Christmas-y Things

Ever since our first married Christmas together, KJ and I have had a penchant for opening at least one gift early.  We just get excited and can't help ourselves, and it was especially fun that first year, because we were all, "We're adults, and this is our house, and we can do whatever we want!!"  We were high on freedom.  

KJ came home from work one night this past week and said, "I think I want to sit down and talk about the best gift God gave us and let the kids each open a present."

But he was man enough to confess his ulterior motive.

He was so excited about putting this together with James.  He's been waiting for years for LEGO to make Lord of the Rings products.  

Movie night was pretty appealing, too.

P.S.  Have you ever seen such dilated pupils in your life??

As you can see, the white of my right eye was nice and red, and I had to make my first visit to the eye doctor.  I'm happy to say my 20/20 vision is still going strong.  My mother tells me I have ten more years to enjoy it.  And there wasn't anything seriously wrong with my eye.  It looks a lot better.   

Christmas Comes Early

This morning my house is quiet, though I've heard the first stirrings in James' room, and I need to go check on him.  His breathing sounds terrible, as well as a cough he woke up with yesterday.  He ran a fever last night, so I need to see if it is still there this morning.  

Today is our family Christmas.

It is several days early, but as I wrote about yesterday, we have a big family wedding this weekend.  I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon to attend a shower before the big day, and KJ and the kids are coming down Friday for the rehearsal.  We'll get back home at bedtime Saturday night, and of course the next day is church, and then Christmas with KJ's family, then off to my family, then another gathering with the other side of KJ's family...  So if we waited we'd have to have our family Christmas next Thursday.  We're not waiting.  :)

So this morning I will dole out Tylenol, and we'll drink chocolate milk from Rudolph mugs, and the kids will open presents, and we'll be so thankful for a morning together.  The afternoon may hold a doctor's visit.  We'll see.

Merry Christmas early from our home to yours!

P.S.  I didn't order nearly enough cards this year.  If you're a close friend who doesn't receive one, this digital greeting is for you!! 

An Unexpected Friendship

One night a couple of weeks ago when KJ was in Haiti, I was running bathwater for the kids, trying to survive until bedtime, when Ella came running to the back of the house, saying someone was knocking at the door.  I don't think it was that late, only 7 p.m., but in the winter it's already pitch-black, and I was alone with the kids and not expecting anyone.  I was slightly nervous, and again really thankful for that random fellow who knocked on our door one day and offered to drill a peep-hole for us.  

It took my eyes a little while to adjust to the darkness, but then I saw one of our favorites:  Hillary!  Immediate joy erupted from my children, who I'm sure grow rather bored of me.

  She made my son so happy by saying, 

"Let's play LEGO Lord of the Rings."

I was so happy that she randomly dropped by; it was something that used to happen a lot when she lived in town, and it is something we will miss.  It made me feel very nostalgic about a season that has passed on, even though I am heart-deep happy for the new season she is entering in 4 days.

From the time we moved here 4 1/2 years ago, Hillary would drop in to hang out.  About 7 months after we moved here, we developed a routine where she would come over a couple of nights a week after class to watch Jack Bauer defeat terrorists and another hero named Jack unravel the mysteries of the island.  We saw her twice a week, but since it was late when the show was over, we didn't spend too much time talking afterwards, but sometimes doing "nothing" together sets the stage for a deep friendship to grow. 

I still remember the date, December 1, 2009, because it was James' 2-month birthday, when Hillary came over, and we decided to make chili. She said, "Hey, why don't we make dinner every week?"  And we did.  She started coming over earlier one night a week to hang out and cook dinner, and every single week we made a cookie cake.  That could not have been good for our waistlines.  But little by little, Hillary became a part of our family (even though, yes, she already was family...maybe I should say, a part of our daily family life.).  She changed James' diapers, colored with Ella, walked around Wal-Mart with the kids so I could concentrate on grocery shopping, and without me even realizing it, became such a gift to me during that season.

     Shared Birthday Parties...that we threw for ourselves

 XXL free t-shirts

Baby James

 Cookie Cake

 LOST Finale Party

 After moving to Nashville, she always came home bearing gifts.

 We went to DISNEY WORLD together!

I have the best husband in the world for making that happen.

 She didn't mind a little (or A LOT) of drool on her phone.

 Cookie Cake

I greatly benefited and enjoyed Hillary's help and friendship during 2010, and by early 2011, David Sikes was beginning to appreciate those wonderful qualities in her, too.  

We're so thankful to have been a part of their relationship and the work God is doing in them.  Since they met at our house and, and KJ gave David the push he needed to start their relationship, we take special ownership over these two. And we're going to miss them both like crazy.  But we're really happy for the two becoming one, and the leaving of father and mother, and leaving as Mr. and Mrs. that will be happening this weekend. 

Monday's Memories: John Newton's Church

After walking through Orchard Side, we walked around the block to the church at Olney where John Newton served as cleric and where he and his wife are now buried.  It was a beautiful day, and a wedding ceremony had just finished taking place.  A vintage car, along with a driver, waited for the bride and groom out front, while the happy crowd stood in the church grounds talking.  The front yard of the church was a little pasture, complete with two friendly, grazing ponies.  I think there was a sign instructing us not to feed them.

If I remember correctly, Newton's remains were removed from the later parish he served in London because of flooding in the graveyard there, or something along those lines.

 an inscription I often heard quoted

 

 view from Newton's grave at the back of the churchyard

I have to love a parish church known for its Pancake Race.  I have no idea what that is, but it is so delightfully British.

 I really love British pulpits.

His pulpit is not used anymore, but it is kept safely in the back of the church, along with Newton's original gravestone.  

I took this picture of the left side of the church, because a lady there told us during Newton's and Cowper's time there was a balcony there, where Cowper sat during Sunday services.

Across the street, the vicarage where Newton lived still stands.  Can you imagine living in a house that old?  I bet it's wonderful inside...and maybe requires a lot of upkeep.
 

And that concludes our trip to Olney.  Our trip was almost over, and we drove back to Povey's Cross, to the Holiday Inn Express, returned our rental car, and checked in to the hotel.  I was absolutely starving and craving a hot meal after a diet full of deli sandwiches.  My husband obliged, even though the hotel restaurant prices were ridiculous, of course.  Also ridiculous?  Having to pay extra to use the internet.  It still bugs me to be taken advantage of just because you're a hotel near the airport, and guests have  no choice.

So, one last full and very long day in London, and then this recap will be finished...15 months later.