The Christmas Lists... 2014

 The Sergeant's:

Benny's:

Wayne Peppermint is here... our Christmas Elf. We found him in an empty suitcase when we arrived home from our trip!! The boys were ecstatic.

This Mama is Thankful… More than Ever

Can I just get a blog post?! Why, yes! Idle hands are the devil’s workshop and there is no such mode for these mittens of mine. They have been busy typing away at scholarly papers in APA format for school. However, this place where love, family, reflection and real life stories is my absolute favorite to be at with this keyboard. I am grateful to squeeze in an addition to the blog. I couldn’t leave out the column of thanks this year. I have so much to be thankful for… I was reminded last week.

I received the phone call that every mother dreads. It was an unfamiliar call from someone who doesn’t dial to me often and my mind was already puzzled as I slid my phone to answer. The Sergeant was in a roll over car accident.  I could feel the blood leave my head and I felt like I was going to vomit. I remember some sort of verbiage that he is okay as I am eyeballing where my keys and purse are and ran out of the door. I drove safe, but really fast as the worst parental moment of my life still kept me nauseated. He was waiting for me when I got there to him. It was that look on his face he wore where I knew he needed his mother. I grabbed him and I told him to look at me in the eyes and I held him. I just sat and held him in my arms so tightly. He said he briefly lost consciousness in the car as it rolled and slid into another.

The Sergeant recollects this happened from 6:30-6:38pm. When he came to, he was hanging in the vehicle by his seat belt. He said he started to scream. Before emergency services arrived on the scene someone pulled him out from the back.  The Sergeant said a woman came to him, put her hands on him and prayed. He doesn’t know who she was but she left. He felt safe. I knew he was going to be okay. I bathed him and examined his bruising already forming, the scrapes and the seat belt markings on his neck. I rubbed his sore back and neck with arnica cream and held on to him as he debriefed and my heart sank. He slept right next to me the whole night… we all slept together. I didn’t sleep very well at all. I’m a mild neuro nurse so I wanted to make sure that he woke up easily a few times. Then I caught myself in a stare in one of the insomnia moments… I just looked at him and thanked God for his precious body that is still breathing next to me that I can kiss and snuggle whenever I want to, so I did and I didn’t let go for a while in the dark still. I can’t imagine the grasp of life without my children… it would be the worst torture anyone could endure. It was already enough this close. That Sunday I went to the front of the church and cried my eyeballs out some more with tears of gratitude of course, and it was prayers of thanks someone said for me, as I couldn’t. So here goes my heartfelt column of thanks this year, in no particular order. I am thankful for…

- God’s good grace

- His unfailing love

- Angels in our community

- My children

- Good health

- Family

- Friends

- My cozy home

- Cozy cabins

- Smores

- Fall boots

- Dancing

- Another first kiss

- Movies
- The smell of rain

- Mountains

- Islands

- An ocean breeze

- Roller coasters
- Warm sand on your toes

- My LuLu

- Teachers

- Coaches

- Surgeons

- Nurses

- Doctors

- Anesthesiologists

- Chiropractors

- Massage Therapists

- A good massage

- Skin brushes
- Bubble baths

- Red lipstick

- The color red

- Long hair

- Snuggles

- More Snuggles

- Allrecipes.com

- Grills

- Police officers

- Firemen

- Triathlons

- Lap swims

- Running

- Bike rides

- A warm jacket

- Good advice
- Good Neighbors
- You

- Leggings
- A fun date

- Hugs

- Kisses

- More kisses

- Little dogs

- Big dogs

- Dentists

- Principles

- Co-workers

- A good song
- To have loved
- To have been loved

- Safe vehicles

- Cooking breakfast in your jammies

- My Benny says… for having such a wonderful family

- My Sergeant says… waking up to my mommy

I am blessed to have the week of Thanksgiving off of work. I pumped out my papers for school so I could drizzle my home in reflection of my Christmas spirit and cook my little heart out. I made pies, casseroles and a juicy turkey to celebrate the life and love we have with those around us. It started with mimosas in the morning and friends as my boys played a hearty game of football with theirs. The Sergeant won first place in Seville’s 5K Turkey Trot.

God has plans for you, baby.

I swooped my children off for some time up north. I am lucky to be here right now, enjoying those quiet moments with my family that is important and everything to me. We are hiking and exploring by day and nestled near the fire making smores by night. Indulging in Turkey Day leftovers and creating new dishes out of it as I sip on a little vino. I am waking up to my boys each day while we watch our favorite Christmas movies cuddling in the covers. Benny and I even got a nap in together yesterday and we woke up just as our cherished Home Alone scenes came on. Life is so beautiful, especially with them in it.

If you love someone, let them know... and if you have them, hold on to them tightly.