Christmas is about Jesus' birth. Christmas actually falls on Sunday this year. And even though I believe Jesus was probably born in April, December 25 is the time we set aside to remember and celebrate and wonder.
If I got to choose, I'd like a quiet Sunday morning service of hymns, a sermon containing all the elements of the promised Savior, long anticipated. Greeting friends at church. A turkey in the oven. dressing. mashed potatoes.
Then, relaxing at home.
Our daughter-in-law in Houston will probably want to spend this Christmas with her folks, and any gifts we burden them with will need to be shipped/hauled to Alaska for their remaining six months tour there. So, we need to shop carefully. Our almost five year old granddaughter can always use more tape, paper, and drawing materials. The practical side of this old grannie is talking. Clothes. Some clothes for her doll. books. games. I found her a new Veggie Tale dvd.
Our daughter-in-law in Oklahoma may want to keep Christmas just them or with her side of the family. So, maybe it is best to bring presents when we babysit Dec. 10th. We imposed of them for Thanksgiving. Baby James is at the cute age where he will enjoy the boxes and wrapping paper more than the presents. I hope they take lots of pictures.
Our youngest in Austin will probably be working...as he has not acrued vacation time. We will have to visit when it is best for him.
Our thoughts will be with our deployed son...and our deployed nephews. Praying for their protection, and wisdom, and insight, as they do their jobs, lead their troops, and probably not even see each other even though in the same country. I can't wait until they are all home safe and sound. How can I tell one nephew, the Army nurse, that if you run across the other nephew...with a different last name than his momma, will you introduce yourself? talk about how you share the same Uncle Bob and Aunt Joyce?? and under what circumstances? I hope it is a cold and cough and not an injury.
Every Christmas is different. And with all our sons flown the nest, our new normal means travelling to where they are, or hosting them here for visits...but, our house is small. We should knock out the back wall, and add a hotel. That way, our sons and their families might want to come visit. Most days, our house is a refuge, a place to rest and recoup, and eat--a peaceful haven for Bob to come home to after a long day at work. We keep the back yard green...but it will be a few years before the grandkids enjoy playing back there. The bushes need trimming. The windows need washed. And I am thankful everything is on one level. But, man oh man, I gotta learn to pack. I took too much clothing one direction, and not enought the other. I need to make a purse for stops, and a purse for knitting...and a separate bag for the odds and ends. And why don't these cars come with trash bag recepticles? Good grief.
I just remembered my shampoo stash in the car. Left it in the glove compartment. Holiday Inn Express has the best shampoo. Smells great. vanilla peppermint?
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thanksgiving
I cannot sleep. I have a cold/cough/congestion...
It has been so long since I have had a cold that we are completely out of cough meds. The sutafed I did take a few days ago gave me such horrid dreams. So, I need to be careful of over the counter stuff.
We drove down to Austin to see our youngest son. Enjoying his job, but wanting more cash, he had applied to a pizza delivery job. So, electrical all day, and pizza at night. He posted on facebook that he had worked 52 hours last week including a day off for Thanksgiving. He was planning on going to Mississippi to be with cousins for Thanksgiving, but with the new job, stayed in Texas. Visited friends in Waco, and got fed good. Thank you, Cori for feeding my baby.
When we visited Ben in Austin on the 19th, he showed us around town. Showed us where he worked, and we bought him some new work boots for his birthday. It was hard to leave him, as he seemed lonely. So, I was glad to hear today that Cori fed him Thanksgiving. I owe her!
Then we drove to north Houston, Cypress, to see our daughter-in-law and her two kids, our grandchildren: Abby will turn five in January, and Baby David, who turned one in October. They are waiting on our firstborn to finish his deployment to A-stan. Living near her folks, and aunt and uncle, and grandfather. Our daughter-in-law is having stomach issues. gastritis, h. hernia, and gallbladder acting up. She has had lots of horrid scope and scan procedures...should get test results back Monday. hopefully. We baby sat for her for one appointment. She has lost 14 pounds in a month. Unable, and afraid to eat. Wish she lived closer so that we could help out more, but she and the kids do not need our coughs. Baby David bonded to Bob. It was so cute to see them play. Abby was busy drawing or cuting out things or taping...she has quite an imagination. And she let me read to her day 2.
We drove home and slept in our own bed for two nights, repacked and headed northwest after Bob's dental appointment on Wednesday and spent a few days at our middle son's home. The cold/coughs/drainage had just started...and part of me was tempted to stay home. But, our daughter-in-law assured us she had been sick, too. And Baby James, 10 months, was on antibiotics for his first ear infection. It was fun to see him crawling everywhere. And fun to help wrestle the turkey into the oven. Amazed I remembered to cook it upside down to keep the breast meat moist.
I was ready to go home as my cough was getting worse, but I think Bob would have stayed through Sunday! And I did not want to wear out our welcome. We watched our son and his wife decorate for Christmas. So good to see them having fun together. And we babysat so that they could get some shopping done, too. It was our third year in a row at Fort Sill. No telling where they will be next Thanksgiving. The end of an era. And next Thanksgiving, they will have two babies! What fun.
Maybe this will help jog our memories...and though scattered, our new normal: travelling to where the grandkids are. And trying to be a help. But, knowing our daughters-in-law extend us longsuffering. They'd rather be with their own folks. I was guilty of that when we were young marrieds. My folks lived closer, and dropped in all the time to see their grandsons. Bob's Dad lived way out in El Paso.
It has been so long since I have had a cold that we are completely out of cough meds. The sutafed I did take a few days ago gave me such horrid dreams. So, I need to be careful of over the counter stuff.
We drove down to Austin to see our youngest son. Enjoying his job, but wanting more cash, he had applied to a pizza delivery job. So, electrical all day, and pizza at night. He posted on facebook that he had worked 52 hours last week including a day off for Thanksgiving. He was planning on going to Mississippi to be with cousins for Thanksgiving, but with the new job, stayed in Texas. Visited friends in Waco, and got fed good. Thank you, Cori for feeding my baby.
When we visited Ben in Austin on the 19th, he showed us around town. Showed us where he worked, and we bought him some new work boots for his birthday. It was hard to leave him, as he seemed lonely. So, I was glad to hear today that Cori fed him Thanksgiving. I owe her!
Then we drove to north Houston, Cypress, to see our daughter-in-law and her two kids, our grandchildren: Abby will turn five in January, and Baby David, who turned one in October. They are waiting on our firstborn to finish his deployment to A-stan. Living near her folks, and aunt and uncle, and grandfather. Our daughter-in-law is having stomach issues. gastritis, h. hernia, and gallbladder acting up. She has had lots of horrid scope and scan procedures...should get test results back Monday. hopefully. We baby sat for her for one appointment. She has lost 14 pounds in a month. Unable, and afraid to eat. Wish she lived closer so that we could help out more, but she and the kids do not need our coughs. Baby David bonded to Bob. It was so cute to see them play. Abby was busy drawing or cuting out things or taping...she has quite an imagination. And she let me read to her day 2.
We drove home and slept in our own bed for two nights, repacked and headed northwest after Bob's dental appointment on Wednesday and spent a few days at our middle son's home. The cold/coughs/drainage had just started...and part of me was tempted to stay home. But, our daughter-in-law assured us she had been sick, too. And Baby James, 10 months, was on antibiotics for his first ear infection. It was fun to see him crawling everywhere. And fun to help wrestle the turkey into the oven. Amazed I remembered to cook it upside down to keep the breast meat moist.
I was ready to go home as my cough was getting worse, but I think Bob would have stayed through Sunday! And I did not want to wear out our welcome. We watched our son and his wife decorate for Christmas. So good to see them having fun together. And we babysat so that they could get some shopping done, too. It was our third year in a row at Fort Sill. No telling where they will be next Thanksgiving. The end of an era. And next Thanksgiving, they will have two babies! What fun.
Maybe this will help jog our memories...and though scattered, our new normal: travelling to where the grandkids are. And trying to be a help. But, knowing our daughters-in-law extend us longsuffering. They'd rather be with their own folks. I was guilty of that when we were young marrieds. My folks lived closer, and dropped in all the time to see their grandsons. Bob's Dad lived way out in El Paso.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
the dishrag pattern
cast on four stitches.
knit across
knit two, yarn over, knit to the end of the row.
continue this knitting two stitches, then yarning over and knitting to the end of the row until you have the width you like. 40 or 42 stitches, for example. the yarning over increases your dishrag one stitch per row and gives the nice loop edging.
to decrease: knit one, knit two and three together, YO, (yarn over) knit stitch 4 and 5 together and knit to the end of the row.
continue until you have six stitches left on your needle.
knit one and two together, three and four, five and six until just three stitches are left. cast off. cut, & pull extra yarn through with a crochet hook.
.............................................
surely, I have written it up before, but someone asked for it, and I thought I could store it here to copy. ha
knit across
knit two, yarn over, knit to the end of the row.
continue this knitting two stitches, then yarning over and knitting to the end of the row until you have the width you like. 40 or 42 stitches, for example. the yarning over increases your dishrag one stitch per row and gives the nice loop edging.
to decrease: knit one, knit two and three together, YO, (yarn over) knit stitch 4 and 5 together and knit to the end of the row.
continue until you have six stitches left on your needle.
knit one and two together, three and four, five and six until just three stitches are left. cast off. cut, & pull extra yarn through with a crochet hook.
.............................................
surely, I have written it up before, but someone asked for it, and I thought I could store it here to copy. ha
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Today, my "baby" turns twenty-four
Empty nesters are we. Today, my youngest son, my "baby" turns twenty-four years old. 10-27-87. I got to choose his birthday. His was a planned C-section. I enjoyed walking to the hospital that morning, as I knew the drill. I needed the exercise, and it was a deliciously foggy morning. Fog this time of year always reminds me of that morning. My Mom was watching my 14 month old and six year old.
Now he is grown. Flown the nest. Moved to Austin. Enjoying his new career. Working for an electrical contractor firm.
He called me yesterday. His background check came up clean. He was suprised. Ha. The Incident back in Alpine when he was twenty was mysteriously gone. I think he was suprised at that.
Ben recently built a friend a bunk bed set. He showed us the picture on his phone. Impressive. Ben is able to see something and then build it. He is gifted. We are so proud of him for going back to college and working toward an electrical degree. It was over a year of boring classes and challenges, but he stuck it out. He enjoyed the hands on parts. Told us stories and we are so glad his prof recommended him for his new job. The solar industry was dying, and while he enjoyed the challenges of climbing on roofs, and putting systems together, there was no money for it anymore. Government "stimulous" money never materialized. Companies went under waiting for promised money.
If Ben were in town, if Ben were home, I'd bake him a cake. Pineapple upside down cake. My presents run to the practical. Tee shirts, towels...something red or orange, his favorite colors.
Happy Birthday, Benjamin! Love, mom
Now he is grown. Flown the nest. Moved to Austin. Enjoying his new career. Working for an electrical contractor firm.
He called me yesterday. His background check came up clean. He was suprised. Ha. The Incident back in Alpine when he was twenty was mysteriously gone. I think he was suprised at that.
Ben recently built a friend a bunk bed set. He showed us the picture on his phone. Impressive. Ben is able to see something and then build it. He is gifted. We are so proud of him for going back to college and working toward an electrical degree. It was over a year of boring classes and challenges, but he stuck it out. He enjoyed the hands on parts. Told us stories and we are so glad his prof recommended him for his new job. The solar industry was dying, and while he enjoyed the challenges of climbing on roofs, and putting systems together, there was no money for it anymore. Government "stimulous" money never materialized. Companies went under waiting for promised money.
If Ben were in town, if Ben were home, I'd bake him a cake. Pineapple upside down cake. My presents run to the practical. Tee shirts, towels...something red or orange, his favorite colors.
Happy Birthday, Benjamin! Love, mom
Monday, October 3, 2011
Fun numbered date coming up
a week from Tuesday, a fun numbered date is coming up:
10-11-11. And in November, 11-11-11. Next year, Bob pointed out, there will be a 12-12-12. But that is it for this century. fun, huh?
10-11-11. And in November, 11-11-11. Next year, Bob pointed out, there will be a 12-12-12. But that is it for this century. fun, huh?
Midnight Call
It had been a few days since I had seen a post or remark by firstborn deployed. When I caught myself worrying, I would pray. And it was so wonderful, when I asked firstborn's wife if she had heard from him...he posted a reply. whew. AND a picture. added blessings. Now we can visualize the mustache. And beautiful scarf his wife knitted him. And he got the packages. yeah.
Saturday night, nay Sunday morning---at 12:43am, the phone rang. There was no way i could make it to the phone by three rings. So, I took my time. Got up without tripping or falling, and went to the bathroom, and then wandered out to the living room to check the caller ID thingy. It was middle son's phone. His wife is 16 weeks along, and they have an 8 month old baby...so I called him back. He was walking around outside holding wide awake 8 month old. I could not hear the baby, so he was content in Daddy's arms. Enjoying being held, enjoying being outside, and our son said this was his second night doing this. What to do?
I later googled "baby waking up in the middle of the night" and found out that this is normal for this age. And that sometimes night terrors start at this age. So between teething, hunger, thirst, needing a diaper change, practicing new skills, and night terrors...take your pick. Growth splurt?
I felt blessed that our son was not afraid to call us in the middle of the night. Middle of the night calls are mostly never good. This same son was not afraid to call when he was deployed and ask me to go help his wife. These are treasured calls. He reminded me of when he was little, he used the speed dial on our phone at the time to call his Aunt Sally. When asked why he was calling at such an hour, he told Aunt Sally, I can't sleep. When asked why he was not telling his own parents about this, he said, well, their door is shut, and we are not suppose to bother them when their door is shut. Needless to say, we took them off speed dial.
He said he was tempted to call Aunt Sally again, and explain that the baby that shares his name cannot sleep...
I am not guaranteeing that I will even hear the phone ring after midnight. But, I am glad I got that one. I came back to bed and bragged to my deeply slumbering husband, but he did not hear me. But, he was wide awake when I told him the next morning...
Fun times.
Baby David turns ONE on Thursday. wow. They are coming to visit next weekend. YAY
And Baby James turns 9 months on the 22nd. And might learn whether he is getting a baby brother or baby sister this weekend. Hang on!
Saturday night, nay Sunday morning---at 12:43am, the phone rang. There was no way i could make it to the phone by three rings. So, I took my time. Got up without tripping or falling, and went to the bathroom, and then wandered out to the living room to check the caller ID thingy. It was middle son's phone. His wife is 16 weeks along, and they have an 8 month old baby...so I called him back. He was walking around outside holding wide awake 8 month old. I could not hear the baby, so he was content in Daddy's arms. Enjoying being held, enjoying being outside, and our son said this was his second night doing this. What to do?
I later googled "baby waking up in the middle of the night" and found out that this is normal for this age. And that sometimes night terrors start at this age. So between teething, hunger, thirst, needing a diaper change, practicing new skills, and night terrors...take your pick. Growth splurt?
I felt blessed that our son was not afraid to call us in the middle of the night. Middle of the night calls are mostly never good. This same son was not afraid to call when he was deployed and ask me to go help his wife. These are treasured calls. He reminded me of when he was little, he used the speed dial on our phone at the time to call his Aunt Sally. When asked why he was calling at such an hour, he told Aunt Sally, I can't sleep. When asked why he was not telling his own parents about this, he said, well, their door is shut, and we are not suppose to bother them when their door is shut. Needless to say, we took them off speed dial.
He said he was tempted to call Aunt Sally again, and explain that the baby that shares his name cannot sleep...
I am not guaranteeing that I will even hear the phone ring after midnight. But, I am glad I got that one. I came back to bed and bragged to my deeply slumbering husband, but he did not hear me. But, he was wide awake when I told him the next morning...
Fun times.
Baby David turns ONE on Thursday. wow. They are coming to visit next weekend. YAY
And Baby James turns 9 months on the 22nd. And might learn whether he is getting a baby brother or baby sister this weekend. Hang on!
Courage and Thankfulness
http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SpeakerOnly=true&currSection=sermonsspeaker&Keyword=Voddie%5eBaucham
wow. a preacher not afraid to teach what the separation of church and state truly means! and not just on Oct. 2nd, but for two Sundays, and maybe more promised!
we need to learn history. Lutherans in nazi Germany were told to shut up with Romans 13.
we need to go back to the old, 1800 definition of "politics" for the furtherance of morality.
wow. a preacher not afraid to teach what the separation of church and state truly means! and not just on Oct. 2nd, but for two Sundays, and maybe more promised!
we need to learn history. Lutherans in nazi Germany were told to shut up with Romans 13.
we need to go back to the old, 1800 definition of "politics" for the furtherance of morality.
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