New Year's Eve

I'm sitting in a motel room in a mediocre motel in Kenton, Ohio.  Mom, Dick, the kids, and I departed from home at 4 a.m. on Saturday morning and arrived about 12 and a half hours later.  For the first time ever, my youngest brother, Trav, wasn't able to come home for Christmas, so we came here instead.  We've spent the past couple of days visiting with him, Kara, nephew Gauge, and Kara's family.  We drove by lots of Amish farms today and got a glimpse of how differently, how simply, they live.  I couldn't pass Goodwill without stopping and found a pile of really nice clothes for Ryley.  Tonight, everyone else is out for dinner, but in order to preserve my sanity, I opted not to take my three munchkins out to a restaurant twice in the same day.  Instead, we are hanging out at the motel, eating candy out of the vending machine, swimming, and watching movies on the iPod and portable DVD player.  For the first time that I can remember, I probably won't stay up until midnight, and for the first time in 14 NYEs, I won't be with JD.  I'm glad we came though, to see where Trav and family lives, to see the house they're renovating and where he works.  I'm also ready to go home and to enjoy the last couple of days of vacation before getting back to the reality of school and work.

I forgot to bring my camera along, but if I had, I'd insert the following pictures:

Trav and Gauge on the snowmobile pulling Ryley and Zeke on a sled
Quin and Gauge playing together nicely (not of the many times Quin tried to hit or body check him)
The Amish farms and the horses and buggies we saw on the road
The kids enjoying the pool at the motel
Me falling flat on my arse (while carrying Quin) after slipping on ice this morning

JD has been busy at home.  We got more snow, so he was able to plow his route again.  In his "spare time" he's been putting flooring down in our dining area/living room.  We had hoped to be a lot further along on that project, hence me taking all of the kids with, but it's taking longer than expected.  His dad has been helping him, and I'm excited to see the progress they've made.

I'm looking forward to 2013 and all of the joys and challenges, blessings and hardships, and laughter and tears that will come with it.  And I'm looking forward to being home!

The most wonderful time of the year!

Actually, I prefer summer, but that has to do with the temperature outside and not Christmas!

Christmas 2012

There are so many things to love about Christmas.
Number one is the reason for Christmas.  When I was little, I had a pin that said "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" and that's as true for me now as it was back then.  Number two is family.  I love getting together with our families and extended families for gatherings that only happen this time of year.  Then of course, there is vacation from school, gift giving, the music, the food, and so much more!

On the last day of school before a break, many of my students came in with gifts.  Within days (an hour in some cases), JD, the kids, and I finished off homemade Chex mix and caramel popcorn, fudge, Lindt chocolate, and many more goodies.  I also received homemade gifts from students which are always treasured.  We had a small party as a class, made Helping Hands for Sandy Hook Elementary School, and then said our goodbyes until the new year.  I then had a nice, long visit with a good friend- the perfect start to my long vacation.

We enjoyed all of our family get togethers, big and small, and our kids were spoiled (not by us!) and are enjoying their gifts very much.  We got to meet our niece Marley, a little cutie.  It was also our nephew Braxton's first Christmas.  At each gift exchange, Quin liked his first present so much that he wasn't interested in opening anymore.  Ry and Zeke were more than happy to help him out.

Zeke really wanted a Pogo Ball!

Quin loves his Wheelies

and his new bike

and giving cousin Boone rides in his dump truck

Tired out.

I had hoped to be extremely productive the day after Christmas, but ended up super sick Christmas night and didn't get any sleep (seriously, zero minutes of sleep).  JD had to work all day, but my mom came over and helped me for a while in the afternoon, and the kids were pretty cooperative all day.  The following night I slept well and feel pretty much back to normal now.

We finally got snow today!  We haven't had this much snow in almost two years.  JD has been out plowing since 5:30 a.m. (It's almost 10 p.m. right now).  Although we've learned not to depend on plow money, it will make things less stressful financially.  The kids had fun out in it today, and tomorrow will be more of the same.

Ryley has a friend over for the night, Zeke is having a sleepover with cousin Max from Nantucket, and I have a busy day tomorrow that I'm not ready for.  I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

Dear Dad,

It's your birthday.  A December 12 will never go by without many of your loved ones thinking about you and shedding tears.  You'd be 57 this year.  I was just thinking the other day about how you were only 43 when you received your diagnosis of ALS, a death sentence.  I was away at college and missed seeing first hand how everyone reacted to the news.  I can't imagine how I would deal with news like that, knowing that my life would be cut short and that I wouldn't be able to watch all of my kids grow into adulthood.  I know that you remained strong, that you fought to live, that you did everything you could to live each day as fully as you were able.  I can't even type this now, nine years after your death without feeling tears run down my face.  You were a man who loved people and were loved in return.  I'm so thankful for the time that I had with you, that you were able to wheel down the aisle next to me on my wedding day to "present" me to my husband (because you said you weren't "giving me away"), and that you reached and surpassed your goal of living until your 25th wedding anniversary.  I was able to tell you that you would be a grandpa, although it will always sadden me that you never met her or any of your grandsons.  You loved kids and I can imagine the kind of grandfather that you would have been.  My kids know all about you, and they love to visit the cemetery where you are buried.  Zeke has often said, "I can't wait to go to Heaven so that I can meet Grandpa Zeke."  I'm glad that you had the faith that you did and that we all know without a doubt that you are in Heaven right now and that we will be reunited with you someday.  People say that the pain of losing someone goes away with time, and others say that they're wrong, that it never lessens.  I would say that the pain becomes more dull, but that when you least expect it, it's as sharp as ever.  We've all moved on with our lives, but after losing you long before we were ready, we've been left with a gaping hole in our hearts.  God had bigger plans for you, and even though I may never understand why, your death was part of His perfect plan.  Thanks for being the best dad a girl could have.

                                                   Love ya Zeker,

                                                          "Lulubelle"