Merry Belated Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas, despite Joe having to work on Christmas Eve and not getting home until 4:30-ish. And despite two children's eye injuries (one serious black eye given to an older brother by Sawyer of all people). And despite the fact that I've been sick for over a week now.

I started coughing a week ago Saturday and it continued until the nasal/sore throat/pounding head came a few days later. On Christmas Eve morning Joe served me a cocktail of Sudafed and Motrin before I got out of bed. I can't say it helped a whole lot, but it didn't hurt. At one point during the holidays, I lost most of my voice. Only syllables would come out. Much to my children's dismay, my voice has mostly returned with only some syllables missing.

Two of my best gifts were a pink laptop from Joe. "My" laptop died in October and there has been a computer shortage in our house with the children.

I'd like to say I was completely surprised, but I wasn't. It's kind of like Autum's story. Joe ordered the laptop from Dell, and Dell called here on Monday, Dec. 22nd. When I told them Joe was at work, they proceeded to tell me they were calling to "extend the warranty on the new laptop." What idiots. I mean, can't you call on December 26th?!? I didn't tell Joe that they had told me. (I mean, my name was not on the account, so why would they talk to anyone other than Joe is beyond my comprehension. Especially three days before Christmas).

Oh, and they did call again on the 26th. Or was it the 27th? I don't remember. All of my days have blended and blurred into one.

And my other prized possession is this Pink Daisy Pyrex casserole dish from a very, VERY good friend of mine. This is my most favorite Pyrex patterns of all time. And I finally own a piece.

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And today my second son, Carter (the boy with his own style), has turned ten. He is a decade. It seems like just yesterday he was born. He is charismatic. Friendly. Stylish in his own way. Sensitive. Thoughtful. Creative. Funny. And devilish. Don't let his smile fool you.

He's the boy that (when he was 3 or 4 years old) woke up in the middle of the night, turned on all the Christmas lights and the TV, and chowed down on some Christmas cookies.

He's the boy that chewed a piece of beef jerky, didn't swallow it, fell asleep in the car (for a two-hour car ride), woke up with a wad of chewed jerky in his mouth, and still didn't swallow it. It wasn't until I noticed dried jerky (I didn't know what it was at first) on his chin that I realized he had a mouth full of rancid meat. It was the foulest thing you could have ever smelled. And I'm not just saying that because I was pregnant with morning sickness at the time. There was rotten meat in his mouth.

For today, I'll forget about the feces he spread around the crib. Or played with in the sun room. I'll forget how he pulled a newborn Jackson off the bed. And how he drew on Jackson's face when he was a wee infant. And tried to feed Jackson bubble gum, when he was only three months old. Or all the stickers he placed on Jackson's face. I'll forget the time he ran through a busy parking lot and my heart sunk as I tried to chase him at full speed, with Taylor at my side and infant Jack in the car seat, weaving through all the parked cars. Today, I'll just be happy that he survived his tenth birthday.

Happy birthday, Carter. Please be safe. Stop being such a daredevil. Please?

We are having a birthday party for him today from 2-4 p.m. Please pray for me. Joe is working and I'm flying solo today (and still not feeling the greatest, although I'm sure I'm not contagious). There are three boys coming and my six.