The Best Day EVER!!

I am not sure why, but this year the Christmas Spirit has eluded me. It was not for lack of trying I can assure you. Weekly lesson's on the birth of Christ for my children, strains of Christmas music filled my home continually, a family was adopted for Christmas, the yearly cookie and candy making was done. Angels, nutcrackers, santa's, and various nativities adorned my home. We took the traditional drive down Christmas tree lane and "oohed and awed" over the beautiful light displays. I went to every child's Christmas program. Lots of hot chocolate with marshmallows was consumed over wonderful holiday stories. We watched every holiday movie I own... but still I felt empty and I felt sad. I wanted so badly to give my children a wonderful holiday filled with all the warmth and happiness remembered from my youth, but I felt that despite all my efforts I was failing them.
December 22 came and I still had not found that elusive feeling I was searching for. That night at work a woman came in, she was 20 weeks and 1 day. She was visiting relatives from Texas. She had spontaneously ruptured, was contracting, and her cervix was opening. She was septic and needed that baby out or she would die. Sadly the baby needed to stay in or it would die. I watched that little baby, only a week older than the small life growing inside me, die slowly on the monitor. It's little heart rate slowly dropping from 160 to 120 to a meager 60 bpm. I have delivered babies that were already dead, but this was the first baby that I actually had to watch die and there was nothing I could do about it.
At home my fitful sleep was intermingled with dreams of a tiny baby boy gasping for life and a grieving mother who held her dead child with all the tenderness she would have showered on a live child.
I thought about children and I thought about mothers. I thought about Christ and I thought about Mary. The morning of the 24th dawned. There were still so many things to be done. I had planned our yearly caroling outing to the assisted living centers as well as to our relatives that live nearby the kids look forward to that all year, but I didn't have everything done. I decided to forgo the push and the stress and just stay home. My well made plans were thrown to the wind and I settled in doing the small mundane things that make me feel more sane at home. I started washing down my walls and cupboards, swept the floor, and pulled out the mop. One by one my little children came to me to ask me what they could do to help. I handed out little tasks and watched them as they joyfully worked by my side. Several hours past, Kinsey and I went to her bedroom to sort out some laundry that she would need for the next few days. As we sifted through the mounds of dirty girl clothes Kinsey looked up at me and with all the sincerity of a five year old said "Mom, this is the best day ever."
Needless to say I was shocked, and I realized that as good as the things I was trying to give my kids were, what they really want is my time and my love. While I still didn't have the nostalgic feeling I was looking for I had found another perhaps more meaningful feeling. While I don't think I will stop searching for the Christmas spirit I think I will not be so quick to decide in what form that it comes in. The best day ever...

Still a Boy!

Our Baby, although still shy, looks to be boy as we were told by the ultrasonographer for the second time. For now we will have to go with that!! There has been a decision on his name (assuming he stays a boy). It will be Connor LaVor Plumb. In order for me to win the battle of the name game with my sweet wife, I had to give a little as well. Signed, sealed, and delivered. A deal was made between Catherine and myself in which I am being given the privilege of naming our son. She will now be the decision maker in terms of circumcision as I relinquished control of that right to get my name! Latest measurments indicate the due date as May 21, 2010. We are considering a cesearean for May 14, 2010. It is exciting. ( a girl would be Anysa Grace Plumb) Anyway, Happy Holidays to all.

Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy. . .Can you guess?

Here at last! We have a boy! Or so we are told. Catherine was a bit behind their original schedule. Our due date has been changed to May 22, 2010. Names being considered are Timothy, Jaxon, and Nicholas. We have another ultrasound this monday to confirm the sex. Either way I am very excited. (He has my nose I am told) Only time will tell.

Had to share... my family

I was very pleased to have both the matriarch and patriarch of our family in character at our party, they were very cute as Little Red Riding Hood and her Woodsman!

This was the only shot I got of the brand new parents... they were eyeballs, probably signifying that they only had eyes for Vyolet??? I don't know, but what an amazing woman Ivy is, just released from the hospital only hours before and still showed up to support the family.

The Freeman's... complete with Elisabeth's boot, she was concerned that her boots might not make it into the picture, so with the help of her able bodied "groovy" husband the boot is in it's rightful place. What a great team they are. Oh, did I mention the cutest cow west of the Mississippi?? Cami kept hitting her moo button keeping us all amused for hours.

The Hatch's... Jenifur revealed her true identity as "Super Mom" leaving us to wonder what her mild mannered alter ego has been doing all this time, I thought she was super mom. A Ghost, a missing chicken, Darth Vadar, and whoever Michael is round out our family of stripling warriors.

Neverland found us as Peter Pan, Wendy, Jon, a lost boy, and Princess Tigerlilly flew in threw our window and tried to convince us not to grow up. (I let them borrow my Tinkerbell(Allie) to make the set complete) Doesn't get cuter as a family set.

I had so much fun watching my family what great people you all are. Thank you to everyone for making our Halloween party such a success.

Halloween at Home?

There were bones, fingers, toes and Brew. There were so many monsters I didn't know what to do! Along with the serving of witches fingers and troll's toes, we were treated to some of Mom's boiling brew full of floating eyeballs. It was great!

Dinner was served al a pumpkin style. Yummy, just like my mom used to make growing up.

It was a great success! Way to go Mom and Aunt Elisabeth for a great family get together, not to mention a bit spooky!

The Costume Parade

Only Time will Tell

What is coming . . . ? The word is out! Revealed none other than Halloween night amongst our family during a party hosted by my wife, I let the cat out of the bag so to speak. We are indeed expecting a new addition. What will it be? A boy (Jaxon LaVarr) or a girl (Anisa Grace)? Only time will tell. One thing for sure though, I will keep you updated throughout the process. I am very excited. It was hard to wait this long. Our tentative due date, May 14, 2010.