2009 Christmas Card

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Merry Christmas to Us!

We celebrated our Christmas today! We do this a week or so earlier than normal Christmas because for actual Christmas, we travel to NY. It's actually nice to wake up and be able to spend the whole day at home, enjoying each other and our gifts and not have to go anywhere. This may sound dramatic, but this so far has been the best Christmas ever! I say this because, this is really the first Christmas that both boys could really appreciate what it's all about. This is the first year we talked about Santa. I mean, we probably talked about it last year a little, but with Ryan being 3 (almost 4), he really has a sense of how magical it all is.

Kristian and I sprinkled candy canes all over their room, into the hallway, and down the stairs. We heard them wake up at 6:18 AM! and over-heard Ryan in awe about the candy canes, he woke Devin up to show him and hearing the excitement was just so cool, even if it was so freakin' early! So the boys came and got us to show us all the candy canes and we went downstairs to see what else Santa had left for us. The look on their faces was worth every single thought, minute, dollar, whatever we put into it. They made this Christmas the best for me. They opened presents and just loved everything. They shared their toys with each other. We opened something and then played with it and so on.

It was really the most perfect Christmas for me. It made me so happy just seeing how happy it made them. That is really what it is all about.

Here are some, ok a lot of pics:

T'was the night before Christmas...

Candy canes!

Let's see what Santa brought







Stockings!

Whoppee Cushions!

JJ (My Grandmother)

My grandmother died. The wife of the grandfather that died....they say that happens, I wonder if she somehow sensed that he had died. Nobody told her because she was in advanced stages of Alzheimer's Disease. To tell her would probably cause more trouble that it was worth, for her. Luckily enough, I was able to see her before she died. We had actually come out to KS to visit her, my grandfather, and Aunt Ginny. We did not make it in time to see my grandfather. We did get a chance to visit her in the nursing home. She didn't remember who we were, but we showed her pictures and read her letters my dad had written from her mother and sisters...they have already passed, but that is where her mind was at and so my dad thought it would be nice to give her some comfort and read her some letters. It was a very sweet thought.

I had left to go back to NH a little earlier so that way I could get back in time to then drive to NY for my grandfather's funeral, but that next day, JJ seemed to recognize my sister and father when they went to visit her the next day. Shortly after, a week or so, she developed pneumonia. At first it wasn't looking good and then she made a miraculous turn-around. When my father told me that she was doing well and was actually talking clearly and seemed more aware of things when my aunts went to visit, I couldn't help but think that it was a moment of clarity before the end. And it was.

Since I had visited KS not too long before she passed, I was able to see her in a light I had never before. Her as a young girl and developed into a young lady. Then married and a young mother...It was really nice to know her in that way, a way I just never knew. I did know that she was a wonderful mother to my uncle, who required a lot of care. When I was going through my college career, I learned about Willowbrook and just know what doctors recommended at the time. Also at that time, people just did what doctors said, but even in that time, my grandparents just knew that was not right and did what they thought was right to give Robbie the life he deserved. Both she and my grandfather gave their lives to him and while I might have been confused growing up, I now realize how special they were and how difficult that might have been. It is definitely something worthy of respect. They will both be remembered.