Post by herchenx on Dec 12, 2012 1:38:09 GMT -5
I love this time of year. Our family is pretty involved at our church and my wife and I have been a part of it since we were just out of high school. So many people that are very important to us have built so many memories over the years, and the Christmas season really is a high point as our little church puts on a living nativity every Christmas - and we all spend the better part of a week together every night preparing and putting on the nativity.
Well this year we are without a pastor and the little group of folks has pulled even tighter, and we see each other a lot, the kids are loved and cared for by great friends and it really feels like a blessed time.
Also this year, we were given a free week in Cancun if we bought airfare, which we did and we went and it was amazing. I snorkeled for 3 solid days, we relaxed, ate great food and just had a special time. Our church friends watched our kids for us and they all did very well.
While I was in Mexico, my mom went in for surgery to remove her thryoid due to gross enlargement and suspicion of cancer. Well in the process they had to remove her parathyroid as well and she has ended up in critical care since (5 days so far, can't leave the hospital) - meanwhile she is the primary caregiver for my dad (nearly an invalid although he is still mobile) and my special needs younger sister who lives with them. My brother lives in town, and is as busy as me, but ended up spending nights with them and checking on them during the day for the first few days.
Now that I'm home I'm taking shifts and it is not a pretty picture. Seeing the way they (dis)function is really heartbreaking, but it feels good to be at least a little help.
Also last week, our daughter's pet gerbil suffered a second stroke (had one this summer, cost me several hundred in treatment to get it over the hump) but by the time I got home it was looking pretty bad. We took care of if, trying to help it eat and drink, but it was clear that it was not long for this world.
Well tonight her gerbil died. She had it all its life - 4 years - since it was from a surprise litter from her first pair of gerbils that was incorrectly sexed (they weren't *both* males it turned out) - she is very responsible and has taken great care of it.
It's father was it's companion its whole life, so as we faced its impending demise we had discussed getting some new baby gerbils to keep it company and outlive it to keep the pets in place.
We got the gerbils after her band concert tonight, then I had to go take care of my dad and sis. By the time I left my dad's, I got word that her gerbil had passed (we didn't know yet, we got the new ones in anticipation) - so I am home now and we are getting ready to set the new cage up.
She had a small shoebox set by the front door with the little gerbil all wrapped in tissue paper with some toilet paper tubes (favorites for gerbils to chew on) and a bunch of little treats and seeds in the box.
So I'm sitting here, wondering when I will be able to get back to rocking, but so overwhelmed by life right now. So rich, so good, so hard, so sad... all at once.
Mario posted a thank you post in this thread, and I want to say thanks as well. So many of you have become friends from a distance and even though we don't see one another and come from lots of different belief systems and backgrounds, the kinship I feel is palpable and I really have appreciated it.
I'll get back to it soon, hopefully not too long but probably after the holidays.
Thanks for listening
Well this year we are without a pastor and the little group of folks has pulled even tighter, and we see each other a lot, the kids are loved and cared for by great friends and it really feels like a blessed time.
Also this year, we were given a free week in Cancun if we bought airfare, which we did and we went and it was amazing. I snorkeled for 3 solid days, we relaxed, ate great food and just had a special time. Our church friends watched our kids for us and they all did very well.
While I was in Mexico, my mom went in for surgery to remove her thryoid due to gross enlargement and suspicion of cancer. Well in the process they had to remove her parathyroid as well and she has ended up in critical care since (5 days so far, can't leave the hospital) - meanwhile she is the primary caregiver for my dad (nearly an invalid although he is still mobile) and my special needs younger sister who lives with them. My brother lives in town, and is as busy as me, but ended up spending nights with them and checking on them during the day for the first few days.
Now that I'm home I'm taking shifts and it is not a pretty picture. Seeing the way they (dis)function is really heartbreaking, but it feels good to be at least a little help.
Also last week, our daughter's pet gerbil suffered a second stroke (had one this summer, cost me several hundred in treatment to get it over the hump) but by the time I got home it was looking pretty bad. We took care of if, trying to help it eat and drink, but it was clear that it was not long for this world.
Well tonight her gerbil died. She had it all its life - 4 years - since it was from a surprise litter from her first pair of gerbils that was incorrectly sexed (they weren't *both* males it turned out) - she is very responsible and has taken great care of it.
It's father was it's companion its whole life, so as we faced its impending demise we had discussed getting some new baby gerbils to keep it company and outlive it to keep the pets in place.
We got the gerbils after her band concert tonight, then I had to go take care of my dad and sis. By the time I left my dad's, I got word that her gerbil had passed (we didn't know yet, we got the new ones in anticipation) - so I am home now and we are getting ready to set the new cage up.
She had a small shoebox set by the front door with the little gerbil all wrapped in tissue paper with some toilet paper tubes (favorites for gerbils to chew on) and a bunch of little treats and seeds in the box.
So I'm sitting here, wondering when I will be able to get back to rocking, but so overwhelmed by life right now. So rich, so good, so hard, so sad... all at once.
Mario posted a thank you post in this thread, and I want to say thanks as well. So many of you have become friends from a distance and even though we don't see one another and come from lots of different belief systems and backgrounds, the kinship I feel is palpable and I really have appreciated it.
I'll get back to it soon, hopefully not too long but probably after the holidays.
Thanks for listening