Mixed Nuts: The Night Before the Night Before Christmas

Quotes

"There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." - Helen Keller
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck
You may never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.- Unknown
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow' ~Helen Keller
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."- Dr. Seuss
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family."Author Unknown
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go – Abraham Lincoln
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle - Albert Einstein
The journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step
Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairy tale
Where there is great love, there are always miracles - Willa Cather
The Difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.
Be the change you want to see in the world
Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big Your God is..........
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it
Fall down seven times - get up eight - unknown
Despite our differences, we sink or swim together
Life may not be the party we expected, but while we are here, we might as well dance
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." -Confucius

Friday, December 23, 2011

The Night Before the Night Before Christmas

This one is actually a book!

It is actually a really cute one. We read it tonight.

Today was the kid's last day before break. The all bounded off the bus at the end of their day so excited. Each one had brought a little present for Mat and I home that they made in school. They wouldn't let us look at them though - they went right under the tree. Arlington - being Arlington, and always a bit clumsy - said she fell carrying hers out to the bus and landed on it..... She wasn't too upset - she said she is pretty sure she only broke a piece. Glad she is so carefree about it. Weirdo.

Arlington had her last tennis lesson before the holiday today. She is still really enjoying it. She will be resuming it after the holidays. I will let her play until we get to softball/lacrosse season and then we may have to give it up until the summer.

We went out to dinner tonight. We ended up just at Chili's because it is still a Friday night. After our morning at the grocery store - with every other living soul in our town - we knew trying to be adventurous for dinner would be out of the question. Thank goodness for call ahead seating. We haven't been out to dinner in awhile, since we have had such a busy month, so it was nice.

We came home from dinner and our penguin holiday display had fallen over. If you have a weak stomach, you should probably not look at the carnage. Our little penguin family - very tragic.

Baby penguin is the worst. He lost his head in the fall. I have been telling him that if he didn't carry those presents on his head, he would be better off.

He didn't listen. Now look at him.

This display is a PAIN. It falls all the time and is very touchy. This is what the penguins get for being such a pain.

A friend of mine took a picture of Arlington in her class today during her Christmas party. She looks so cute. The hat she is wearing is from her teacher. Her teacher made these winter hats for all the kids - they are really nice. Arlington told me she wore it all day at school and then she wore it here all evening. She loves her teacher.

Finley and Cainan's school is doing something called "Artsonia" where you can view some of the kids art the teacher submits online. The art teacher submitted 4 pictures Finley made. I thought two were cute, so I will post them here. That girl loves to draw above everything else. She wants to become an art teacher when she grows up. It is all she talks about. Please, Lord, let her keep her sight.

Finley's teacher had sent a note out to the families in her class stating that instead of giving her presents this year, she would like the families to donate to our RDH12 Fund for Sight instead. Wasn't that nice? Today - we were given over $300 in donations from the families in her class, and a few people told me they are mailing theirs. We were very humbled by their generosity. It made our Christmas. I was at the school today volunteering and a cute little boy in Finley's class came up to me and said "I brought in money to help fix Finley's eyes". So sweet.

Tomorrow is Christmas eve! We have a full day planned which starts with having cinnamon rolls. We are going to take the kids roller skating. We are going to make cookies. WE are having homemade pasta and sauce for dinner. And at some point, we hope the kids fall asleep.

Only two more sleeps 'til Christmas.