Twenty years of parenting

Twenty years ago Andrew and I learned we were going to be parents.  I've purposely never written about it, but my kiddos are an adopted sibling group.  It was 20 years ago today that Andrew and I received the phone call that we were going to become parents.  It was, without a doubt, the greatest gift we ever received.  I can't believe that 20 years have gone by.  It has absolutely flown by.

Seventeen years of blogging

I started this blog 17 years ago!  I'm so grateful for each memory recorded here.  I especially love the December memories.  Eight more school days for me this calendar year.  I know that tomorrow is never promised, and I plan to soak up the holiday memories as much as I can this year...and hopefully I'll write about them here!

The first weekend of December

There is something so magical about this time of year.  It's hard to have a bad day when decorations are so festive.  Right now, I'm enjoying the coziness of our back room with the Christmas tree and our candle.  Back to work in ten hours, but only nine more school days until we are off for two+ weeks!

Last week continued to have challenges at work.  We received an deranged rant from a parent, specifically "calling out" certain people, including me.  It's really a whole new level of ridiculousness.

Our weekend started with a staff gathering for Andrew.  I always enjoy getting to see his co-workers who are my former co-workers as well!  The best part was being home by 8pm.  Yesterday was another day spent at my mom's.  We are making progress, but we are definitely starting to feel a bit of crunch time because she insists on hosting Christmas.  I was home in time to watch the Big Ten title game last night.  What a great game!  The Buckeyes lost to the Hoosiers, but I can live with it.  Leaving the Irish out of the playoffs?  Nope, not a bit okay with that.  Today, we had to be at church early as I was in charge of altar prep.  Then we hit the store and when we got home, I was home for the day.  the Steelers beat the Ravens, we had hot soup for dinner, and now we are ready to start another week.  But December weeks have just a little more magic than the rest of the year!

Enjoying the view of a winter wonderland from inside my cozy home

It is a gorgeous winter wonderland outside.  We were forecasted to receive 1-3" of snow overnight, but as someone stated, this was an "overachiever" and there is 3-5" throughout the area.  I would guess we are somewhere between 3-4" and it is absolutely gorgeous.  Because it was going to be snowing through the early morning hours, we were certain the public schools would be closed, although I had thought with the lower numbers that we might be in session, and I was planning to go in regardless.  However, we closed by 6am, and I just texted my coworkers and said that with the larger amount, I am going to just stay home. I'm currently in my front room, having finished my morning coffee, wrapped in a Christmas throw next to our lit Christmas tree, enjoying the view out our large bay window.  I'm so grateful for this morning of peace.

All things come to an end, no matter how fabulous it's been

In 12 hours, I'll be double checking attendance and getting started on what will be a very busy day.  When the first work day of the month is also a Monday AND it follows a break, it's always quite a day.

I'm ready for it though.  This break was a perfect combination of exactly what I needed.  We had the right amount of quiet/down time and the right amount of all-in family time.  Three weeks from today, I'll be sitting here, hopefully with my MIL here again, and we'll be looking at two full weeks off.

I don't take any of this past week for granted.  None of us are guaranteed anything, including tomorrow.  I'm so grateful that we had the family time that we had.  I don't know how many more years my kids will want to help with the Christmas trees.  I don't know how many more holidays my MIL has left.  I do know that regardless of what happens today, tomorrow, next week, or next month, my family had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving break, and I'm more full of gratitude than I can even put into words.

And I'm happy to head back to work.  Can't get a paycheck if I'm not there!  I'm also very grateful that I have a job I enjoy so very much!

This day will be one of my most favorite memories

This day is definitely going to be one of those days that remains a favorite memory forever.  I got to sleep really late, which is always a great start to the day.  I had some quiet time until the Ohio State game, and the Buckeyes finally broke the four game losing streak against that team up north.  It was a great game.  Catherine arrived home during the game after spending a couple of days with her boyfriend's family.  Not long after the game, Thomas and Lyndi arrived.  Thursday after they left our meal, Thomas had reached out and said that Lyndi wanted to help us put up the trees.  I was not about to turn down help!  And by doing it this evening, it meant that we were all going to be here to do it together.  Even without Thomas's ornaments, we did a pretty good job of filling both of the trees.  While we were decorating the trees, the predicted snow began to fall.  It was beautiful.

As if that wasn't enough, our evening continued.  Thomas and Lyndi decided it would be best to stay over because of the snow.  Our family decided to watch Christmas Vacation, but first we made a sweet family memorial toast.  Andrew's aunt in Vermont, whom we all adored, passed away in July.  Her drink of choice, somewhat comically, was Fireball.  For her funeral, they had small Fireball printed with her name on it, and Andrew's cousin sent us one (Andrew and his mom went to visit her in June, so they didn't return for the funeral).  Andrew poured us each a bit and we toasted to Aunt Mary Ann.  We even took a picture and sent it to Andrew's cousins.

I'm so grateful all of the kids are under our roof again.  Andrew is meeting his mom's neighbor for her return tomorrow.  My plan is to do lots and lots of laundry tomorrow, to enjoy the house that is fairly much put together, and to get ready for a what I hope will be a beautiful and lovely December to lead the Christmas season!  And I also plan to enjoy the memories we made over this break!

This day after Thanksgiving

Even though this is the end of my break, this might end up being my favorite day.  It was just this time, exactly a week ago, that we were all bolting out the door ready to rest and relax on this break.  And it's been lovely.  But today, well today feels just the MOST relaxing.  The weekend was about getting ready for my MIL's arrival, Monday and Tuesday I had to work several hours at my jobs, Wednesday was about getting ready for yesterday's meal and the evening of all the kids, and yesterday was full of the meal and helping out my mom.  Today though?  Well, today I need to decorate, but we aren't doing the trees today at all.  Today I could sleep in, know that no one expects a big meal this evening, and just putz around the around the house, decorating s-l-o-w-l-y.  And I'm thrilled with that.  I still have two full days without any real commitments, and I'm going to soak them up.  And I'm filled with gratitude about all of life's blessings!