{"id":343,"date":"2005-12-26T13:52:42","date_gmt":"2005-12-26T22:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/2005\/12\/26\/whew-4\/"},"modified":"2005-12-26T13:59:45","modified_gmt":"2005-12-26T22:59:45","slug":"whew-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gonfalon.org\/eclat\/2005\/12\/26\/whew-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Whew."},"content":{"rendered":"

First! Good news for KristyK’s neice<\/a>! Serena is doing well, is off the resperator and bitching about being stuck in bed. *L* They think she’ll be able to come home round the middle of January – yay! What a very brave little girl! My best wishes and good thoughts still reside with her and her family!<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

I don’t even know where to start with this post, really, as well, there’s so many people to thank, and so many things to say, and so many things I don’t say or can’t say or whatever. heh. So this is gonna be a little disjointed, i’m sure.<\/p>\n

First, of course, a thank you to EVERYONE who made this Christmas special for my kids. As our first Christmas without Kevin, it was understandably difficult and there were breakdowns and attitudes and tears and even a scream or two. And that was from me. Heh. Actually, we all have had our moments of breakdown, and it’s been countered by the love and care of a family so much bigger and filled with more love then we possibly could have imagined. There were donated gifts, donated money, donated food, a huge box of cookies, candies, books, dvds, cds and the like from a friend in WV, loads of love and support, and in many ways this was a fantastic Christmas, made all the better by the family who stood close by ready to catch us if and when we should fall.<\/p>\n

The day started at a staggeringly early 6:45 – but true to form my kids had coffee ready made for poor tired momma, and the opening began. by 7:30, it was complete choas, and squeels of glee and echoing yay’s still rang in my ears. By 10:15, the pup was dressed in her Christmas Finery and ready to go sing at Gramma’s church. I followed in my car, and stayed long enough to hear her sing and snap a couple of pictures before making my escape – an escape all the more necessary by someone who I’ve known most my life, here for the holidays, proved she’s just… not very careful about what she says all casual like [“So, hear your husband got killed.” – cue mini breakdown in the car soon as I could escape. – for some people, there seems to be a limit of time on when you should feel better, as she’s not the first I’ve had say something, or expect me to be back to normal already – but you know? There’s no timelimit, and I’m certainly never going to be ‘back to normal’ – some days are better then others. THIS day was not in some ways.] or how it comes out exactly. I just.. ugh. It wasn’t good. The pup didn’t hear, I just nodded, and beat feet outa there asap. That’s not the only reason, but well, it’ certainly was one of them that made me glad I’d already planned on cutting out early.<\/p>\n

Anyway – back home with the older two, and then we realized that we could SMELL THE HAM cooking in gramma moosie’s oven, two doors down. OH the TORTURE! Kevin’s work crew on the slope had sent down a fruit basket and a HUGE HAM for christmas. My god it smelled good.<\/p>\n

Gramma and the pup returned from services, and we trucked down to gramma’s to open gifts while waiting for the ham to finish teasing us and be ready for our consumption. There was much loot! many squeels! Surprise! And laughter! and even some tears. Can’t beat that! <\/p>\n

The ham? OMG. So freaking GOOD! I don’t recall ever having one taste quite so fantastic! And gramma and papa made biscuits and ham gravy too, and there was potato salad and deviled eggs, and cheesecake and fudge for desert… oooooooooooooohlordy. it was good! I’m nibbling on leftover ham as I type, actually. Heh.<\/p>\n

So yes! The Moosie\/Ladybug\/Darlin\/Lessa’s Clan – we all had a wonderful Christmas, and hope that you did as well. And for those who are wondering – my loot, in no particular order:<\/p>\n

1. This years “papa kitchen gadget!”: An indoor S’MORE MAKER! For a gal like me who loves smores yet hates camping? This is FANTASTIC. It’ll likely be put to use today, since fixings were included!
\n2. A tripod for my cameras! Yay!
\n3. A pillow that says “mirror mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all!” *L*
\n4. Pictures framed of the picture mom took of the whole family when I graduated – which I believe is the last time we all were in a photo together – usually I am behind the camera – so it’s one of the last one’s that include Kevin and all of us. The other was one of Kevin and the kids in disneyland. Thus, the tears, but in a good way too. I’m glad I have them, and plan on rearranging the main wall between the windows to put all of our Daddy pictures there today or tomorrow. Thanks mom!
\n5. a chuck calandar (ala Dooce<\/a>, from my sis)
\n6. a nummy smelling candle and holder (from papa and the pup)
\n7. a necklace, chocolates, my favorite movie of all time on DVD (Sound of Music), homemade potholders – all from my kids.
\n8. my Jason Beam prints from TBF
\n9. Book of Poems for Hard Times and delicious smelling body lotion from L in WV (those were what the kids let me claim to myself, everything else in the HUGE BOX of stuff previously mentioned is claimed by them, individually or as a whole. *L*)
\n10. a MissDomestic Christmas CD<\/p>\n

and most importantly, time with my family that included copious amounts of love and laughter. Here’s hoping your holliday was just as fulfilling and heart swelling as mine! And here’s some pictures on flickr<\/a> for those who wanna see some of the fun…
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