Contentment

I received the best Christmas gift ever this year-- contentment. We just got home from my parents' house. We had such a great day and enjoyed visiting with family. I'll post later with pics and possibly even video. Right now, I just want to share my appreciation for a wonderful afternoon/evening. I haven't felt this content in a very long time. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Tag

Christmas Tag

From GinGin:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually, paper for Christmas. Especially, if it's really odd shape. William loves the challenge.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial, as with so many things, I'm VERY allergic to real Christmas trees.

3. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving weekend. That's not to say we get the ornaments on it then. In fact, this year, we just decorated w/Christmas cards. Turned out pretty cute.

4. When do you take the tree down? We try to do it on New Year's Day.

5. Do you like eggnog? EEWWWWWWW! YUCK!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably my stereo.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Kelvin-what he wants changes constantly!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Rion. As long as he gets to rip paper off something, he's happy.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yep. I collect them.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I always intend to mail Christmas cards. I've only done it a couple of times. Maybe next year.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? accounting software from my husband.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. I love those mice.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever I can. If I buy things too early, I'll give them and have to buy something else by Christmas.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably, but I can't remember.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Summer sausage, cheese and crackers.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes. I really like our green ones this year.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Anyone that knows me, knows this is just a silly question.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Both.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? This year, neither.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both. We open one gift Christmas Eve and the rest Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Dallas traffic, etc.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I really like red and silver. (GinGin is totally welcome to bum some purple one's off me next year. Wouldn't hurt my feelings if you somehow misplaced them.) ;)

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Mama's chili.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? a completely unscheduled day w/all of my boys.

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Maybe Devon or Mandy.

Stitches

With 4 boys, the oldest of which is 13, I felt pretty accomplished- no broken bones or stitches. I'm sure those of you that know what monkeys our boys are would agree.

Well, Wednesday, that ended. The boys were playing while I was working on the computer. Then, Ian says, "Mom, you need to look at this." Since it's typical for him to freak out over every little scrape, I kept typing and asked what was wrong this time. Rion came around the couch with blood spreading across the left side of his face. I quickly aborted my work, picked Rion up and went to the bathroom. Luckily, after this many years of motherhood I've come to know that head/face wounds bleed A LOT. Add to that a 3 year old that keeps trying to wipe it away and I decided to get him cleaned up before I totally freaked.

Rion was crying but his brothers were in hysterics. Ian was the worst because he was the one that came around the corner too fast, running into the glider Rion was hiding behind. While cleaning the little guy, I tried to convince Ian that accidents happen and Sammy that Rion was really going to be ok. Rion, trying to be a big boy, even started to tell his brother's, "I a'right. It's just an owie." I got him mostly cleaned up and the bleeding down to more of a slow ooze than flow. I called the doctor to make sure this was an ER worthy injury. They said to take him right in. I made a couple of calls to make arrangements for the other two. Then I called William. I realized after I got to the hospital that all I said to him was, "Can you cancel your UIL practice after school and meet me at Cook's ER?" He said he could and I said, "OK, good." I then hung up the phone and walked out the door. He had no idea what was going on until he got to the hospital.

Rion was such a big guy in the ER. He was happy and friendly to everyone. He tried to make the sad girl behind us in the waiting room smile. The wound tech. and child life person were great. Rion never cried while there. He whimpered a little when they were numbing his eyelid/brow. But he used his words and told the tech to slow down. He ended up with 6 "string bandaids". I called them stitches once while there and got one heck of a dirty look.

Here's a close up without the bandaid. In true little boy fashion, he's very proud of the fact that he's the first of his brothers to get "string bandaids."

Thanks to Jodi for getting Ian where he needed to be, Mom & Dad for watching Sammy and Ginney for helping me refocus (as usual) and being the photographer.