What a Merry Christmas!

Here are some photos from our Christmas. We had a beautiful holiday.

It began at home. On December 23 (our Christmas Eve) we had some friends over for our traditional lasagna dinner. We also celebrated Jesus's Birthday with cupcakes. The kids opened a few presents and we read The Night Before Christmas and left some cookies out for Santa. After they were in bed, Dan and I went to a candlelight Christmas Eve service, while Bekah stayed to watch the kids.

In the morning we opened up gifts from Santa and looked in our stockings. Drew got his red T-rex that he's been talking about ever since he saw it in Costco a month ago. He also got an excavator. Ava got a new kitchen, complete with burners that light up and make noise. They both enjoyed looking through their stockings. Ava was excited to get candy and opened up each piece, but didn't eat any of it. We also opened all of our gifts to each other. I think it's so neat how the kids would love to just play with the first thing they opened the rest of the morning and we have to convince them to open the rest of their presents. We read the Christmas Story from the Bible and enjoyed our breakfast of homemade apple coffee cake and fruit. Then we started packing up to get ready for the six hour drive to Grandma's house. We made it to SoCal by 6:45pm and joined the crew here for their Christmas Eve dinner and presents, and celebrated my sister's 19th birthday. The next morning we had another Christmas with my mom, dad, sister and brother. Then we headed to GG's house for Christmas dinner and more presents! The rest of the time has been spent playing with our new toys. We hope your Christmas was just as merry!

A Christmas Story

A few weeks ago, I was at the dreaded UCD hospital pharmacy picking up Drew's medication. It's the only pharmacy in our area that will make it. Anyway, as I'm standing in line, I noticed these parents and their newborn daughter in line. They looked tired. More than just "I've got a new baby" tired. I thought to myself that maybe they were being discharged from the NICU and were on their way home. Apparently their medication wasn't ready and they went to sit down right next to where I was standing. The mom was on her cell phone and I distinctly heard the words "heart murmur" and "congestive heart failure." I was pretty sure she was talking about the baby, but I wasn't trying to eavesdrop...so I had my prescription filled and started to walk out of the pharmacy. I wanted to say something to her, but what? Plus she wasn't talking to me, I just happened to hear her. And she was still on the phone, I didn't want to interrupt her. As I started walking outside I just felt like God was telling me to go back in there. I even stood still and thought "God, do you want me to go back in?" And I knew the answer.

So I happened to have a notepad and pen in my purse (this never happens) so I wrote down the blog address for Hearts of Hope and my email address. As I went back in, she was off the phone. I told her that I had heard some of what she said and asked if her daughter had a heart problem. She said she wasn't sure. I told her that my son was born with a heart defect and gave her the paper. I told her if she ever wanted to email me I'd be happy to talk with her. She asked how Drew was and I told her he's great, he's had a couple of heart surgeries, but he's happy and mostly healthy. I could tell that scared her. I didn't realize how new this diagnosis was to her.

As I left that day I felt good that I had reached out to someone, and that she was appreciative. I mean, she could've totally said "how dare you listen to my conversation!" But she didn't. I haven't heard from her since. I asked Valerie the other day if she'd heard from anyone new looking into our group and she hadn't. And I thought, well, even if I never hear from her at least she had someone on that day who cared about her. Maybe that helped a little bit.

Today we had to stop by the pharmacy to pick up some medication before we leave for my mom's house tomorrow. And you would not believe it, but the same woman was there! I didn't recognize her, but she recognized me. She said she was sorry she had not contacted me, but things had been hectic. She said she had looked at the website and was meaning to write to me. I told her not to worry about it, that I just wanted her to know that there were people who understand that she could talk to if she ever wanted to. She shared with me that she didn't even know what her daughter had that day. They had just found out and were shocked and confused. And she thanked me for taking the time to talk to her.

And I feel blessed. I am so glad that I was able to help someone else out, even if it's only to let them know they are not alone. The very fact that she remembered me means that our exchange was meaningful to her. As we celebrate Christmas we are celebrating the birth of Christ. And the most important thing he told us to do was to love one another. This Christmas season I am so grateful that through our trials and suffering we have been able to show Christ's love to others. Because without going through those things, I wouldn't have been able to do that.

Merry Christmas.
May you experience the true meaning of Christmas this year.

Christmas Cookies

Today we had to come up with some sort of activity to get us through a whole day of self-imposed lockdown. So I decided to bake some cookies with the kids. We made some sugar cookies and decorated them and also made some chocolate chip cookies. We plan on bringing them to Grandma's house when we make the trek down to Southern California on Christmas Eve. Here's some cute pictures of our morning.

Can you tell which ones Ava decorated?

Lockdown...almost

Since we got the new date for the cath I have decided that we're not taking anymore chances with getting sick. We are all finally well (knock on wood) and I am working really hard at trying to keep us that way, at least until January 2. So luckily both my mom's groups are taking breaks until the first week of January. We are all staying at home. Seriously, no taking the kids to the gym, to the grocery store, to church, anywhere where other children and their germs might be lurking. Except preschool.


I know, that's crazy, everyone's kids get sick at preschool. But Drew's class is very small, he's one of only 9 kids. And the teachers and director are great and are so careful about sickness and letting me know what's going on with the other kids. And I'm staying with him for the first half hour or so, so I can observe for myself and make sure I don't see any signs of illness. I know it sounds crazy, but I just don't want him to miss everything. We were at the mall the other day and he wanted to play in the play area (aka germ incubation zone) and of course I wouldn't let him. He really wanted to and he was crying, and it just broke my heart. It's not fair, but I have to be careful. And this week he had Cookies and Carols, where the whole preschool performs Christmas songs for the parents, and tomorrow is the Happy Birthday Jesus party. How can I make him miss that? I can't. So I will do what I can to keep him healthy without completely living in a bubble. I realize that no matter how careful I am, he may get sick anyway. But I have to at least try.

Anyway, we went to Cookies and Carols tonight and Drew looked so cute. He stood up on the stage with the other kids and...well that's pretty much it. The kid did not sing a word! But I was proud of him for sticking it out and staying up with his class. When we got home he performed the entire program in front of our Christmas tree! I videoed both "performances" and if I can figure out how to download it from the camera I will post it here later.

New Date

UCSF called this afternoon. The new date for Drew's heart catheterization is January 2. That is technically after the holidays, but just barely. I think it will work well for us because I was worried that he'd get better and then just get sick again, but this way he probably won't have a lot of time or opportunity. We will have a break from preschool and our mom's groups so I think he will have less of an opportunity to be around potentially sick kids. Hopefully we will rid our house of all the sickness before then.

Tidbits

I was going to separate these into a couple of posts, but that would be more work so I'm condensing. First, last week we built a gingerbread house together. It turned out to be fun and not too crazy. I placed the icing and the kids stuck the candy in wherever they wanted. I think we may have to make this a Christmas tradition.






Today Drew reminded ME to have my quiet time. Last week I tried something new. Since Drew doesn't take a nap anymore, the only time I have to read the Bible each day is when Ava is asleep and I usually have Drew watch a video while I sneak in a few minutes of reading. Last week we sat on the couch together and I had him look through his Children's Bible while I read my Bible, then read him some stories out of his when I was finished. Well today during Ava's nap I was getting ready to fold the never-ending pile of laundry when Drew came out of his room holding his Bible. "Mom, I want you to get your Bible and when you're done you can read to me." How cute is that?

Also in the my-kids-are-more-spiritual-than-me department, during dinner tonight we were halfway through when Ava reminded us in her sweet voice to pray. She folded her little hands and shouted at us to "pay, pay!" So we did and then she shouted "A Mey!"

Lastly, due to our constant state of sickness our lifegroup had to be cancelled tonight because no one wants to come to our germ-infested house. I don't blame them. But we used the opportunity to load the kids into the car and look at Christmas lights around our neighborhood. It was so much fun! The kids were absolutely ecstatic to see the lights. They were both shouting. Ava was saying "lights, lights!" and "Santa!" and "Tree!" Drew was saying "Look at that house mommy!" "I see snowflakes!" "Look, REINDEER! Do you see them?" It was really amazing to see and hear their total and complete joy. I was so thankful to be there in that moment. And the best part is, this was just our neighborhood. Tomorrow we are going to the Candy Cane Lane of Sacramento. I am going to have to bring my video camera!

Heart Catheterization Postponed

Drew has an ear infection. He is on antibiotics and we thought they may choose to do the cath anyway since it is not an URI. But we chatted with Dr. Parrish this morning, and they would like to postpone the cath for at least two weeks, so that Drew can completely heal from his sickness. There are two reasons for this.
1. We don't want to stress his system further when it is already stressed due to illness
2. Being sick might interfere with the very measurements they are looking for during the cath.

We have not rescheduled the cath yet, but it's looking like it will be January. I am feeling kind of ambivalent about the postponement. I guess it is for the best if he is not feeling well, and I am still recovering from my stomach virus, and it looks like Ava may be coming down with something as well. But its kind of hard to get prepared for the procedure and then have to wait, knowing that we'll have to get ourselves prepared all over again.

Thanks for thinking of us and praying for us and we'll let you know once it's rescheduled.