Winter Moon

We have almost two feet of snow and it snowed lightly again today. 

As for the moon - its was achingly beautiful.

So much better than the photo - I am still learning my different camera settings and this was the best photo I was able to get before the cold had me shaking to hard to continue.

Hint: if you want to take a photo at night, in the middle of winter, put shoes and a coat on FIRST!

Right now it looks like we would be starting off the new year in surgery.

The hubby has several kidney stones on each side - one is as large as 11.6 mm!

The doctor needs to check the stats and figure out if they can blast them apart or if they will need to go in and remove them.

Also we will have to have his para thyroid checked again.

Last time he had 14 kidney stones we ended up having one of his para thyroids removed (it was HUGE)

They are what can causes calcium kidney stones.

So we may be back in for surgery on his thyroid - we did the last one 8 years ago - the day before my mother died, not hard to remember that date.

We are still in the early stages, the doctor has yet to finish testing or choosing what options to pursue in treating this - please keep us in your prayers as this is causing my husband a great deal of pain.

Edit: The largest measured kidney stone of my husbands (so far) is 11.8 mm - more scans are being taken and it may not be the largest.
Also he had issues with my word - achingly - to which I suggested he start his own manly blog with manly words. ;)

Christmas Day Two

Yesterday we had Christmas with my father and step mom. 

In the upper corner is a photo of us - my hubby, me, Prissy and G'man.

Diane (step mom) was so busy it wasn't until I got home that I realized that I didn't have any good photos of her - from this visit at least.

Oh well, maybe Saturday when we see each other again.

The day, the food and our time was great!

We had to leave early due to another engagement.

Our old next door neighbors, when we lived in the mobile home a few years ago, needed some help fixing their laptop.

As her family is all out of country she communicates mostly via video chat.

Naturally Christmas is a big time for the family to get together - even if only online.

They surprised us with their newest addition to their family - chi-co, a 6 week old Shih Tzu boy puppy.

They loved our dog Patch so much that they went and bought one of their own!

I must admit they are great family dogs - and wonderful for those that are allergic to dogs.

My daughter can not handle any other dogs (so far) but she is fine with Patch as long as she washes and keeps the dog away from her face.

I have passed on the extra tips as her oldest daughter and my girls number one best friend is also allergic to dogs.

They have been best friends since before they could talk to each other!

Dastardly Duo Holidays

I love my dastardly duo, very much.
There are times, however, that I do wonder where they picked some things up...

Prissy the other days tells me: Mama, G'man hasn't been good - he's mean to me all the time. You need to take his presents back and get him coal.
Me: I'm not Santa love, you both get presents because I want to give you something not because either one of you have been good or bad - and lets face it love, neither of you would get presents if I was like Santa.
Prissy: But mama! (shock, gasp, big eyes) I love you mama! I took the trash out and emptied the dish washer... doesn't that make me good?

At this point I shake my head and walk away. She is such a scammer! She wants her brother to get nothing and her to get everything!

This year has been the best year for us so far. The kids were spoiled beyond belief!
They got clothes, toys, electronics and goodies.
For many this looks like a normal Christmas - for my children however, they fell into their wildest dreams.
You see, we are not well off. A few years ago my kids both got dollar store items, a few outfits and laundry hampers - they LOVED the hampers - played with them for hours on end.

We have been so blessed in recent years - a home, a car, amazing friends and a great job.
I can only pray that so many others are as blessed as we have been.

Christmas day one (yesterday) is done. Today round two continues at the grandparents.

No matter what day you celebrate don't forget to be thankful for life, your friends and your blessings!

Here is a cup of cocoa ~ Merry Christmas!

Enough Love...

I found a story on face book the other day that jumped out at me - especially this time of year.
It was called, I wish you enough.
You see 8 years ago today I lost my mother.

In fact I lost her shortly after this photo - within a few months - it was a sudden and wrenching loss.
The hole she left has never been filled, never gone away and has not diminished much over the years. As my kids grow, I wish for her guidance, her patience, her hugs and her laugh.

~~~

I WISH YOU ENOUGH.
Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport as the daughter's departure had been announced.
Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said:
 "I love you and I wish you enough."
 The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom."
They kissed and the daughter left.
The mother walked over to the window where I sat.
Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry.
 I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking,
"Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?"
"Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking but why is this a forever good-bye?"
"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.
"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"
She began to smile.
"That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more.
"When we said 'I wish you enough' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them".
Then turning toward me, she shared the following, reciting it from memory,
 "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
 I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
 I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
 I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
 I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
 I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
 I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye." 
She then began to cry and walked away. They say it takes a minute to find a special person. An hour to appreciate them. A day to love them. And an entire life to forget them.

~~~

I loved my mother. She was a very rare soul that knew how to LOVE.
I miss her all the time, but not for the reasons you might think.
I wish she could see my children.
My husband (who she adored)
Our home.
I know she would want to share our joys.
This week our family has been sick with a very nasty stomach bug, my husband to help me pass the time helped me set up a small area so I could paint my Christmas Village houses.
Painting them reminds me of my mother.
Of her village, her painting, her smile and my sister and I's reverence every year when we unpacked the village and placed it under the Christmas tree.
It was as if Christmas wasn't here and official until the village was set up.

So in-spite of how short our time was with our mother we did have enough love, enough memories and enough time... I just will always want more.
This holiday season the best gift you can give someone is your time. In the hustle and bustle of the season its easy to forget that love, friendship and being together is more important than anything that comes with bows.
So that when the time comes to say goodbye, you will have had enough instead of a lot of empty yesterdays filled with good intentions.

She's been gone 8 years, but the love she gave me still remains. 

The Night Circus

The Night Circus - the words themselves suggest mystery.

The story in the book evolves and changes. You start out a by-standard following a suggested path. The path twists, then twists again, a time or two the path branches off only to come back again, in the end however, its like watching a top spin amazingly fast then to have it come to a stop as a ballerina.

The whole book is a senses delight. Colors, sights, smells, people and emotions.
Its vivid, literal, magical and metaphorical, all wrapped into a sensual emotive package.
 
While the book changes, taking you with it, it ends perfectly.

If you are someone with limited imagination and rarely see what you read, this book will change you forever.
If you are like me and seeing is why you read, your mind will expand the details. Will remember them from earlier and continue to add to the whole experience.
Its amazing.

Reading it again will be even more magical. This time I will see all the hidden clues, charms and delight in them in a new way. Understanding how they come together in the end.

I will be saving my money for tickets, one will not be enough.

I will be in the very late night crowd.

And I will be dressed in Gray, Black or White with one small touch of Red.

I am also sure that I will not be alone.

Come and read with me, come and watch with me.

Never to be the same again.

Come join the Circus of Dreams

Click to find the book

I would also like to thank my sister for demanding - loudly and repeatedly that I read this book.

A Sprinkling of Magic

Every child's life needs some Magic...
                                                     ....*
                                                      *...
                                                         ..
                                                           *

For my children it's the tooth fairy

Now some have been confused.

We don't have Santa in our house and the Easter bunny isn't welcome either.

The part that people get confused on is WHY they aren't welcome.

They cover or gloss over important holy days.

I want my children to know and appreciate the real reason for Christmas and Easter.

It's not that I don't want my children to have dreams or a little bit of Magic, Childhood should have a small touch of Magic.

The Tooth fairy however, is allowed.

My children place their teeth into a bag (my girl has a tinkerbell tooth fairy pillow)

Last night my son finally lost his tooth - or rather papa finally was able to yank it from his head!

Due to the holiday we allowed him to place his tooth under his Christmas tree - easier for the toothfairy to find it.

Now both my children have been caught bragging to others that their tooth fairy doesn't bring them useless money.

They get toys, stickers, candy...

Pretty much whatever mama finds in dollar bins that looks cool and I hide it away for later.

A few weeks ago our friends Shayne & Sara invited our family to join them for a special showing of Arthur Christmas at Jordan Commons today at 9 am.

G'man, the cutie above, who looks fine now, woke up at 6 am SICK.

First it was vomit, then it switched to Diarrhea.

Really bad, every five minutes, can't make it to the potty Diarrhea.

In one hour he went through 6 changes of clothes.

I had to wash the floor twice!

I am tired and exhausted.

However, Papa and Prissy went to the movie.

G'man and I watched it on pause at home - pausing every time he ran for the potty!

Prissy came home with two huge goody bags!

Jordan Commons had Santa and Elves at the Theater and gave away very nice goody bags for everyone that came and even one little sick boy that didn't!

As for the movie, Arthur Christmas

I only recently got this move and watched it.

Its a new family holiday favorite!

One young man in the Santa family, but not a hopeful for the title, still cares.

He goes to extraordinary lengths, battles his own fears and in the end prevails on getting the last present delivered.

Its worth watching.

I encourage you to add it to your holiday watch list this year!

As for G'man - now that he cleaned out his whole intestinal track - he is fine.