Christmas Day

Ok…lots of pictures.  But this is my only scrapbook. :)

For memory's sake….Christmas was on a Thursday this year.  And I woke up Monday of that week not feeling well AT ALL.  Geoff worked all week and quite a bit of extra around the holiday.  Had it been any other week, I would have asked him to take off to help me.  But I chalked it up to me being down and sad that he was gone so much.  That I was just tired.  Worn out.  That I had a bad attitude.

Well….come Thursdsay morning/Christmas morning…I was not feeling any better.  I woke up early and got dressed because I knew that after we opened presents…I wanted to go to my dad's house as soon as we could so as to not be alone.  Well…about 30 minutes before we left…my stepmother called and told me my dad had been up sick in the night…and he had the stomach bug!  Long story short…we ended up still going to my dad's house…and while we had a good time…it just wasn't the same without him.  By mid-afternoon Geoff was able to stop by…and by that time I was feeling even worse.  I ended up spiking a fever…and I NEVER have a fever.  I felt like I could barely move and I really had no idea how I was going to get all 3 kids home by myself, feed them dinner, and get them to bed.  I have to be reeeeeaallly sick for a fever.  At that moment- I thought…. it must be the flu.  Well…less than 24 hours later…Nolan was coughing and started running fever.  I went ahead and took him in and he tested positive for Flu A.  

So sad!!!

So I am now certain I had the flu ALL week.  It is so true what they say….Mommas just don't get sick days.  :)   {and everyone in the family ended up getting the flu except for Parker….someone was sick nearly the whole 2 week Christmas break)

Ok enough of that.  I just had to record it because…well….this Christmas was just not all one would hope for a Christmas day.  But all of these afflictions…this temporary suffering….was just that.  Temporary.  

We have so much to be thankful for.  Not a thing we have we deserve.  

Thank you, Lord, for all that you have given us.

I definitely think that I was more excited about this gift from Santa than Parker.

He fell sleep on the way to my dad's.  Sweet Bub.

These three…...

My family.

family Chrismtases

Since last Saturday...we have had 3 family Christmases.  I usually have to do a separate post for each one....but this year I was very lacking in taking pictures, so I'm able to fit them all into one.

_________

Christmas #1...and Gramma & Poppa's

Nolan & Granny

Granny, Gramma, & Nolan

Poor baby wants his Momma.  :)

Nolan was pretty good at unwrapping...then playing with the paper...then playing with the box that the new toy came in...then actually playing with the new toy.

Payton, Parker, and Grace waiting patiently (or maybe impatiently) to open their gifts.

Payton, Parker, Grace, and Nolan

Happy girls!

_______________

Then last Sunday night we went to Papaw & Gran's.  I was a little better about getting pictures here....at least of almost everyone in attendance (Of course, I can never get everyone.  I'm missing my brother, Brian who was also at my mom's house the night before.)

This isn't my favorite family picture...but it is what it is.  Haha!  And I do love my family.

Kristin, Phil, & Payton

Dad & Kay

Aunt Sis & Nolan

Kasey & Anna

me & my baby boy  (I guess at some point I should have gotten one of me and the girls!)

Geoff and Grace....both being a little silly at the time

Kasey, Brian, & sweet baby Anna (the girls have 2 uncle Brians....one is my brother who is not pictured at all...and this Brian is my brother-in-law)

Papaw & Nolan

_____________

Then there was tonight...Grandad and Mimi came over to visit.  Our kids (and us!) are a weeee little bit spoiled.

The girls were very excited that they still had presents to open.

Look at this face...pure joy!  Anna (from the Frozen movie) boots.

Grace is helping Grandad open his presents.

Nolan took a good nap this afternoon...and when he woke up, he got to open his presents.

Again...I was lazy and didn't get many pictures....but at least we got this good one of them with the kids!  Wish I would have done this at every house.

I know I say it often...but we are so blessed by having such a big family.  To be loved and to love so many.  Truly blessed.