Well, this certainly wasn't the way we wanted to spend Christmas.
Wanted to update from afar to let ya'll know that we lost our baby on Christmas Eve.
We are all doing okay, considering, but would appreciate any and all prayers as we accept God's will in our lives.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Mourning and Rejoicing!
The kids and I returned yesterday evening from an unexpected trip home to South Dakota for the funeral of my mom's cousin, Ruth. She was a young woman of 59 and was just found to have cancer when she went into the ER on Thanksgiving Day in extreme pain. Luckily we have a doctor and nurse in our family who work at the Mayo clinic and they got her in immediately. It was clear that there was nothing they could do and she was sent home to die. It all happened so quickly, yet it seemed to drag. We got the call last Sunday that she had passed away.
My mom had made it very clear that she more than understood if we couldn't make it to the funeral, but not going was just not an option. When I told most people that I was going to the funeral of my mom's cousin they usually had the reaction of relief...like, "Oh, good...I'm glad it wasn't anyone close"...probably most people don't even know their mom's cousins that well. My family, however, is different. Very different. My grandmother had 11 brothers and sisters. I was raised knowing 9 of them (one died in infancy, one before I was born). Some of my mother's cousins are my age. Anyway, we are all close. Just the way an extended family should be. Ruthie was a staple to our family. She attended every concert, every game, every family function, every Sunday "dinner". She was a wonderful, lovely, loving, joyful woman who I am so blessed to have had in my family. This Christmas will be very hard without her. She leaves a wonderful husband behind who has become so much a part of our family.
On the lighter side of things....getting to announce that we are expecting another addition to our little family during this sad time seems to make things a little brighter! In August (or July if things go the way they have in the past) we will be welcoming another little Jones into this house. This Christmas season seems to have a bittersweet feeling to it this year...mourning our loss, but rejoicing the blessing of this new life! Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel!
My mom had made it very clear that she more than understood if we couldn't make it to the funeral, but not going was just not an option. When I told most people that I was going to the funeral of my mom's cousin they usually had the reaction of relief...like, "Oh, good...I'm glad it wasn't anyone close"...probably most people don't even know their mom's cousins that well. My family, however, is different. Very different. My grandmother had 11 brothers and sisters. I was raised knowing 9 of them (one died in infancy, one before I was born). Some of my mother's cousins are my age. Anyway, we are all close. Just the way an extended family should be. Ruthie was a staple to our family. She attended every concert, every game, every family function, every Sunday "dinner". She was a wonderful, lovely, loving, joyful woman who I am so blessed to have had in my family. This Christmas will be very hard without her. She leaves a wonderful husband behind who has become so much a part of our family.
On the lighter side of things....getting to announce that we are expecting another addition to our little family during this sad time seems to make things a little brighter! In August (or July if things go the way they have in the past) we will be welcoming another little Jones into this house. This Christmas season seems to have a bittersweet feeling to it this year...mourning our loss, but rejoicing the blessing of this new life! Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
A Joke For Ya'll!
Q:What do you get when a bunch of Texans move to Wisconsin?
A: A "Texas-sized" snowstorm!
We got 10 inches of snow over the weekend and it's been snowing all day. They expect up to a foot of snow before it's all over. Gotta love "lake-effect" snow.
Which brings me to my next topic. Driving in snow!
I've been away from this stuff for 7 1/2 years while living in Texas. This morning it was snowing. I checked the forecast and it said we were supposed to get 2-4 inches of accumulation. We have our Catholic homeschool coop every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month so it was on for today. I almost didn't go. Something inside of me said, "Stay! Stay home! Clean your home while you stay home!". But, I kinda figured that if I was never going to go out while it was snowing I may not ever get out all winter. So...we went. Bad call! I stayed through lunch and then decided to head. Pulling the little ballerina out of her class was hard, but it was worth it. The roads were horrendous. I was white knuckling it all the time, and I don't think the kids said a single word...if they did, I sure didn't hear them. At one point I remember praying that the light at the bottom of the hill would stay green because I was going through either way. Whoever planned a city in the north on a hillside was obviously delusional. The interstate looked like our alley, I could barely make out tire tracks and the bridge was worse. At one point I remember looking up and noticing that we were at the top of the bridge. I had no clue where we were, I was just following the little track in front of me in hopes that it would bring me to Wisconsin.
Although it was scary and I don't want to do that ever again, I'm sooooo glad we left when we did because shortly after that they closed the bridges and a lot of my friends got stuck in Duluth. I'm so thankful for being home tonight, and extra thankful because the concert Brett was supposed to be in tonight was cancelled. Yahoo!!!!!
This snow stuff is crazy! I just can't believe how much we're getting. The locals claim that we haven't had this much in a long time, but I remember some locals claiming that mid-80s was rare for October in Texas yet that seemed to happen every year we were there. :-)
A: A "Texas-sized" snowstorm!
We got 10 inches of snow over the weekend and it's been snowing all day. They expect up to a foot of snow before it's all over. Gotta love "lake-effect" snow.
Which brings me to my next topic. Driving in snow!
I've been away from this stuff for 7 1/2 years while living in Texas. This morning it was snowing. I checked the forecast and it said we were supposed to get 2-4 inches of accumulation. We have our Catholic homeschool coop every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month so it was on for today. I almost didn't go. Something inside of me said, "Stay! Stay home! Clean your home while you stay home!". But, I kinda figured that if I was never going to go out while it was snowing I may not ever get out all winter. So...we went. Bad call! I stayed through lunch and then decided to head. Pulling the little ballerina out of her class was hard, but it was worth it. The roads were horrendous. I was white knuckling it all the time, and I don't think the kids said a single word...if they did, I sure didn't hear them. At one point I remember praying that the light at the bottom of the hill would stay green because I was going through either way. Whoever planned a city in the north on a hillside was obviously delusional. The interstate looked like our alley, I could barely make out tire tracks and the bridge was worse. At one point I remember looking up and noticing that we were at the top of the bridge. I had no clue where we were, I was just following the little track in front of me in hopes that it would bring me to Wisconsin.
Although it was scary and I don't want to do that ever again, I'm sooooo glad we left when we did because shortly after that they closed the bridges and a lot of my friends got stuck in Duluth. I'm so thankful for being home tonight, and extra thankful because the concert Brett was supposed to be in tonight was cancelled. Yahoo!!!!!
This snow stuff is crazy! I just can't believe how much we're getting. The locals claim that we haven't had this much in a long time, but I remember some locals claiming that mid-80s was rare for October in Texas yet that seemed to happen every year we were there. :-)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Motivation
There's been a general lack of motivation around here lately. Maybe it's the lack of sun, the cold weather, or whatever. Who knows, but it's been spreading like wildfire.
For instance...my guest bed is piled with clean clothes. I have been taking the clothes directly out of the dryer and throwing them onto the bed. Why am I doing this you ask? Well, my laundry basket is full of clean towels that need to be put away? Why aren't they put away? Well, because I need to reorganize/rethink that whole cupboard in the bathroom and I'm not sure I could stuff all the towels in there anyway. Why do I only have one laundry basket? Well, one is being used as "temporary" (read months) storage for clothes that need to be put in storage bins that are currently in the garage. The other is being used for...uhmm...I have no idea. I recently pulled a doll, Magic treehouse book, new package of wipes, and a paint shirt out of the bottom. Oh yeah, and the basket that I was so diligiently keeping all the loner socks that come out of my wash. I have about five piles of them and they never seem to find one another...poor loner socks. So, back to the pile on the bed. I have been known at times to stand down in my cold basement and fold clothes, but then I end up with piles of folded clothes on different pieces of furniture because I can't get them all upstairs without access to a basket.
I think tonight I've been motivated. Not too long ago I heard a yell from a new 6 year old boy who just hopped out of the shower, "Mom! I don't have any underwear in my drawer". I was quite proud that instead of running one pair up to him, I actually grabbed one of the many piles of Aidan-undies and took the whole pile to him.
I was just in my kitchen...unloaded the dishwasher, loaded 'er back up again and had to start it again. But, the clincher is what I saw on the white board.....
Hahahaha!!! I just saw that this post was never posted...too funny! A post entitled "motivation" (and dated back in November) and apparently the lack of motivation was so huge that I didn't have the motivation to finish and post the post! Ah well.
For instance...my guest bed is piled with clean clothes. I have been taking the clothes directly out of the dryer and throwing them onto the bed. Why am I doing this you ask? Well, my laundry basket is full of clean towels that need to be put away? Why aren't they put away? Well, because I need to reorganize/rethink that whole cupboard in the bathroom and I'm not sure I could stuff all the towels in there anyway. Why do I only have one laundry basket? Well, one is being used as "temporary" (read months) storage for clothes that need to be put in storage bins that are currently in the garage. The other is being used for...uhmm...I have no idea. I recently pulled a doll, Magic treehouse book, new package of wipes, and a paint shirt out of the bottom. Oh yeah, and the basket that I was so diligiently keeping all the loner socks that come out of my wash. I have about five piles of them and they never seem to find one another...poor loner socks. So, back to the pile on the bed. I have been known at times to stand down in my cold basement and fold clothes, but then I end up with piles of folded clothes on different pieces of furniture because I can't get them all upstairs without access to a basket.
I think tonight I've been motivated. Not too long ago I heard a yell from a new 6 year old boy who just hopped out of the shower, "Mom! I don't have any underwear in my drawer". I was quite proud that instead of running one pair up to him, I actually grabbed one of the many piles of Aidan-undies and took the whole pile to him.
I was just in my kitchen...unloaded the dishwasher, loaded 'er back up again and had to start it again. But, the clincher is what I saw on the white board.....
Hahahaha!!! I just saw that this post was never posted...too funny! A post entitled "motivation" (and dated back in November) and apparently the lack of motivation was so huge that I didn't have the motivation to finish and post the post! Ah well.
Happy Birthday Aidan!
Yesterday was Aidan's 6th birthday. I'm of course still in shock because I can't figure out how it is that Aidan is six yet I'm still 21! Hee, hee.
We had a fabulous day. He requested Peanut Butter Captain Crunch for breakfast, Jimmy John's for lunch, and pancakes and sausage for dinner. I am very sad to announce that in the excitement of the evening I completely forgot to get a picture of his "Chessboard" cake. They even had a king in "checkmate" . 
This wasn't taken on his birthday, but I could absolutely not resist using this picture because it just shows what kind of goofy kid I have to deal with on a daily basis. He is a sweet 6 year old. He had a fabulous birthday, was all smiles except for one instance that shall not be mentioned. He read all of his cards by himself to the shock of his mother who is used to taking his cards and reading them to him. One thing about being six though is that he still knows everything of course. :-) Gotta love six-year-old boys! Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Little Blue Easter Dress
When my sister was a little girl my mom made her this adorable blue Easter dress. The cutest picture of her was taken in front of their door and has always been a favorite. I, being the younger of the two, also got my turn wearing this precious dress...and being photographed in it.
So the tradition continues. Every granddaughter has also had this dress put on her for the sake of a picture. Sadly enough the season is never right so nobody has been able to actually wear it for Easter. We hadn't taken Gigi's picture in it yet and my mom was getting nervous about it not fitting so we stuck her in it yesterday. I think my mom might be a little disappointed in a couple of things. 1) No white tights or shoes (this is November) 2) Gianna wanted nothing to do with the hat. See the hands? 
Happy Birthday to me!
I'm a couple days late, but on Monday I celebrated my 27th birthday. My brother-in-law took it upon himself to inform me that I was now in my "late 20s". Ouch! No, actually I don't really get caught up in the whole getting older thing. There's too much to worry about in life to really care about getting older...we should maybe care a little bit about not getting older, now that would be something to worry about.
As is tradition in this house Brett was busy for my birthday so we had a quick "cake-eating party" in the afternoon with some friends. The birthday cake, if you ask me, could not have been better. Brett and the kids baked it the night before, we had to sample a "small" piece because Brett broke it, and the kids decorated it minutes before serving it. What more needs to be said?
Isn't the cake beautiful? Lol! This is not the best picture of my 27-year-old self, but it'll have to do. My hair was in a ponytail and I think this picture is downright goofy, but it's the best one of the cake. :-)
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