Santa's Reindeer

Today, we had fun at Christmas

on Main Street.

We met two of Santa's reindeer.

They were resting.
The kids were thrilled.

The visit with the reindeer inspired the kids

to make their Christmas lists.

Doodles wants

Pink "hi" heels.

The Big K. wants

a "mote" controlled car.
Kids are fun,

so are the holidays.

Thanksgiving Day

Last year, we had Thanksgiving at my

parents house.

My Mom had only been home from the hospital

for six days.

We'd just found out that she had more

cancer than first thought,

and that she might have a year to live.

Maybe two.

My brother was there. We did our

best to make that Thanksgiving fun.

It really was.

This year, Thanksgiving was only

15 days after my Mom died.

We tried to do something new.

We woke up early to participate

in the Run Walk to the Rescue.

It was a lot of fun.

I cried.

I missed my Mom.

The kids turned Kalea into

"Bat Dog".

She wore a cape.

That made me laugh,

then I cried.

Doodles lost a tooth

that had been loose on her birthday.

She was so proud.

All I could think was, I wish my Mom

were here to see this.

We ate a late afternoon meal.

We all missed Mom.

We all cried.

Then I thought how thankful I was that

she wasn't suffering.

That she meant so much to us,

we miss her when she's gone.

That she's in heaven with Jesus, and

I will see her again.

I thought how thankful I was for

my family.

I am so thankful that we

had last year together. We made that Thanksgiving

special, because we didn't know how many more

Mom would have. It turned out, last Thanksgiving was her last.

I think of all of the people in this world that have lost

someone that they love, that didn't have the blessing of

making a holiday special. Of making

a year special. Of saying all the things that needed

to be said. I am so Thankful for the time that I had with my Mom.

I miss her so much, but I'm so glad she isn't suffering.

I am so thankful that she left this world

knowing how much she was loved.

I am so thankful for my family. My husband, my kids.

They made me smile when I cried, made me laugh,

and were just the most wonderful

Thanksgiving blessing I could ever ask for.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family

to yours.

I Am Thankful For

Friends.
Going out together

was the best medicine we've had

in two

LONG weeks.

Watching the kids have fun, laugh,

and eat with their friends (and ours)

was GREAT!!

Fun. Working on Thanksgiving

crafts for

tomorrow.

Family.

My husband is a GREAT

father.

My Dad. Doing his

best to get through each and every day.

Knowing how important he is to all

of us right now.

I am thankful for so many

things.

The Run

Every day they beg me to lace them up and run.

I stick my head under my covers

and I say, "No way. My Mom is gone. I

want to sleep. I REALLY don't want

to run."

Today, when they begged, I put them on.

I ran. I ran. I ran.

I felt so much better, as

my head cleared, my body strained.

I out ran cancer and death.

I thought of the verse,

"Run without ceasing the race set before us."

Today, I started the race that the Lord

has put before me.

Life is Sweet(s)

One plate of dessert served by

Papa...
Oh how sweet is life for my

little sweet.

A Saturday With Kids

Before kids, Jon and I used to stay out really,

really late on Friday nights. We would sleep

in on Saturday mornings. Oh how

kids change all of that.

This morning we enjoyed breakfast out

with my Dad at one of our favorite diners.

After breakfast,

we headed to Lowe's so that

the kids could participate in Build And Grow.
After Build and Grow, it was off to a new
indoor mini-golf place.

The golf place is all in

black light.

It's the first time the kids have ever been

mini golfing.

They loved it.

There were golf balls flying everywhere.

Dad came with us, and boy did we all have fun.

After we were done golfing,

Jon added up the adult scores (the kids were so busy

scooting the balls that there was no way to keep track

of their score) and .....drum roll please.....

I BEAT JON AND DAD AT MINI GOLF!!!!

Jon seemed a bit surprised.

I say, "PGA, here I come."

Saturdays with kids are lots of fun.

Did I mention we did all of these things

before noon today!

If You Were Here

If you were here, I would tell you how

Pastor Sam drove all the way up here

to visit Dad. He brought the most delicious

Red Velvet Cake. You would have

loved it.

I would tell you how we put bird feeders

outside of our kitchen window.
I even used the one that you bought me for
my birthday a long time ago. We're having
so much fun watching the
birds (and squirrels) eating
the food.
I would tell you how Kim sent me the sweetest
card, and in it she put two pictures of her kids.
The first thing I wanted to do was show you their pictures.
They've gotten so big, but then I remembered you
were gone.
If you were here, I'd share with you
how Chris and Elaine sent us a package
from the popcorn factory.
The note attached made me cry.
It was so kind.
I would tell you how I bought tea called
Comfort and Joy, because that's
what I need right now.
I'm not even sure if I'll like it, but
I just need comfort and joy.
I would tell you all about the Adirondack Cheese shop.
You would have loved it, not just because of
the cheese, but because of all the
cute stuff the store had.
Dad bought lots of little candles
he thought you might enjoy.
I would tell you all about our trip to the Soda
Fountain. Even though you weren't there
with us, you were.
You were there in the dirty look that Doodles gave
Papa. You were there in the
silly paper folding the Big K. did.
We all looked at the booth that we sat in the last
time you were there with us, after the scenic railroad.
Doodles asked me to take a picture of mustard,
because it made her think of you.
Big K. ate lots of mustard because
you loved mustard.
But mostly, you were with us today
in our smiles, as we tried to
have fun without crying.
As we tried to make new memories
that don't exclude you, but include
you. As we all shared how much we miss you.
Mom, if you were here today, I would
share all of these things with you.
Mostly, I would tell you how much I miss you.
I would tell you that I wish you were back,
not sick, but how you were before the cancer.
I would tell you once again how very much I love
you.

Our Fun Field Trip

Today we went on a field trip to

a local fire house.

The firemen gave us a tour of their station,

and told us a bit about the history of this

particular fire house.
The whole time I thought how much Mom would have

loved this trip. She loved to learn.

Dad went with us, and had a great time

with the kids looking at all of the

stuff and listening to

the firemen.

The kids rang the bell on the truck, and declared

how much they loved our trip.

K. loved the "whole thing", not

just one part.

Doodles loved sitting inside the fire truck.

On the way home, they both let me know that they are

planning on becoming volunteer firemen when they

turn 18. I wish Mom were here

to share this with. Boy do I miss her.

One Day At a Time

Funny how life must go on. The sun rises

and sets. Each day takes me farther away from

my Mom.
Today, I saw the most beautiful bush while we were taking a walk.

I caught myself thinking, "Oh, Mom would love this."

She would have. So, I took a picture, because

I loved it too. I shared it with the kids,

and they loved it too.

The night of our adoption party,

we bought window crayons. We had planned to decorate

the window that was near Mom. That way she could look out

and see the pictures that the kids drew for her.

We practiced drawing on our own window.

The writing is still up. I can't

bring myself to wash away

Doodles writing "I love Oma".

I still look at it.

Yet life moves on. Yesterday, Doodles

buried herself in leaves.

I loved the way she looked in

her leaf nest.

I had to take a picture of it.

I know that if Mom could see

this, she would be smiling at Doodles, sitting

in her leaf nest.

She would be laughing as

two seconds after this picture,

the Big K. took a running jump into the sweet little leaf

nest, and Doodles started yelling,

"MOMMY!!! K. is ruining my leaves".

I'm glad that life goes on.