Christmas

Well the day is over and everyone is in bed. It's been an unusual Christmas. It was our first Christmas in Brownwood in our new house. It was our first Christmas that Michael wasn't living with us. We were all a little excited waiting for him to arrive on Christmas Eve. We love spending time with him. Aaron was extremely excited about everything this year. He woke us all about 7:00 yelling "Wake up, wake up Christmas it here!" over and over. So we got up and checked our stockings. (We open presents on Christmas eve in what Mark claims is a very messed up Christmas tradition and what had Santa having to make two visits to our house as I was growing up. We never questioned how he managed that. It is a little strange.) We took Christmas PJ pictures - Michele's one request for this year. I used to take them when they were all little. We watched old Christmas videos which were soooo cute and completely hysterical. Unfortunately, right before lunch time Michael suddenly fell quite ill. He spent the rest of the day semiconscious on our floor. The height of the beds made him sicker or something. He finally felt well enough to move to the floor of Michele's room tonight. Michele's is taking the couch for the night. I hate when my kids are sick. And there was nothing we could do for him. He slept a good part of the day. We're still not sure why he's sick. I still think it may be that he's completely run down from just working too hard at everything. I'm hoping he can get rested and healthy before he has to go back to school on top of working full time. He'll be forced to rest this week since there's not a lot to do here anyway, and being sick, he doesn't feel like doing anything anyway. The rest of the day was mostly checking on him and wishing we could help.

I still enjoyed this Christmas and the chance to be together.
I hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Happy Birthday, Michael!

19 Years!! I know it's sounds so repetitive and cliche, but where does the time go? And it also makes me feel so old to have a 19 year old child. And I didn't start that early on the baby thing, so actually, I really am old - depressing! But I digress (most of the time). This is supposed to be about Michael. (I just typed Aaron and Michele before I finally got Michael down.) Sorry Michael, it really is supposed to be all about you, at least on this post on this day.

What can I say about Michael, but that he's amazed me from the day he was born - sometimes in an overwhelming, "what am I supposed to do with this kid" kind of a way, but more and more as he grew older, in a "Wow - what a great kid" kind of a way. He's wanted for many years now to serve God and please him in the things he does, and I found that because of that, I didn't have to worry a lot about whether he was making good choices or doing things that I found pleasing. I know he's not perfect, but he works hard at trying to do the right thing. I'm very proud of the person he's becoming. He's working his way through college, working a full time job and a few part time jobs and doing an amazing job of staying ahead in all his classes. I don't think I did near as well at that my first semester of college. Anyway, most of you already know all about everything he's doing, so I won't go on about it, but to repeat how very proud I am of him and how thankful I am that we've had the privilege of playing a part in the person he's growing into. What a gift he's been to us.

I know I probably sound really sappy about my kids, but I do feel so blessed in the children God has allowed us a part in raising. They really do give me very little to worry about and mostly lots of joyful moments. And I know better than to take much, if any, credit for the way they are turning out. I just keep thanking God for playing a bigger part in their lives than I could be able to handle right. Most of what is good in them is because of Him. So I thank Him again on this anniversary of my firstborn's first day - for my first amazing child - and for His help in guiding all of their lives.

Happy 19th! We love you, Michael!!!

And I know I said I was going to try to keep up my blogging better, and except for my boys' birthdays, I'd have posted very little here lately, but I really do have lots of great pictures and stuff to post from the last weeks. I'll try to get that done over the holidays, I hope! And if life stays insane, then Michele has a birthday in April, and I guess I'll be back then.