These are the things that made 2009 hard/sad/bad/challenging/difficult. Some of the things that made 2009 difficult aren't exactly mine to share, or are too personal to disclose.
First and foremost, my stepdad Ed passed away February 28, 2009. He was on hospice at home in his own bed and there were weeks of sadness and pain as we all said goodbye. Then there have been months and months of sadness and pain as we continue to say goodbye. My Mom has been very strong throughout the past year and has acted admirably.
Jonathan had a bad bout of flu and became severely dehydrated with an uncontrollable fever at the exact same time that Ed was passing away. We wound up in the ER the night of Ed's funeral. Thankfully, Jonathan recovered, but it was just very hard and unfortunate timing.
Dave's mother had a stroke and it affected her vision permanently and she had to place Dave's father in a VA hospice.
We almost killed our cat by running her through a full wash cycle in the washing machine and had to rush her to the animal hospital and it ran up a large veterinary bill.
Anna, finally reaching close enough to 30 lbs to be sedated, got her broken front teeth fixed with porcelain crowns, and while the dentist did a beautiful job, it ran up a large dental bill.
We got a large, unexpected medical bill from 4 years ago, from the time of Jonathan's surgery, when he was 2 years old... Thousands of dollars. I guess the insurance company and the doctor's office had been kicking it back and forth for years and finally we were expected to pay it. Luckily, the doctor's office reduced the amount we owed, but it still angered us because it was their mistake at the time that caused the claim to be rejected.
On that note, Jonathan's legs continue to be bothersome. It feels like a problem that will never be fully solved and it makes me crazy. I hate that his legs hurt him and I hate that we can never resolve it.
My health continued to be an annoying, nagging problem. I feel like I am about at the same point I was in 2007 when I started going to the doctors (plural) for all of my symptoms. I return to the rheumatologist next week and I am going to discuss some things with him, and then I am going to go back to the neurologist and discuss some things with him. It is too much to get into... But I continue to run fevers and have sore throats, on top of all other things like my migraines and my visual disturbances and my numbness and tingling, fatigue and pain, etc, etc, etc. I am tired of hearing about it myself, so I won't carry on about that. Every single day it is something and I am growing more and more tired and despairing of it all.
I had to have surgery in August right before school started to remove a "rotten egg" as Anna liked to tell everyone at the time. It was really my left ovary and tube. My first surgery ever. Also, financially stressful, more bills to pay.
My Dad was forced to relocate to Florida from New York. While this has been a good thing for him and us in many ways, it was very stressful during August and September. For him and us, I think probably more for him.
Jonathan started the big K. He did very well, and it has been a good thing for him. But it was still a big adjustment for us all, and at the same time,
I started my first significant job since the kids have been born. Which I LOVE, but it has been a challenge to adjust to having a job at all. Again, all of this was during August and September.
The air conditioner broke and we called someone out on the weekend which was another big bill.
The pool had a serious leak, ran up lots of extra water bills and repair bills, and continues to be a big joy sucker and source of unfruitful labor for Dave.
We purchased two gerbils back on September 11th, as a reward for Jonathan's great adjustment to K. While we chose to purchase the gerbils, they have been a punishment for me, since I have to clean their nasty cage.
The kids and I had what I am pretty sure was the swine flu back in the early fall. It was a very bad couple of days in our house. (Half of Jonathan's class was out with the flu, and there were several confirmed cases of it in his class.)
I have come to the sad conclusion that I can't continue to serve in Baby K as I have the last 2 years as coordinator. I just can't do it anymore.
Throughout this year, we have continued to have car troubles and large repair bills. At one point, both of our cars were in the shop at the same time and we had to borrow my Dad's car quite a bit. The PT cruiser had a major meltdown in July, and again in October, and my car has had several fits. I can't even remember all of the details, but it has definitely been a bad year for cars. Then again, we now pay a total of 150 a month in a car payment. That is something to be grateful for.
Sigh. I could go on, and the thing of it all is that some of the worst things about 2009 aren't even bloggable. It has just been a very, very hard year. A conflict-filled, heartbreaking Christmas finished the year out. But for each thing I list here, I can think of good things also. I am blessed in many ways, and in so many ways God made provisions for us through all of this messiness. And the big picture is this: that we have a home, 2 cars to get to school and work, etc., food to eat, clean water to drink, family that we love enough to make us a little crazy, 2 healthy, bright and wonderful children, health insurance, and most of all, each other. Better days ahead, hopefully, but even if they aren't better, but worse, we will be okay.
This past week at church, we sang a song that comforted me in a wonderful way. Ed used to sing it out loud standing next to me at church, and I always took heart that he sang it so loudly, and with such conviction and joy. God is bigger than the air I breathe, the world we'll leave. God will save the day, and all will say, My Glorious. And all You ever do, is change the old for new, People, we believe that, God is bigger than the air I breathe, the world we'll leave, and God will save the day, and all will say, My Glorious. (My Glorious/Chris Tomlin).
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sea World Last Trip 2009
Jonathan put me on a leash using my scarf. The crowds were exceptionally bad, and he came up with this solution so we could hold onto each other.
Anna's shirt said I may be cute but I still bite. She picked her own clothes to wear.
Jamie, Jonathan and Anna.
Anna refused to wear her coat for most of this chilly day, but the blue on her face is from cotton candy, not the cold.
Dave, Jonathan and Anna.
Anna LOVED sitting so she could see the rollercoaster right at the top, right before it plummeted down. "They are going to scream!" she would say, and then she was just delighted when they did.
Can I get a picture of you, Anna?
No. I'm too busy.
The kids leaving the Polar Express exhibit. They posed for this picture only because we were about to enter the gift shop.
Jonathan with the seal that he liked so much that he overcame his disgust at the little slimy fish for the first time. I think only one of the fish made it to the seal. They have some very aggressive local birds that steal the fish.
His "I'm gonna puke" face.
Jonathan discovered those penny machines for the first time as we left the park. You put 51 cents in and get a flat, embossed penny as a sovenier. He says next time he is going to bring lots of two quarters and one penny and get lots of flat pennies. It's his piggy bank.
The kids leaving the Polar Express exhibit. They posed for this picture only because we were about to enter the gift shop.
Jonathan with the seal that he liked so much that he overcame his disgust at the little slimy fish for the first time. I think only one of the fish made it to the seal. They have some very aggressive local birds that steal the fish.
His "I'm gonna puke" face.
Jonathan discovered those penny machines for the first time as we left the park. You put 51 cents in and get a flat, embossed penny as a sovenier. He says next time he is going to bring lots of two quarters and one penny and get lots of flat pennies. It's his piggy bank.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Orange Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream
My Dad's 65th Birthday. With Jonathan, Justine, Trystan, Serisa (Justine's BestFriend) and Anna.
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting:
10 Tablespoons of Butter, unsalted (1.25 sticks)
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise (Use paring knife to scrape seeds from vanilla bean)
1.25 cups powdered sugar
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
Beat butter and vanilla seeds together. Add sugar and salt, mix. Add vanilla extract and cream, and beat about 4 minutes, scraping bowl often until light and fluffy.
**We have to quadruple this recipe to get enough frosting for a three layer cake.
Orange Cake:
1 Duncan Hines Orange Supreme Cake Mix
1 box vanilla instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
Combine ingredients, mix well, pour into 3 round cake pans and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Next time, we will probably try to lower the temperature to 325. I think the cake could have possiblybeen moister... But it was pretty darn good. And had it been moister, I am not sure the layers would have held together as well. Dave actually made the cake and frosting for me, I just frosted it. :) Anna insisted that we have orange frosting since that is my Dad's favorite color. They were all out of orange tint, so we had to mix lemon yellow with red... Jonathan remarked that it was not orange, but yellow. So, I sprinkled some orange sugar on top.
Monday, December 28, 2009
25 Things about Jamie
(by Dave)
1. She is extremely sensitive to others' feelings and moods.
2. Due to being so sensitive to others' moods, she is sad whenever anyone around her is sad.
3. She uses the snooze button.
4. She needs coffee in the morning to wake up.
5. She only likes coffee if she doesn't make it herself.
6. She always reads the last page of a novel first.
7. She can read an entire novel in a day if it is good.
8. She can read twice as fast as a normal person.
9. She always remembers everything she reads.
10. She never remembers movies that she's watched.
11. She is a super mom.
12. She recognizes, understands and appreciates everything about our children.
13. She loves the children because of the weird things they do and say, not despite of the weird things they do and say.
14. She can multitast like no other. She has no problem talking on the phone while driving, emailing, texting, playing with our kids or working.
15. She decorates beautiful cakes.
16. She is the most talented cook I know.
17. She remembers all of the grammar and spelling rules in the English language. Yes, all of them. In fact, she can't ignore people's mistakes. I'm sure she's found a few mistakes in this list already. Maybe by the time you read this, she'll have already fixed them.
18. She is beautiful with and without makeup.
19. She always flosses at least once a day.
20. She never wants her feet covered when she sleeps, except maybe with socks.
21. She sings to help our kids go to sleep, but she won't let me listen.
22. She always knows the proper etiquette for any situation.
23. She loves teaching kids.
24. She has fibromyalgia, so she is almost always in pain. Some days the pain is really bad, but she never uses it as an excuse.
25. She has always forgiven anyone who asked and she never holds grudges.
1. She is extremely sensitive to others' feelings and moods.
2. Due to being so sensitive to others' moods, she is sad whenever anyone around her is sad.
3. She uses the snooze button.
4. She needs coffee in the morning to wake up.
5. She only likes coffee if she doesn't make it herself.
6. She always reads the last page of a novel first.
7. She can read an entire novel in a day if it is good.
8. She can read twice as fast as a normal person.
9. She always remembers everything she reads.
10. She never remembers movies that she's watched.
11. She is a super mom.
12. She recognizes, understands and appreciates everything about our children.
13. She loves the children because of the weird things they do and say, not despite of the weird things they do and say.
14. She can multitast like no other. She has no problem talking on the phone while driving, emailing, texting, playing with our kids or working.
15. She decorates beautiful cakes.
16. She is the most talented cook I know.
17. She remembers all of the grammar and spelling rules in the English language. Yes, all of them. In fact, she can't ignore people's mistakes. I'm sure she's found a few mistakes in this list already. Maybe by the time you read this, she'll have already fixed them.
18. She is beautiful with and without makeup.
19. She always flosses at least once a day.
20. She never wants her feet covered when she sleeps, except maybe with socks.
21. She sings to help our kids go to sleep, but she won't let me listen.
22. She always knows the proper etiquette for any situation.
23. She loves teaching kids.
24. She has fibromyalgia, so she is almost always in pain. Some days the pain is really bad, but she never uses it as an excuse.
25. She has always forgiven anyone who asked and she never holds grudges.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Nightmare
Jonathan came busting into our room about 2 AM last night, crying in the way that jolts a mother awake like no other. I was sure he was hurt, or sick, or being attacked by some sort of household beast, or what??? As he made his way to my side of the bed, he bawled loudly, "But I don't want to play football!" I grabbed him and hugged him and said, What, what, buddy, are you okay?, (and also, what? WHAT?)
He got into bed (taking my pillow and my spot in the process). In between huge, heaving sobs, he would take gulps of air, and explain a little more. Apparently, he had a nightmare, during which we signed him up to play football. More specifically, his Daddy had signed him up to play football with other children. On a team. Running around. Outside.
I tried my best not to laugh out loud as I soothed him back to sleep, telling him it was just a bad dream, we would never make him play a sport that he did not want to play, and more specifcally, Daddy would never force him to play football.
If being forced to play team sports is a profound fear of his, God placed him in the right family. Dave is the LAST father in the world that would dream of forcing his son into a football league. He has no childhood sport glory to relive through his children. I was never on a team sport, and I would probably have required therapy as a child if my mom had put me on one. She was always trying to help me out of my shell, with dance class (a failure for me, but it was nice of her to have given me the opportunity) but I think she was wise to never try this. Every single recess period or PE class for my entire childhood, until high school, when I enrolled in Weighlifting for my one PE elective required to graduate, was a heart-pounding, humiliating experience for me. I was terrified of the ball (ANY type of ball, ANY type of game) and my main object was to avoid the ball at all costs. Dodgeball was hell. Then games like kickball were terrible also, because avoiding the ball was a cruel paradox, because not being picked to handle the ball was social rejection, and exactly the type of negative attention from my peers I was trying to avoid. But then when it was my turn, I would inevitably fail, and my team would be disappointed, so all attention would be focused on me (which for any reason, good OR bad, in elementary school, was unbearable for me) and it was just awful. When I hear the term painfully shy, I understand it on a highly personal level. Thank goodness some of it went away with age, I learned to cope with it or hide it in other ways, and that adulthood has different requirements than childhood. I am not forced, 5 days a week, to play team sports. I am VERY grateful that this is a difference adults enjoy. Of course, if either of my children love team sports, I would completely support them and would probably be able to overcome my fear of all balls to cheer them on. But given my childhood, I would NEVER allow my husband to force my children to participate in team sports. Luckily, I married Dave, so this is not an issue. I am sure he had similiar issues with recess.
And for those of you who are reading this and thinking, WOW! They have clearly done a great job of not passing their fears on to their child, you must know that I have simply encouraged them both to be who they already are. We haven't spent any time brainwashing them against sports. Jonathan's physical issues make participating in competitive sports, such as soccer, impractical. Too much running. He obviously participates in PE and recess at school, and is given ample opportunity to be physically active after school. He is lean and in great health. I have been advised to get him involved in something such as swimming or martial arts if we (him and us both) want to put him in sports. Whether Jonathan intuitively understands that he is slightly limited, or his personality simply makes it not his thing, he does not want to be signed up for sports. He has always protested at the thought of it.
So, anyways, his nightmare will not come true. We (or Daddy, rather) will never take him to a field at night and force him to play football with other children.
He got into bed (taking my pillow and my spot in the process). In between huge, heaving sobs, he would take gulps of air, and explain a little more. Apparently, he had a nightmare, during which we signed him up to play football. More specifically, his Daddy had signed him up to play football with other children. On a team. Running around. Outside.
I tried my best not to laugh out loud as I soothed him back to sleep, telling him it was just a bad dream, we would never make him play a sport that he did not want to play, and more specifcally, Daddy would never force him to play football.
If being forced to play team sports is a profound fear of his, God placed him in the right family. Dave is the LAST father in the world that would dream of forcing his son into a football league. He has no childhood sport glory to relive through his children. I was never on a team sport, and I would probably have required therapy as a child if my mom had put me on one. She was always trying to help me out of my shell, with dance class (a failure for me, but it was nice of her to have given me the opportunity) but I think she was wise to never try this. Every single recess period or PE class for my entire childhood, until high school, when I enrolled in Weighlifting for my one PE elective required to graduate, was a heart-pounding, humiliating experience for me. I was terrified of the ball (ANY type of ball, ANY type of game) and my main object was to avoid the ball at all costs. Dodgeball was hell. Then games like kickball were terrible also, because avoiding the ball was a cruel paradox, because not being picked to handle the ball was social rejection, and exactly the type of negative attention from my peers I was trying to avoid. But then when it was my turn, I would inevitably fail, and my team would be disappointed, so all attention would be focused on me (which for any reason, good OR bad, in elementary school, was unbearable for me) and it was just awful. When I hear the term painfully shy, I understand it on a highly personal level. Thank goodness some of it went away with age, I learned to cope with it or hide it in other ways, and that adulthood has different requirements than childhood. I am not forced, 5 days a week, to play team sports. I am VERY grateful that this is a difference adults enjoy. Of course, if either of my children love team sports, I would completely support them and would probably be able to overcome my fear of all balls to cheer them on. But given my childhood, I would NEVER allow my husband to force my children to participate in team sports. Luckily, I married Dave, so this is not an issue. I am sure he had similiar issues with recess.
And for those of you who are reading this and thinking, WOW! They have clearly done a great job of not passing their fears on to their child, you must know that I have simply encouraged them both to be who they already are. We haven't spent any time brainwashing them against sports. Jonathan's physical issues make participating in competitive sports, such as soccer, impractical. Too much running. He obviously participates in PE and recess at school, and is given ample opportunity to be physically active after school. He is lean and in great health. I have been advised to get him involved in something such as swimming or martial arts if we (him and us both) want to put him in sports. Whether Jonathan intuitively understands that he is slightly limited, or his personality simply makes it not his thing, he does not want to be signed up for sports. He has always protested at the thought of it.
So, anyways, his nightmare will not come true. We (or Daddy, rather) will never take him to a field at night and force him to play football with other children.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas 2009
Finally... an angel for the top of our tree! For years, we have tried to find something that will go on top of the tree (and stay on top of the tree). Every year we pick something out, bring it home, and promptly take it back to Target. But this year, Anna made this angel at preschool, and it is perfect!
Making the annual Magic Oats for Santa's reindeer.
Jonathan posing by the stockings. This was the first year we had stockings. Dave and I didn't plan well enough and forgot to get anything for our stockings. Anna was pretty mad at Santa Claus for only filling the kids' stockings and not the adults' stockings. She was also pretty upset when it started to rain on Christmas day. "It NEVER rains on Christmas. It is just not SUPPOSED to! It just can't rain on Christmas!"
The kids wouldn't touch any of their presents until I opened all of mine. How sweet is that? Anna was so proud to suprise me with a photo Nona had taken of her with Santa. She kept it a secret this whole time. The kids also both wrapped up one of their special bears to give to me. And I got a very nice bracelet that Dave and the kids picked out for me. 
Anna trying out her princess game.
Anna playing with Jonathan's Batmobile.
Me doing a Star Wars puzzle with Jonathan.
Anna showing off her Connect 4 game.
Snuggled up with her baby doll, which she named Frosty the Snowman. Nona got it for her, and it is her favorite gift, because it came with all the baby equipment that Ella (her baby cousin) has.
Jonathan with his educational electronic map that Nona got him. I think he was giving Biscuit and Mutton some schooling. (For those who don't know, Biscuit and Mutton, although regularly featured in our family blog and pics, aren't actually our Shi Tzus. They belong to my Mom, and we just keep them sometimes. It is really nice, because I can have dogs without really having to have dogs.)
2009 has brought with it a lot of sorrow and trials for our family, but also joy and blessings. I guess this could be said of any year, but I think it seems more so this year than any other. We lost my stepdad Ed at the end of February. He was a great man and left a great hole in our lives. I still miss him every day. In July, we were overjoyed at the arrival of our beautiful and miraculous niece, Ella Hope. Life is like this, a lot of bitter, followed by a lot of sweet. Thankfully so.
Anna playing with Jonathan's Batmobile.
Me doing a Star Wars puzzle with Jonathan.
Anna showing off her Connect 4 game.
Snuggled up with her baby doll, which she named Frosty the Snowman. Nona got it for her, and it is her favorite gift, because it came with all the baby equipment that Ella (her baby cousin) has.
Jonathan with his educational electronic map that Nona got him. I think he was giving Biscuit and Mutton some schooling. (For those who don't know, Biscuit and Mutton, although regularly featured in our family blog and pics, aren't actually our Shi Tzus. They belong to my Mom, and we just keep them sometimes. It is really nice, because I can have dogs without really having to have dogs.)
2009 has brought with it a lot of sorrow and trials for our family, but also joy and blessings. I guess this could be said of any year, but I think it seems more so this year than any other. We lost my stepdad Ed at the end of February. He was a great man and left a great hole in our lives. I still miss him every day. In July, we were overjoyed at the arrival of our beautiful and miraculous niece, Ella Hope. Life is like this, a lot of bitter, followed by a lot of sweet. Thankfully so.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
2009 In Random Review
I went back through 2009's files, clicked on the first file for each month, and uploaded the first picture in that file. So this is pretty random... Above: December, our little scientist at work at his school's Science Night.
November, Anna fell asleep with her nebulizer treatment going. She had a bad croupy cold.
October, trying out Lara's vanilla bean frosting. Our first experience baking with real vanilla bean. Dave said it was the best frosting ever.
September, a picture I took of Jonathan's artwork (that I think was actually painted this summer?)
August, fun at Nona's pool. Jonathan was helping Biscuit out of the pool. Those dogs look so ugly cute when they are wet!
July, again at Nona's. Biscuit is in the shopping cart, apparently wearing clothes. Trystan, and Anna, and Justine, with her sweet friend Serisa over.
June, Anna being silly. I think these were some of the pre-dental work pictures we took. They did an amazing job fixing her teeth with porcelain crowns. The crowns, and accidentally washing our poor cat in the washing machine and running up a large vet bill, were two of our big expenses that summer.
May... some of the cases for nursery at out church. Our church went portable this year, and has Sunday services out of a local elementary school. I was probably taking photos of them all packed up so we could remember what went were. This case has the flooring, and the two folding chairs, and the two rocking chairs.
April. Jonathan was going through an anti-photo stage.
March. Dave and I were out on an early date for his birthday. I really think this photo was taken on the last day of February, but I am not sure. I wish I wore makeup more often, did my hair, wore flowers in it... Naaah.
February. Anna conked out on the sofa. I can't remember where we were, but she fell asleep in the car, and then stayed asleep to transition to the couch. Sweet girl.
January. At Fazoli's with our best friends, The Morgans, who came to visit from NC. We were trying to get the future Mr. and Mrs. Henry Morgan to pose together for a pic. Henry was cooperating, Anna was not. Also, about this picture, Dave, have you thought about bringing the beard back?
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Happy 4th Birthday, Anna Elizabeth!
Snuggled up on Daddy.
That boo (pacifier was HUGE). Or rather, that baby was TINY.
Right after birth and first bath, which they did right in the room, on the warming table. The best thing about that hospital was that Anna virtually never left our sight, from the time she was born, until we got to take her home on Christmas Eve!
Okay, it's not just me, that is ONE PRETTY NEWBORN! I hated that bruise on her hand, it was from them taking blood.
Awwww.
Me minutes after her birth. Anna was on the warming table, and I was ready to kick someone's butt because I wanted to hold her. (Irrational, yes.)
Okay, it's not just me, that is ONE PRETTY NEWBORN! I hated that bruise on her hand, it was from them taking blood.
Awwww.
Me minutes after her birth. Anna was on the warming table, and I was ready to kick someone's butt because I wanted to hold her. (Irrational, yes.)
4 Years Ago Today, at 12:25 AM, my little 6 pound Anna Elizabeth came into the world! We had decided on Anna Grace for her name, but as I stared at her that night (I could barely sleep, because I was so excited to hold my baby girl in my arms! I kept her in my arms the whole night. The nurses pretended not to notice {babies weren't supposed to sleep in the bed with Mommy, but in the bassinet right beside it}) I had a change of heart, and felt that her name was really supposed to be Anna Elizabeth (my middle name also).
After an exceptionally easy and suprisingly QUICK labor, (from the first contraction to the last push, about 5 hours) Anna emerged with just one push.
And she was a GORGEOUS newborn. I just couldn't get over how tiny and beautiful she was... Her dark hair felt like feathers, her skin was butter soft, and she was wide-eyed and awake. She was just so dainty and delicate. And now, she is an AMAZING little girl. We are so blessed to have Anna.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Jon and Anna's 1st Scrapbooking
My favorite!
Anna working on her pages.
Anna working on her pages.
My niece Justine is making a scrapbook for someone in her family. She was over yesterday working on it at our house. I found a small scrapbook I have never used, and told Anna she could have it. Then we went to Target today and got Jonathan one. (The binder was fifty cents, the paper was 1.50, and the stickers were 50 cents!) They worked so hard on their books for a long time this afternoon. I got down a box of extra photos from the past 10 years or so, either ones that I had doubles of or that did not make it into my scrapbooks. They each picked a pile of photos. I let them completely organize it themselves, pick out their own stickers, use the cropper, everything. They did a great job! At one point, Anna was looking at pictures of Jonathan as a baby and she was saying, "Oh, he is just so cute!" and she actually started CRYING. Jonathan got very offended, and he told her, "Stop acting like a weirdo girl who likes boys or something!"
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