun!   It was also five bucks to ride a "wheel chair" up a little hill and then board your personal sled with a brake to control your speed.  The track was like a small bobsled half pipe.  It was really fun.  I kind of got a "South of the Border" feel from the whole place, very touristy.  Who says tourists don't have fun though?  Georgie loved it.  We loved it.  Then we headed down the mountain and I got very carsick.  Other than that it was the perfect day.  This was only an hour and a half away from our house.  Sunday we went to church and had a good Sabbath-we rested the entire afternoon.  I was able to run for 30 minutes that morning before church. It felt SO good to stretch my legs.  Then Monday we decided to go to the beach because big G had the day off.  We opted for Huntington Beach and rented a Surrey when we arrived.  George and I peddled beside each other and Georgie sat in a little basket in front.  It was kind of like a paddle boat, a lot of work but always gets a giggle out of the passengers.  Again- touristy fun.  Then we were off in search of a smoothie. We found Jan's Health Bar and it was very good.  I got a Blueberry Kale Peanut Butter Strawberry Smoothie with Raspberry juice and added chocolate soy protein.  George got date, banana and soy.  They were both fantastic.  So  Huntington Beach is in Orange County, which means you may see somewhere around four Lamborghini sports cars (I had to look up how to even spell that AND spell check made me capitalize the L) on any given weekday and everyone has one or two little dogs with them.   Everyone either looks older than they are from the sun or younger than they are because of plastic surgery.  Which makes for some very difficult people-watching.   So here we are at Jan's Health Bar with all the young/old, Lamborghini-driving, little-dog-walking, OC folks and I pull out our PB and J sandwiches to compliment the boys' smoothie because we were not about to buy lunch in such an expensive place.  I was too cheap to even use ziplock bags- the sammies were packed in the bread bag because it was the end of the loaf.  Don't act like you've never done that before.  I don't know why this tickled me so, but it did.  I love our life and would not change it for the world.  We certainly do not belong in the OC, but it sure is fun to visit!  The rest of the day we basked in the warm-you-to-the-core sun and strolled down the long pier.  We saw lots of surfers and fish from a birds eye view and my favorite sight- a lazy pelican who would not move even if touched (he was alive, because he constantly preened his feathers).  I thought of my Daddy who loves Pelicans.  He would have loved this whole scene.  I think we made the most of this holiday weekend- the mountains and snow one day and a little beachy sunburn the next.  I am so thankful for the Veterans who have made all this possible.  The ones who sacrificed for our freedom, freedom to choose where to go and when, freedom to spend that time with people we love, freedom to have a family and friends and freedom to be a tourist when we feel like it.  Thanks to the many many soldiers who have sacrificed and especially my two favorites, Grandaddy WHR and Grandfather DDB.