It's All Been Done

Christmas was lovely. Sammy, of course, had no clue what was going on so we fully enjoyed our last year of shopping while he's with us and openly talking about things! We came down the stairs yesterday morning, Sammy thinking that it's weird for Mommy to be walking down first, holding the camera. I'm just so glad I remembered to put it out Wednesday night in order to capture this, first thing:

He was so excited and just kept saying "toys on the couch?" over and over. He quickly got into a zone, digging through his Santa stuff.

And then figuring out this wrapping paper thing.


Our travel plans, as diminutive as they were, were thwarted by weather, so we settled in for a relaxing morning of play before we headed to my sister's for lunch.

Christmas, in Sammy's words...


We left my sister's (just a couple blocks away, mind you!) as it was raining. We'd all but given up on the huge storm that had been predicted. As we turned the corner from their street, it changed, quickly, to snow. By the time we got home, it was snowing heavily and an hour later when we put Sammy to bed, we couldn't see across the street. Wind, snow and craziness! Our windows were coated and we couldn't see out, but I opened the door a couple of times and was amazed at the storm. By the time we got up this morning, we had well over a foot of snow and huge drifts piled by every door. Isaac shoveled for two hours and finally got us dug out enough that he could go to work before the plows came through. Luckily, thanks to the weather, he should be home early today.

Before (last week sometime)respectable but normal:

This morning (you can no longer see the bottom of the slide, and that first swing is completely covered, so I opted for front yard pics!):


Thank goodness Sharon gave me my favorite present this year so I can put my feet up and read and be grateful I don't have to leave the house today!

Because I Have No Shame, Christmas Special

Christmas 1999. Isaac and I had been married for four months. We went to New Mexico to spend Christmas at my parents and have our very belated wedding open house. I vaguely remember my brother with us for all or part of the trip home or back. I don't remember a lot, other than he spent the whole time in the backseat making out with...someone. Huh. Funny memory (you'll have to press Dustin for more details, Cindy!).

I also just realized that I wore that cream colored sweater yesterday under a short sleeved hoodie. Huh.

Christmas 2000. We had been in Portland for about six months. We stayed in Portland for the holidays and moved into a new apartment over the break. We stayed in this apartment the rest of the time we were in Portland. It's now gone. They demo'd it a couple of years ago to make room for new dorms. The news made me sad. We have such good memories of that apartment. As a side note, that is the same tree we have to this day. I think I need an upgrade on more than just cream colored sweaters!


Christmas 2001. Isaac and I traveled from Portland to Utah and spent the holidays with the fam(s). My hair was in an "it rains a lot in Oregon" state of being. Posing with my adorable nephews (who will no longer let me call them adorable!). Also? I LOVED this sweater and I'm still sad I got rid of it. For some stupid reason that escapes me now.


Christmas 2002. Again. Travel from Portland to Utah. Cute nephews joined by cute niece. Hair shorter, colored and in an actual style. I'm fully in my "native Oregon / I don't care if it rains a lot I still want to be cute" mode. Crap. I still have this sweater, too!


Christmas 2006. Sammy's first Christmas. We spent time at the beach with my sister. Notice the hoodies, though? We had been in San Diego a couple of years by then. We were 'chilly'. I'm pretty sure my sister laughed. She may be laughing even more now...


Christmas 2007. Spent in New Mexico at my parents. We were freezing. We couldn't wait to get back to San Diego and thaw from those frozen southern New Mexico winters...(in our defense, though, I'm pretty sure it was snowing!)

But before our trip, we had Sammy test the tree lights out at our house.

Here's hoping for nice 2008 memories...Merry Christmas, everyone!

Yesterday's Flame

We had a monster storm last week and as I sat at my computer, I was able to watch it snow. All day. It started in the morning, blowing and sideways and then, later, a little more gently with big flakes. I can't measure worth a darn, but I'm thinking we got anywhere from 5-10 inches over the course of the day (11 inches according to the news...whee!). It was stormy and then quiet and then blizzard-like and then quiet. It made for a reflective day.

I have had much storminess in my heart the past few weeks. I have hurt and frustration slowly building amid the calm, quiet and gentle times. So my life is just like the storm, it seems. Believe me, the parallel didn't go unnoticed. Quiet, stormy, blizzard-like and then quiet again. But in thinking about and knowing this parallel, and that it's just the way life goes sometimes, doesn't make it easier. It may make the highs a little sweeter at times. It may make the storm a little easier to endure in the long run, but it doesn't make it easier completely.

A week ago in church, a sweet girl I know said something and I suddenly found myself crying. It seemed what she had to say was an answer for some of that building frustration - an old prayer I hadn't even dared to think about yet again. But, suddenly, here it was. An answer to something unspoken and nearly unthought of. It was a quiet time in the storm. And while it didn't make the storm go away, it did make it a little easier, put into perspective and I realized, again, the answer hadn't changed since the first time I DID ask. Years ago. A moment of quiet.

Going forward, I know this won't be the last battle with this particular struggle. I know it will happen again. It's the nature of the beast. What I do know, from watching the storm, is that it won't always be blizzard-like. The crazy will give way to the calm. As it always seems to do.