Christmas is in 2 days!!

WOOHOO!  I am like a little kid, I am so excited!!  YAY!!  So, we have been staying really busy getting things done for Christmas.  I did go shopping a few times.  And used a lot of hand sanitizer.  We took the kids to Corralville Mall last week so they could do a few fun things, and I enjoyed that very much.  Didn’t even need a wheel chair!  I just cranked up my oxygen and did really well.  And speaking of our shopping trip there…

…I walked in the house after a long day of shopping.  I was tired as could be and knew that I needed to spend a good chunk of time cleaning for the upcoming festivities, and also to cook dinner.  And I walked in to an IMMACULATELY clean house.  And I mean IMMACULATE.  My great friends cleaned my house TOP TO BOTTOM and cooked an amazing dinner for us, complete with about 3 desserts and cookie trays!!  I am not kidding.  And when I say they cleaned my house, I am meaning everything!!  The blinds, on top of the refrigerator, every nook and cranny, every inch of every bathroom, etc.  One friend even took my laundry home with her to do for us!!  I think I cried for about an hour.  That was such a selfless act on their part.  The Saturday before Christmas, when they could have been doing a million other things to prepare for the holidays, they were at MY house cleaning.  This act of kindness meant the world to me.  And it truly signifies what Christmas is all about.  They let Christ work through them to help someone else.  And I will be honest…I had a pretty big breakdown on Friday.  This is usually not like me at all, but I just got so overwhelmed with the housework.  I don’t want Jay to have to work a full day and then come home to clean.  I don’t think it is fair to him.  Yet, I want so badly to do it and don’t have the energy to do so.  The funny thing is that my brain is still the same as always, only my body doesn’t cooperate with it.  And that is so frustrating.  I am barely 27 years old and feel like I am 80 sometimes.  Well, anyways, I need to count my blessings b/c I have amazing friends who always come through.  And they had this planned over a month ago.  So, my temporary breakdown was not the cause for the gesture.  I love them so much.

Outside of that, I have been extremely busy lately.  We surprised Jay’s parents on Sunday and took them to Circa 21 to see Frosty’s Magic Hat with the kids.  It was a great time.  Jayden and Josiah LOVE their Nana and Grandpa, and had a great time with them.  The play was so cute, and they had a really nice lunch buffet.  So, a great way to spend it with them.

Healthwise, I am feeling pretty good now.  A few weeks ago, Jayden and Josiah both had Scarlet Fever and strept again.  Miserable for over a week.  Then, I got a really sore throat.  I mean–really sore.  I have had it for 2 weeks, and just starting yesterday, it got a ton better.  So, I am happy about that.  Just in time for Christmas.  So, I am excited to be feeling good.

I had a hard time when a few weeks ago a good friend of mine who has LAM that I met in this online support group that we are in passed away.  She was very young.  She was 22 and had already had a lung transplant when she was 17 years old.  She had been through so much already, sadly.  The sad thing about LAM is that sometimes our bodies are not strong enough to fight illnesses off.  She got pneumonia and there was so much stress on her lungs, and she passed away soon after.  It is definitely tragic, and breaks my heart.  But, at the same time, it makes me count my blessings for every day and every holiday that I have to spend with my family.  I could not be any more blessed in that area.  And I need to be more thankful every day.  And I intend to.

I am so excited about Christmas this week.  Wednesday night, friends came over for a fun night of games and celebration, then Christmas Eve we have our families over for a celebration here after Mass.  And Christmas Day we spend at the Putnams.  We have THE BEST TIME THERE.  There is no family quite like the Putnams, and I love every holiday I get to spend with them.  And the day after Christmas, I will be celebrating here at my house with my dad and stepmom, and my cousins Lynn and her kids.  It will be guaranteed to be a week of family and celebration.

So, in this week of preparation for Christmas, I hope that everyone is happy and thankful for all of our many blessings.  I pray that we all can extend an act or two of kindness to someone less fortunate.  And I pray that we all will recognize and appreciate that Jesus is the REASON for the SEASON.  Merry Christmas everyone.

Love and blessings to all.  And I am thankful for all of YOU for the love and support that you offer when you read my posts and write messages and pray for me and my family.

Merry CHRISTmas.