Can't believe Christmas 09 is behind us!

That's right...no photos yet. My camera cord to charge my new camera is in the only closet that is PACKED with boxes from floor to ceiling! So, I used Rachel's camera during the holidays. However, since its a Canon, my laptop refused to upload the photos and so I will wait until she can get me a copy of them. Of course, this is delayed because after they had left for the airport on Saturday, they discovered that the camera bag (with Rachel's keys in it) was left behind. We had to wait until Monday to ship it to her. UPS said it would be about a week before they get it through the sleet and snow to New Hampshire. As soon as I have photos, I will post some!

It was a busy but wonderful month. December 11th, Glo, Mary Beth and I hosted a bridesmaid luncheon for Sarah Buckingham at my home. It gave me a due date to get the unpacking finished (well, almost finished...remember the closet mentioned earlier!). It was fun decorating the house and getting everything ready for the luncheon. We had a great time and everything went smoothly. On Saturday, we attended the wedding. It was so pretty in the church while it was all decorated for Christmas. Going back to Goddard after leaving there years ago brought back a lot of memories for sure.

Steve and I were later getting our shopping done this year more than ever before. But, somehow we got it done and wrapped! He gets as excited (or at least almost) as I do getting ready for Christmas.

The house is beginning to feel more like our home now. Getting all of our old decorations out that we've had for years made it feel like ours. Of course, we had to add a few new things too!

Rachel and Chris arrived on Monday night before Christmas. Very soon it felt like they were with us all the time. We all went to eat in Fayetteville at Noodles and then went down to the square to walk around to see the lights. It was chilly but fun!

The boys (Steve, Greg, Jon and Chris) left early Wednesday morning for a fishing trip to Beaver Lake. Steve had planned it way back as part of our Christmas gift to them. He was so excited, planning it and all...making sure they all had warm clothing for the day. The girls and I went shopping in Rogers for last minute Christmas gifts. As it turned out, the guys should have gone shopping with us! The fish were all in hiding because I don't think they even got very many bites and definitely didn't get any fish! I think they had a good time anyway.

That night, Kyle and Hayley arrived with their new baby Stella to spend the night. We ate, laughed and played with the baby until late. How special this Christmas is for them!! I remember the first Christmases with my babies and what a wonderful feeling that is.

Christmas Eve brought a challenge as Mary Beth and Jon travelled to our house from Fort Smith. They started coming up the hill into ParkRidge and couldn't make it for the ice!! Everyone went down there to help them, but nothing was happening until a kind neighbor stopped and pulled them with his truck up the hill. Everyone came in and warmed up as we shared funny stories and Kyle told stories about parenthood.

Christmas Day was busy, opening gifts and seeing the love and thought that went into each one of them. We got busy cooking the lunch and as I was trying to bake the sweet potatoes in the microwave, I discovered it wasn't cooking. Then we started to smell burning plastic and saw smoke coming out of the top!! Since then we have found out it has died and will have to be replaced. Sigh. Just what we wanted to do this time of year!! I guess its just a good thing it happened while we were home. But then again, it wouldn't be running if we weren't at home...well, you get the picture!
We all stayed up until about 2am playing Apples to Apples and Catch Phrase, discovering that we are all pretty competitive and like to win. It just got funnier as the night went on!

Saturday came and we got the news that two former Southside students (brother and a sister) had died in a car accident in Kansas while travelling home for Christmas. I had both of them in Partners Club--great kids with so much hope ahead of them. It saddened me so to try to even imagine that level of grief. I hugged my kids a bit longer, a bit closer and even though it was difficult to say goodbye this time....at least it's not forever.

Christmas can OFFICIALLY begin!

1989. Rachel was 7, Mary Beth was 3 and Greg was about 18 months. Too cute for sure.

When I look back on their childhood, the holidays are the times that I miss those little ones the most. The excitement that they feel over every little thing was fun for me too. Even visiting Santa at the mall would get them going!

Last night was one of those rare occasions that we had them all together. Rare now that Rachel lives out in New Hampshire. Yes, I know I have whined about this before....its so hard but yet she's so happy....so I just whine sometimes. Their flight arrived from Boston and Steve and I picked them up at XNA. Then we drove to Fayetteville and met Mary Beth and Greg at Noodles Restaurant for a yummy dinner. (amazing how FULL you get eating pasta!) Jon is still not feeling well so he wasn't able to join us this time. All of us drove down to the square in Fayetteville's downtown area to walk around and see their light display. Beautiful!

This was the first time for Rachel and Chris to see the new house since we had moved in. Rachel had seen it while the previous owner was still living here. Quite different now, for sure. They seemed to love it.

I'm looking forward to spending time this week with my three and their others. With Rachel home and Mary Beth, Jon and Greg coming in tonight, I declare that Christmas can officially begin!!

I can't wait for the stories that I will have to write on the guys' fishing trip they have planned for Wednesday. It's part of our Christmas gift to them. They are going on a guided fishing trip to Beaver Lake, on the Holiday Island side all day Wednesday. Supposed to be raining. Fun.

The girls and I are going shopping for the day! Now THAT sounds like FUN!!!!!

My parents are planning to come down Christmas Eve, if weather permits. We won't get to see Steve's family this Christmas, which I hate. We just couldn't work it into his time off. As a mother, she likely feels like I do about wanting all of her kids home.

So today holds finishing up more treatment plans to turn in and getting an MRI this morning for my back/hip thing. Then, we have some baking and gift wrapping to get to.

I can't wait!

What do we hang first? On the walls, I mean.

Last night was a tough one. It has been frustrating to my "I LOVE CHRISTMAS" self to see every house in our neighborhood (yes, EVERY) lit up at night and looking festive. We look like the Ebenezer Scrooges of the street. We do actually know where the boxes are (Rachel's room at this point) but have sworn to not get all of that going until we are further along with this unpacking and straightening ordeal. Again, I have to say that I fully understand that others have gone through this, but perhaps they are more flexible and can manage their life better than I do. It wouldn't take much really. As I write this I see a slow stream of cars driving ever so slowly down the street to see the lights and decorations....but not at our house. Our light went out on the front porch and we have yet to figure out how to change it. Looks impossible!

I decided to try the "take one room at a time" principle so I started with my bath and bedroom. Since our television is out, I decided to put my Ipod on the speakers and listen to some music while cleaning and unpacking. Found some of the clothes and shoes I had been missing...finally let go of some old things that you just keep because you think you should. I was making some progress when I realized that I had forgotten to pick up a prescription in, you guessed it, Fort Smith. It's no longer the five minute trip it once was. More like fifteen to twenty. But off I went.

When I returned, Steve and I ate some supper and he told me he had hung the first framed photo in the house. He was pretty proud of himself. We laughed as we finished eating and then he was back out into the attic to work on flooring that thing. I go out for the occasional "can you hold this while I use the skill saw and get sawdust all over you?" But I did it anyway.

I went back inside and spotted the picture he had hung. Yes, that's it above. Probably my favorite that I took of my three when we were at Carol Ann Cross Park one fall afternoon to play. It's such a work because it says so much about each of them at that time as well as now. There's Mary Beth---off and running in the lead knowing the others are behind her. Even now they love and support her through whatever she does. Greg holding Rachel's hand in his cute little overalls and probably some colored socks...likely red ones...that his mother put on him so he'd match. He was the youngest, so he tried to keep up with Mary Beth because whatever she was doing would be an adventure, but he wanted the security of big sister's hand at the same time. He still likes adventures but I think it's safe to say that he still likes to be close to remind himself that he is so loved and adored. Then there's Rachel. What a cutie in her little socks that had beads crocheted around the edge. And of course she tolerated yet another big bow in her hair. You don't see one in Mary Beth's hair, do you?? Rachel was the one that loved an adventure but was, and is, always more cautious, keeping her eyes wide open to what is going on around her and protecting the ones she loves like an old mama bear. Still does.

It was probably one of the few happy memories I have of life with the children and their father.

The tears were just at the edge when suddenly I realized that Michael Buble was singing on my Ipod and yes, he was singing about "Home". If you haven't heard it and need a good cry just find it and play it now. It felt good to let the tears go, just as they find their way up again as I write this. The lump in my throat just won't go away when I think how precious they are and how precious Steve is for thinking how very much it would mean for me to have this, of all photos, hanging in the house. That photo says we belong here and there will be room for future photos just like that on other walls here.

I love decorating and all, but sometimes it takes just one photo to remind you what home is all about. I think I will go now and unpack another box. And maybe tomorrow I will feel less sorry for myself and be able to find the motivation to finish the job.