Christmas

Christmas this year was very nice - and quiet! Mike and I so enjoyed the kids on Christmas morning. James came into our room about 3am and whispered, "Mommy...Santa came! He left my stocking at the end of my bed!" Thankfully he did go back to sleep until about 7am. I remember that "Christmas Morning" feeling like it was yesterday - waking up so excited Christmas morning and looking for the faithful stocking that was always left at my bedroom door or at the foot of my bed. (Thank you Mom for making such a special memory for me and a tradition that I can pass on to our kids!) Kelsey was not very interested in unwrapping anything - she was more interested in the toys that had already been unwrapped by her big brother.

The obvious "best gift" for the family was Leo, our new little friend. He continues to bring us such joy and James especially just loves him. Leo has managed to worm his adorable little way into snuggling in bed with James as he falls asleep at night. It so warms our hearts to see James so happy with his new best buddy! Kelsey also loves to lay on Leo's new cedar dog bed and cuddle with him.

Christmas evening was spent at our home with Mike's parents, Brother Erik and his family. The kids had a wonderful time playing with their cousins Ryan and Meredith.

Mike also turned 35 Christmas day. We celebrated with cake and gifts for Mike after Christmas dinner.

My mom continues to heal from her surgery in the comfort of her own home. She says she is sore, but feeling better and better - depending on the day.

Here are some pictures of Christmas...

"Leo"

Santa came a week and a half early this year with a special gift for our family...Yes, another furry friend. "Leo" is a AKC purebred German Short Hair Pointer. He is such a sweet and kind animal! He is 6 months old, his previous owner has already trained him a bit, but most importantly they potty trained him. The kids (James especially) LOVE him! Unlike Ben, who is getting stiff and grumpy in his old age, they can hug and snuggle with Leo. Where do we stand now in the pet department? 2 Dogs and 2 Cats, ("Mo" the fish passed away a few months back). Mike and I both truly believe that having a pet is one of the great joys in life - especially for the kids. We both reminisce about the dogs we had as children and how fun it was to grow up with a dog. Here are some pictures of our new friend!

O' Happy Day...

Okay, I believe each day we have air in our lungs and ground to walk on is a gift - but some days are just greater than others. Today was one of those days for me and our family! I spent a WONDERFUL morning in Sisters with a friend that I have not seen in a long time. No kids, no crowds, just 2 friends enjoying hot chocolate, endless chatting, and shopping! It was a wonderful and much needed break for me!!
I have had lots of updates on my Mom's surgery and all is good! Her surgery was about 5 1/2 hours long - as expected. It went well and her spirits are good. She and my Dad have also made the decision that she will go to a rehabilitation facility before going home. I believe this will be such a good stepping stone in her recovery!
As some of you may know, we applied to the Sparrow Club in Bend in hopes of getting some financial assistance with Kelsey's Hippo and Water therapy bills. I had called many time in the last 6 weeks and never heard back, so at the beginning of this week, I truly had given up on the idea and just figured that God had another plan in mind. Not so fast...This afternoon the phone rang, and it was the new applicant coordinator for the Sparrow Club. YES! We have a meeting at our home tomorrow morning, and it sounds like Kelsey will most likely be "adopted" by the club as a project. We are so thankful for this early Christmas Gift!
Thanks for your continued thought and prayers for my Mom. She has a long road ahead!

Wednesday

Quick update on my Mom...She is in surgery right now as I type this. They tested the infection and found that it was safe top proceed with the planned back surgery, so it should take around 5 hours. She went in at 2pm. I will update here when I know more information. Thanks!

Mom's Surgery Update...

My mom went in for her back surgery today with high hopes of correcting the problems that have developed since the last surgery. My Dad called me this morning about 10:30 and said unfortunately, when they opened her up, they found that she has a "pocket" of infection in the area that was to be operated on. So, long story short, they had to close her up and must clear up the infection before they can proceed. Obviously, very disappointing news. If the infection is able to be cleared up, she may still have the surgery done later on in the week - but time will tell on that! Keep her in your prayers as I know when she wakes and learns that she has not been "repaired", she will be terribly disappointed. PS...Any well wishes to her would sure be appreciated. She is at St. Vincents in Portland.

Christmas Tree Hunting

Today, Mike, James, Grandpa Roger, and I headed out into the Beautiful Deschutes Wilderness area to find that O-So-Important symbol of Christmas - our tree! Mike could spend a lifetime looking for the "perfect" tree, but we managed to find a great Noble Fir tree in a few hours time! We scaled it down a bit this year - only about 10 feet or so instead of the 15 foot monster of last year!! The tradition of picking a Christmas Tree is extra special here in Bend where we are so close to the wilderness!

Friday night was family night to see Santa at the Alyce Hatch Center. It was very crowded, so we only got to see Santa from a distance, but Kelsey thoroughly enjoyed the cupcake walk in her classroom!

It's hard to believe we are almost into December with this very clear and warm weather we are having! The "Men" - James, Mike, and Grandpa Roger took advantage of the Spring-like weather today and went out fishing at Lake Billy Chinook. Catch of the day - 14 Kokanee! They had a very pleasant, uneventful day until they got home...Poor Grandpa hooked his thumb with barbed fishing hook! Ouch! A quick trip to the urgent care center took care of it.

James has become quite the little fisherman! He had a struggle with one fish today, but handled the pole and reeling the fish in all on his own. It's so fun to watch him grow more independent and develop into a young man!