I’ve been trying to determine what kind of year 2014 has been for us, and overall I’d say it’s just been kind of weird.
The thing that sticks out most in my mind is our medical mishaps. Kate had tests, tests, and more tests, but never really received a diagnosis. Andy finally got treatment for the back problems he was having, and while we were not thrilled to hear he has an autoimmune form of arthritis, the medication he was put on has improved his life tremendously. I was diagnosed with a big tongue, which led to me getting braces. And then there was that thing with my ovaries a couple weeks ago.
Yeah, I’d say “Weird” pretty much sums it up.
Honestly, I have a hard time remembering the rest of the year.
But, thanks to the wonderful world of technology, Facebook told me it’s been a great year… and in many ways, it was right!
I read a lot of books and saw a few movies. The kids turned 6 and 10 and had a blast on the swim team. We vacationed in Nashville and Northern Michigan, and celebrated my brother-in-law’s wedding in Chicago. Spreadsheet Thanksgiving was a success, and Santa was good to them.
We are all happy and healthy and together. I would say that makes 2014 pretty great.
Here’s to an even better (and maybe slightly less weird) 2015!
A few days before Christmas we watched “Home Alone” with the kids. I laughed so hard…I’d forgotten how FUNNY that movie is! Jonah watched most of it with us, especially the part where Kevin’s older brother says “a$$” which he then repeated a couple times (I had NO memory of any of those kind of words in Home Alone! Whoops!). But near the end, he was weary of watching, and apparently hungry AND tired, because as the closing credits rolled, I found him like this ^^ – enjoying his favorite (local! #dayton) gluten-free snack while reclining comfortably on the kitchen floor.
This kid cracks me up!
Over the past couple of months, Jonah has made lots of progress in speech. Not necessarily in language concepts so much (which is the real challenge and was for Sophie) but in fluency – which is really fun. Specifically he has started ASKING questions. This is huge. I remember praying so hard that Sophie would ask questions. It’s a major language milestone. So when he started walking around saying “Where’s Joshua?” and “Can we listen to the Grinch song?” and “What are you doing?” it made me VERY happy. And although this is a “good” thing – he has also been asking WHY constantly!
Since I started working, I have not been as good about working with Jonah as I should be. I have berated myself for this, but the truth is, I am doing my best. I am still figuring this out – how to best manage my time – and apparently the learning curve is steep. We are still working 4-5 times a week plus he still goes to speech, but I am not putting the time into lesson plans that I have previously. So to see him doing well despite my slackerness is a great encouragement to me both that he’s going to be ok AND that I need to press on and make his lessons a priority (I guess I need to stay up even later, LOL. Because I cannot get up before 5:45. I can’t!)
As Jonah progresses in his speech he cracks us up daily. He is such a joy! For instance this morning, he crawled up on my lap and said: “Where’s Daddy?”
Me: Daddy’s at work.
Jonah: He’s not at work!
Me: Yes, he’s at work. Poor Daddy, he had to go to work and you’re still on break.
Jonah: That make Daddy cry.
I love that so much! Not only is it funny, it shows that Jonah deduced that Daddy would rather be at home with us than at work.
Smart boy. I’m so proud of him and delighted by him…I can’t wait to know what else he has to tell me!
Yesterday marked without a doubt the weirdest Christmas I’ve ever had. But thank goodness, it was still pretty merry.
It started out like any normal Christmas. The kids bounded out of bed at 7:30 (our enforced time) and we opened gifts…lots of smiles all around. But then around 10 or so I got a FB message from my mom saying that Emily’s dad had gone over to get my Grandma to help her get ready for our family Christmas celebration (which would take place at my mom’s for the first time as our Grandma finally couldn’t handle having it at her house for the first time) and found her not quite well. He called an ambulance to come get her, and our Christmas took a turn.
My mom and Emily’s dad ended up spending the entire day at the hospital with Grandma (who is ok, but apparently fell and hit her head – no concussion, though) who ended up being admitted but spent the day in the ER in an overcrowded hospital before finally getting an actual room in the late afternoon.
First year in my ENTIRE life I haven’t seen my Grandma on Christmas. Admittedly, I was pretty low. We weren’t able to visit her because of the whole ER situation plus a high risk of flu at the hospital. However, after it appeared that she was not in major danger, I perked up a bit. But I still felt for my mom and Em’s dad as they spent all day with her and most of the evening, and now have some tough decisions to make about what’s best for her.
So, the Rapsons spent a good part of our day being lazy and playing with toys – not so bad, really. Then we packed up about 3:00 to go visit my other Grandma, my dad’s mom, who is 95 and has been ailing since August. The past few times I have visited Grandma have been really hard, because she is not well at all and it’s just hard. I miss her vibrancy. But it was a blessing to see her on Christmas day and tell her I love her.
After a visit with Grandma and my aunts (thanks for all the gluten-free food, Aunt Z!!!), we headed over to Emily’s house, because she lives 5 minutes from my Grandma and the kids were dying for some cousin time. (As was I, I will confess.)
There a lot of selfies ensued.
#averyselfieChristmas
Then Kate and Sophie got in on the act because Kate is my selfie protege. You’re welcome, Em!
And THEN Emily and I played an EPIC Trivial Pursuit game against our husbands which I am SURE we would’ve won…if we’d gotten totally different questions. And Emily had a couple drinks which made her love me and find me more funny than usual so it was pretty much the best time ever!!
Also, our kids stayed up way too late but they totally loved being together so it’s a win!
My whole weird Christmas, which started and ended with smiles but had a fair share of worry in the middle – just served to prove to me that these words I wrote at For Every Mom last week are true:
“Christmas is so much more than we usually make of it.
We make it about presents and lights and amazing Pinterest creations.
But it is about Jesus, God’s indescribable gift to each of us.
…It is the trying and devastating times in our lives that make Christmas all the more joyful, beautiful and wondrous.
Because of Christmas, all those trials will work together for good. Because of Christmas, we will one day be in a place where none of earth’s ill can befall us. Because of Christmas, what’s broken can be made whole.
Because of Christmas, we are blessed when we mourn! This is the good news we can cling to in the midst of trials … even when we are covered in tears at the foot of our Christmas tree.”
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Even if it was weird, or full of grief, or just plain carefree. I hope you can still feel the wonder of God’s gift to us today, and every day as we head in to a new year.
