Comedy of Errors and a Few More

 Every year the kids beg to put up Christmas lights and every year I put them off. Lights have been way off my radar but it seems this year I was feeling very festive and told them we could put some up on the house. The looks on their faces convinced me lights should stay on my holiday to-do list. We borrowed my neighbor's ladder and went to work.

We have an outlet close to the eave of the house that is controlled by a light switch in the garage. No problem I thought. A few lights along our easy to reach low roof line, plugged into that outlet will equal some happy kids. Nathan and I took turns using the staple gun, while Kathryn and Dane untangled lights and watched the little boys. We covered both posts, the front of the house, over the garage with only a few feet left to the outlet when it hit me. We finished with the wrong end of the cord to plug in!! I can't make this comedy of errors up. Nathan and I just stared at each other with a look that said, 'Really, now what?!' I knew we couldn't take them all down and start over. It was getting dark and if they came down, they weren't going back up. So digging deep like any desperate person would do, I strung extension cords around the front porch so the lights would still work. It might not be too classy but it worked. They love the lights and so do I. We made a memory we wont soon forget, that's for sure.

Kate, Preson, Lindsey and Chelsea

 Kyle and Heidi came over and hung out the day after Thanksgiving. I was so glad to have some company. I was feeling like our holiday had been too quiet and was missing the bustle of a big family gathering. Nine kids quickly fixed that! We ate, played games for a few hours and had a great time. I told them Aunt Melanie wanted some pictures and they each appeased me with a selfie. Chelsea making her double chin was cracking us up (she purposely made one for every shot). I love being their aunt!

 We have the worst wind storms here. The day after Thanksgiving the wind was terrible. I kept hearing noises on the roof that left me knowing we were going to lose some shingles. And we did. A friend was here fixing some broken shelves when the kids found the flying shingles. He looked at the shingle and was certain he had the same color/brand/type on his house. On Monday he called and said he took the afternoon off and he'd be here in an hour to fix the roof. He and his wife showed up and fixed my roof with the shingles they already had from their garage. It was a cold 27 degrees. I cried when they left because of the good, good people the Lord has put in my path. It seriously humbles me. They fix shelves and fertilize my lawn. They babysit and build fences. They share food and help me finish homework. They fix my car and roof. They never leave me feeling like I'm a burden in their life. I am incredibly grateful.

Here's a 'Throwback Thursday' from a few years back.

We finished setting up Christmas tonight and Nathan found this photo buried in the bottom of a Christmas box. I haven't seen this photo in years. It was taken in 2002, Nathan had just turned 1. I don't know, maybe it's weird to post an old photo with Milo in it. But then again, maybe it's not because this was my life 12 years ago. Since I'm posting it, I guess I decided it wasn't weird. Only one little boy ruled our roost when this was taken, it was still the beginning of our story. We were much younger and the kids also pointed out skinnier too (ha!). It has taken many months, years even, for me to be able to look back and not come undone with what I thought was 'to be'. Finding this felt like another turning point for me. I was happy to remember who we were, what we looked like, where this was taken and who took it without crying for those years to come back. I didn't look dwell on it either or there may have been a different outcome. No matter how slow and at times painful the process has been, I'll take the progress I've made in the past year. And changing subjects, isn't that fleece coat on Nathan just the cutest thing?