Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Christmas Traditions

Christmas mornings are some of my favorite childhood memories. When we were little Joel and I would be so excited about Chritmas morning, we certianly woke our parents up and crazy hours to open presents and to see if Santa ate the cookies we left him. My parents would join us at the tree as early as we could make them get up, in all reality they would get up fairly early, we were good at pestering. It was usually just the four of us because the rest of our extend family lived provinces away. We would open our stocking and then dad would make eggs benedict, then we could open the rest of our presents. All day we would play and enjoy some family time. The turkey had to cook all day and the smells would waft through the house.

I loved those traditions and in many ways they continue even today. Okay thing are a little different these days. It is now dad who is the first up. In fact, as I slept on the couch last year I was woken up really early as dad made coffee (this year I get the luxury of a bed, being married has it's perks). The four of us have now become 6, which is even better than 4! Dad still makes breakfast, and we still enjoy some morning family time. At the same times things have changed, we are closer to extend family, and now I have added more family to the need to see list.

All this being said I am currently struggling with how Jay and I start and keep our own family traditions. You see I loved those traditions so much that I want them for our children (when we have them, many years from now). Actullaly, I kind of want them for myself even now. This Christmas is seems we are on "go mode". We are already in the city, we came in Sunday night to take our parents (both sets) out to Celebrations. Tomorrow is the Putnam gathering, then on Christmas day we go to Jay's family gathering, and then on Boxing day the Hayward gathering. After that we will head to McGregor and spend some time with the Boaz's before heading back home. I like to see all the family and enjoy some good visits, but will this crazyness make good memories? I want to wake up on Christmas day in our own bed and spend some time together as a family (even if that means just Jay and I).

Maybe this is a common stuggle for the newly married!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Happy 10th Birthday Dad!

My dad turns 10 today! It was 10 years ago today that dad sat in his hospital bed and recieved his stems cells. Sometimes it feels like it wasn't nearly that long ago, other times it feels like it was a very long time ago. 10 years ago we didn't know what the stem cell transplant would mean; would it give him a year, or less, or more? The doctors were only somewhat hopeful that this would really work. From what I remember it wasn't much fun for dad, the chemo was pretty harsh, and he even hallucinated for a couple of days. It might have sucked but I was so glad he did it! The angles he collected and hung from his IV pole still adorn our Christmas tree. The prayers that were said that year did not go unanswered.

Happy 10th Birthday dad! May there be many more!

Here is the family (Dad on the end), on one of the most important days for a father and daughter!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Good For a Few Laughs!

AHHHH!! My day has been interesting, and looking back good for a few laughs. I wanted to drive to work today (I was going into town right after work to get stuff for a class party), so I got in my car, and promptly got stuck (the heavy wind last night blew all the snow across the driveway)! I abandoned ship and walked to work, I figured I would deal with it later. I warned my students that a party might not happen becasue there was a chance I wouldn't be able to get to town. This was not good for them, so the shoveled my car out (reminds me that my kids are really great people)! Party saved!

I got to town and did my shopping. As I was in teh checkout line at Co-op I picked up the bottle of dish soap I was buying. the lid fell off, and soap dumped all over the til. Oppps! I still smell like soap! When I got back to school (I have a meeting tonight) I realized I forgot the chocolate milk I was buying for the party (I even had a list) . GRRRR!! I am hoping that hot chocolate will make up for the lack of milk becasue I am NOT driving back to town!

All I can do is laugh, and be so thankful I have people around me to dig my car out of the snow, and maybe even forgive my forgetfullness!