Happy Christmas

I'm happy to tell you that after a week or so on goldenseal, my father is finally feeling better. He was sick and antibiotics just couldn't kick it, but he's feeling better now. Someone asked him on Friday if he used to be a radio DJ (which he did), so then he knew his voice was really coming back. He's up and around and feeling much better. I'm just glad that there is standard medicine and there is alternative medicine, because sometimes you need one and sometimes the other. It's great to have the options to choose from so that you can do what's best for whatever ailment you have.

I hope you're all having a great Christmas. I think I figured out today why we have Christmas. I know the main thing is to celebrate Christ, and we should have a day for that. But I like to think I'm a person who feels the same in my worship and love for Christ every day of the year. So, I thought maybe it was the gift exchange, to learn to give and to recieve, which is good, and also I thought maybe it's time off, to rest and have a break from working, which it is also, in my opinion. But I realized today it's mainly a time to stop and take the day to really let your family know that you love them, and have a day to just connect, and not be bothered by work while you're connecting. That's why, I think, we have Christmas. Anyway, that's why I'm enjoying myself today. :-)

Ready for pictures? I thought you were.....

This is the great bed tent that my dad got for Sam for his birthday. He LOVES it! Thanks Dad!

We put it on top of his bed, then put all his blankets inside, and of course, all of his stuffed animals. He sleeps with the screen door open, but don't worry, even if he shuts it, it's half lined with screens anyway, so he gets plenty of circulation.

Here's just the three dogs and one bear that he left in there today and didn't take downstairs to Christmas dinner. :-)

Here's Brian's remote controlled car that he ordered for his birthday, and just arrived last week. Well, they sent a pink one on time, but we held out for the blue one! This thing goes 40 mph! He loves it.

Here the boys are opening gifts from Aunt Kim. Kim home made (somehow) these amazing hangers with a beautifully painted surface with their names on it! Amazing.

Look how beautiful! My family is so artistic!

Here, Alex is checking out a book of Sudoku for kids. His grandma knows him well!


Sam is showing us his new sweater!

Here, the presents are opened, and the kids are completely occupied learning what they can do. Here, they are checking out a new magnet set from Aunt Bridget.

So, Christmas was nice. The only bad thing is that the sun went down just now while I was creating this blog. I meant to go on a nice walk outside. It's beautiful out there. Cold, though, like 50 today, so maybe I should walk on the treadmill instead. I'm just so happy I can walk. All of November and part of December I had two sprained ankles, then my hips got so bad from my misaligned foot that I really couldn't walk. I had to time myself and make sure I didn't walk too much per day. I had two podiatrists and a physical therapist all tell me that I had to stop exercising until the ankles healed and my custom made shoe insert orthotics arrived. Well, that time has come! The ankles are better, mostly, and the orthotics came last Monday. They are comfortable, moreso than the non-custom ones were, but they made me feel like I was leaning to the left all the time. This just shows how twisted my foot and hips were! I was told I could use the orthotics 2 hours the first day, then 3 the next, and so forth. By the end of the second day, I couldn't walk any more even without shoes. Even bone in my body, especially my neck, but also my back, hips, and foot bones, were all realigning. It was a big deal. By Thursday, I could walk!! Not forever or anything, and definitely not without pain (still not there yet), but without the stabbing hip pain I could go for several hours. And by Friday, I found that I didn't have to sit at every possible available seating area. Amazing. It's been years since my hips and feet allowed that. I told Brian it will really take some time to get used to. Saturday I went on my nice long walk that I love. I missed it for all of December, so I went, even thought it was POURING rain. There were very few other really devoted people there. It's been two, almost two and a half days since then and those shoes are still completely soaked. It was fun!

So, I'll still be sore and adjusting and everything for a few more weeks, but it's so amazing to know it will never have to be that bad again. I feel like, I don't know. It really feels like I had a horrible chronic lifelong condition, which I guess I did, that I am suddenly allowed to be cured of! It's amazing. How's that for a great Christmas present from God. I'm just so grateful. I love walking. I look forward over the next few weeks to getting better at walking longer distances like I used to. I also look forward to being able to comfortably stand in one place while talking to someone. I can't remember the last time that felt good. Anyway, it's amazing how life can arrange things to make you so darn grateful for such basic things. But when a basic thing is ever returned, the gratitude is overwhelming. My hip pain is the recent development of this, since my pregnancies, but my left foot and calf have hurt since I was about ten. I really needed orthotics! I'm so happy!! Last night we all cleaned the house, and I did two hours of cleaning straight, without having to sit down in the middle or take pain medication. Really, that hasn't happened in about two years. The past few months, I couldn't even clean for more than 30 minutes in a whole day. This is really going to improve the quality of my family's life. :-)

What else... Let's see. I'm going to get a watch for Christmas. I ordered it online because the exact one I wanted wasn't in the stores. I love watches, so I'm excited about it. I'm going to try to take some days off from Primary work this week, but it'll have to wait till Wednesday. Not only is it the end of the year, so we have to prepare all the teachers and new classes for next year, but in two weeks we will move to a new building and gain about 150 new people in the ward thanks to ward boundary reorganization that we very much needed. :-) We'll have lots of new kids and new leaders available which I'm so happy about, but the changes do mean there is a lot of work over this holiday season. Good thing I'm taking most of this week off first. Brian and I can have some much deserved relaxation time. And, our favorite, re-getting-to-know-you time! :-)

Love you all. Have a great winter and new year!