Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Still counting the blessings.....

Thank you, Allison for filling our house with Christmas spirit this year.  She brought home a fully decorated tree, complete with the angel on top and a half dozen beautiful poinsettia's.  Quite different from the 8' trees in the past....

I am counting our Christmas blessings.... our kids are all healthy.... we are all comfortable.... Mike is well on his way to finishing up his treatments...

The mailman brings us reminders each day of the amazing family and friends who think about us and are praying for us....

As adults, we realize that Christmas is not about the jolly old man in the red suit anymore... it's about the things that money cannot buy... We are lucky, we've been blessed.

Friday, December 06, 2013

Giving up the reins.... for a minute

Thanksgiving was wonderful.  I managed to pull off cooking the entire meal without the help of my trusty sidekick.  He  has been going to the city everyday for treatment and he has little energy for much else.  No worries though, the food was delicious and everyone had a great time. 

After the guests left, Bobby and Suse approached me and asked to have Christmas day at their house "just this year".  Suse figured it would be easier on me not to have to shop, cook, decorate, entertain, etc.   As Mike continues the radiation, the side effects will just get more and more pronounced.  My time and energy is simply wrapped up in his well being.   So, I agreed to let the kids have the holiday.

Christmas will be different this year.  Although none of the kids have expressed a desire for any particular gift, we will all exchange presents and smile and be jolly, on the OUSIDE.  On the INSIDE, we will all be grateful that Mr. Wonderful has been given a new lease on life.  We won't talk about it.... No one will mention his 'sunburned' cheek, his swollen face, or his lack of appetite.... We will not be at our house....  it will be different....just for this year....