Confession

I have a confession to make.......I actually voted for Drew Lachey on Dancing with the Stars. Perhaps I should first make the confession that I am watching Dancing with the Stars. Every night between 7:30 and 8:00pm Isaac takes his last bottle of the day after his bath and before his bedtime (His three B's as we like to call them: Bathtime, Bottletime, and Bedtime). When he has his "bottletime" he does so in the dark living room in the glider. To entertain myself, I usually have the television on really low. Just so happens that Dancing with the Stars is on during this time on Thursday and Friday nights.

I was an avid Newlywed watcher and some of my favorite episodes where when Nick and his brother Drew would take on a home improvement project. Despite their 98 Degrees fame, they were still just "normal" people. My favorite was when they developed a pulley system to get a piece of furniture in through a second story window. I am rooting for Drew to win Dancing with the Stars for two reasons (1) He is the best dancer--and should be as he was in Rent for a season on Broadway (2)No one should be allowed to look like Stacey Keebler, especially female wrestlers (does anyone know if she REALLY is a wrestler? I find this hard to believe). So I confess to you my readers that I voted online for Drew Lachey.

By the way, does anyone remember when ABC used to do "Circus With the Stars"? I loved this show because all of your television favorites (cast of Mr. Belvedere, Alyssa Milano, Kate Jackson from The Scarecrow and Mrs. King, etc) would perform a circus act. Why don't the networks bring that back? That was pure genius!

(Isaac prefers to call in his vote, rather than choosing the online option.)

Martha, Martha, Martha

One of our New Year's Resolutions over here at the Phillips' casa is to go through each room in our house and weed out the stuff that is no longer used and organize the remaining treasures. This may sound like the world's worst task to some of you readers, but the idea of organizing something puts a big smile on my face. I was a Graduate Assistant in Grad School and the professor I worked for sat me down one day and told me that he believed that I had the spiritual gift of organization. I taught a whole unit on organization in my classroom (thus probably reinforcing those students with Obsessive Compulsive issues, but oh well) and my students could color-code, alphabetize, and label with the best of the best.

To accomplish this resolution, I have marked in my Day Planner what I plan to clean out each week. Tuesday it was our pantry, which needed some serious help because the unit consists of one tall cabinet with shelves that tend to hide jars and bags of bread. I noticed that Martha Stewart was doing a segment this week on organizing the pantry, so I figured I should tune in to see what tips she had for me. If you have watched the Martha talk show, you likely know it is very dry and Martha typically insults her guests for not knowing such things as the proper use of a cheesecloth or how to expertly arrange flowers. I usually never watch due to these reasons (and because The Cosby Show is on at the same time), but I had to learn how to organize my canned goods.

The celebrity guest for the day was Cyndi Lauper (yes, you read that correctly. Why was she the guest--I am still unsure. She was not promoting a new album because she sang "Time After Time".). So after a soulful rendition of a classic 80's hit, Cyndi joined Martha in the kitchen to be educated on the fine art of pantry organization. Martha had this huge stainless unit that she claims is her actual pantry from her farmhouse (it apparently used to hold towels in her bathroom but she had recently relocated it to her kitchen). This unit was about 7 feet tall and the width of an entire wall. Martha starts in on putting all dry goods in clear, pretty containers and place like items together. Okay, I can do that. Then Cyndi asks a very relevant question, "What are some tips for those of us with small kitchens and small pantries?" Martha's response: "Remodel your kitchen." WHAT?!?!? Does she really think the stay-at-home moms of middle class America who make up her viewing audience can just remodel their kitchen on a whim? Did she not meet any "normal" people while in prison and understand that her farmhouse in the Hamptons where fitted sheets are expertly folded and all plants are labeled is not reality? I turned off the TV right then and decided that I did not need Martha in order to organize my pantry.

Isaac update: We think he rolled from his back to his tummy on Tuesday night. He was all the way over except for one arm kept strategically underneath himself so he could flop onto his back at any moment. He also can take his spoon and feed himself the cereal. His independent nature (don't know where he learned that) is in full bloom!

New Pictures

For some reason, blogger would not let me incorporate these into today's post. Here is Isaac in his Baby Einstein Discover and Play Activity Center. It is a new favorite, soon to replace his swing (which he now tries to roll over and grab the side netting--not a safe feat. Also, I would NOT recommend the Graco swing that we own. It has a mobile that is supposed to hang over baby while he/she swings. This mobile often falls on Isaac's head. Not good when you have soft
spots that are supposedly delicate!)


Excuse the terrible formatting on this picture. Blogger really hates me this morning. This is Isaac upon returning from a trek up to Walgreens to get his cold medicine. Yes, that is Spiderman that he is clutching onto.

Outfit #18

By about 5pm on Saturday evening, Isaac was on outfit number 18 (or so I think, I quit counting after change number seven). He has been battling a cold all week--putting up with me suctioning out his nose, a smidge of fever, and a cough. It hasn't been the best week for him. On Saturday morning I put him down for his morning nap and made the rest of the day's plans with Tobe. Isaac seemed to be doing better so we had conjured up a list of things to accomplish that day once he woke up. Then I heard a horrible noise over the baby monitor and entered the nursery to find one sweet boy covered in throw-up. Tobe and I sprung into action--he took Isaac off to the bathroom while I stripped the bed. We were hoping this was a one-time deal and caused by the sinus drainage Isaac had been experiencing all week. Nope. This was a several, several times thing that seemed to have no end. Somehow Isaac managed to throw-up on a variety of things Saturday including me, his crib, his beloved puppy dog towel, his quilt on his "big boy bed" (which made me glad I opted not to get the beautiful quilt from Pottery Barn Kids for his big bed, but rather picked up a nice one for $30 at Wal-Mart), every white long-sleeved onesie he owns, half our monster stash of burp clothes, a stack of white towels, and his changing table (You are probably wondering why I pulled out white things during this messy experience. One word--bleach!). I think at one point during the day when Tobe and I were scrubbing stuff out of clothes again, he looked at me and said, "So this is what they call domestic bliss..."

Fortunately Isaac seemed back to normal yesterday. We stayed inside due to the cold, rain, and my fear of RSV. When I took Isaac to our pediatrician for his cold last week, she really encouraged me to go ahead and start rice cereal because Isaac was ready. We (by "we" I mean Isaac. Tobe and I already know how to eat off a spoon. I still fall into the habit of using the collective "we" after all my years of teaching.) have been practicing eating off of a spoon for a few weeks by putting drops of formula on the spoon and feeding it to Isaac. Yesterday for his 4pm feeding we broke out the actual rice cereal. He loved it. Not once did he spit it back out in my face or even act like it was the most disgusting thing he had ever tasted (I personally think anything has to be a step-up from formula). After having about two spoonfuls crammed in his mouth, he would then anticipate the bite and open his mouth wide and kick his legs. I hope this is a sign of a healthy appetite for "real" food (however, I did fear that this appetite might mean that he will eat us out of house and home---I've heard stories of young boys who, after eating almost a fridge full of food, cry at naptime, claiming their mother never gave them lunch :) Perhaps Isaac and such boys can start a support group one day.). So now it is rice cereal twice a day, along with formula. In a few weeks we will add our green veggies, starting with avocados (I like to call it guacamole, minus the mole, but Tobe does not find that slightly amusing.).

The Purple and White

ACU might not be known for their outstanding football team, beautiful campus (brown buildings in West Texas???), or cheap tuition, but the connections it creates through followers of Christ is undeniable. My ACU experience gave me much more than an education, but gave me a stronger faith, lifelong friendships, and a wonderful husband to share my everyday with. This week I have been reminded of the ACU connection. No, I didn't run into some random person from ACU while dropping off my dry cleaning or see someone flash the wildcat symbol while driving down 635. Rather a tragedy happened in the widespread ACU community and within hours the word was spread to be praying for this particular ACU alumni family. I received a phone call yesterday about this situation and several emails today and I only knew those affected by name. How amazing is that? Why doesn't ACU publish that in it's promotional fliers: "Attend ACU and you will immediately become a part of a nationwide prayer chain."

This week's tragedy isn't the first devastation to send out an SOS for prayers. There have been countless stories of ACU friends whose hearts have been broken by grief in some way. Emails fill up alumni mailboxes, knowing that prayers will immediately be lifted up. Tobe and I frequently discuss how during college we took the "ACU experience" for granted, not knowing one day Wednesday night club, midnight breakfasts, and Jack and Jill Donuts would mean so much to us. We are so grateful for this experience and incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be surrounded by God's faithful children. Our hearts break for this newest prayer request and need for comfort, but we know that God is listening to the thousands as they petition for this family. What a blessing.

FYI

I just noticed that it has been a whole week since my last blog. If only I didn't sit around eating bonbons reading US Weekly all day, I could have more time for blogging....

Just to catch you readers up on life here at the Phillips' casa, here are some important events/thoughts from the last week:

1. Isaac has his first cold/Upper Respiratory Infection. Pretty sad, huh? I knew it was going to happen eventually, especially since this is the child who mysteriously caught the stomach bug twice in two weeks. Monday night he woke up crying around 9:30pm (he didn't know that the cast of LOST was going up on stage at that exact moment to accept their much-deserved Golden Globe). This quickly caught our attention, because he never wakes up crying at night. As I leaned over his crib to see what the fuss was about, I soon realized that my poor child's nasal cavities were so jammed with mucus that he could not breathe. Unfortunately, the rest of Monday night was him sleeping some and him waking just enough to cry out because he could not breathe. Fun times. Around 6:15am, Isaac and I went on a scenic drive of early-morning Grapevine to let him fall asleep in his car seat and get some good rest and ease his congestion (we did resist the urge to stop at the Main Street Baking Company for a delicious cinnamon twist--by "we" I really mean me). Yesterday it was off to the pediatrician office to confirm that yes he does have a cold and to get the cheery news that this infection will likely last 10-14 days. However, I have decided that Isaac will tend to be more like his mother and have a faster-than-normal recovery time. Now, we have the humidifier going, temperature checks every two hours, and a pillow stuffed under the crib mattress to keep Isaac's sweet head elevated (although when I came into his nursery this morning, he had managed to get himself flipped all around so that his legs were elevated instead. This does not help the mucus situation, but perhaps he was more worried about vericose veins rather than breathing at the time.)

2. We believe that Isaac can now roll from his back to his tummy. He has not done this major feat yet, but gets so close to rolling over before he throws himself onto his back again. It's like he remembers that being on the tummy isn't so grand and then stops himself from rolling over. He is starting to scoot backwards some when he is on is tummy. I have decided that this does not mean that he is going to crawl backwards. Hopefully this is not simply wishful thinking....

3. My mom was in a car accident last week, where she rear-ended an accident that had happened ten minutes before she came upon the scene (No ticket was issued, however, she did get a citation for "following too close"--only in rural Arkansas). Thankfully, everyone involved is okay. I had a picture to post of her van, but blogger just ate it. Ugh.

4. Love Monkey premiered last night, starring Tom Cavenaugh (sp? I am too lazy to google it to see if I am correct) formerly of the beloved Ed television show. We watched a bit of it, curious to see what it was like. Seemed to follow the whole story line of a famous Tom Cruise movie a little too much (take out sport scout, insert music scout), but Tom had the same cherished qualities that made Ed such a hit. For those old 90210 fans (let's be honest, who isn't a 90210 fan?), Brandon Walsh is in this program. We are all so thankful that Jason Priestly survived his horrible car accident a few years ago, but one would think that such a life-altering event would make him reconsider his hairstyle. Nope. He stills sports the "Brandon."

5. This weekend, Tobe and I watched the film, "The Constant Gardner." We love Focus Features and this one was no exception. I especially loved it because it is based in Kenya and they actually shot the movie there, rather than in South Africa (most movies based in Africa are filmed in South Africa, now that it is open to do so). For my fellow Kenya people, parts of this film are actually shot in Kibera, the other major slum in Nairobi (we were in Mathari--the slum on the other side of town, one of the largest slums in the world. I was so hoping to see a shot of the Mathari River, so I could once again retell the story of one of our team members falling in. Tobe has only heard this story 28 times already.) It was cool for me to be able to show Tobe some of the actual things I have seen while in Kenya. Of course, the cameras did not really show "slum-life" as it truly is, as I am sure the Kenyon government restricted such things, but it did provide a decent overview. Makes you wonder when we as a county are going to focus on the places that really need our help, despite what they do/do not contribute to us. Hmmm. I do recommend "The Constant Gardner"--again it is a film for adults and not children or young teens. And, if you have yet to sign The One document, please do so.

6. Isaac's list of church friends has rapidly expanded in the last week. We are so excited about the arrival of Andrew, Emaline, and Emily. We can't wait for Baby James to show up on the scene. These births are exciting for several reasons, but mainly because these children will be Isaac's Sunday School classmates. I still am in contact with friends whom I sat next to in Cradle Roll.

7. Isaac has become fascinated with the television remote control and the telephone. When we put the phone up to his ear, he now listens intently rather than trying to stuff the whole thing in his mouth. Here is a picture of him talking to his daddy on the phone at work last week:

8. Isaac has yet to begin eating rice cereal. The doctor gave us the green light to do so at his four month appointment. Because I had food allergies as a child and because we were traveling over the holidays, I put this off. However, we are going to start the cereal anyday now because Isaac is showing signs that he is ready for something else besides the bottle. I plan on making his baby food and am currently reading the book "Super Baby Food". This is the main literary work for those interested in making baby food. The author is a bit ecentric at times, but has some great tips and ideas for making your baby's food. My favorite part of the whole book was a list of possible signs of allergic reactions. You have to slowly introduce solid foods to your baby, so you can determine if there are any food allergies. Anyway, on this list of signs of reactions the author has the standard: swelling of face, watery eyes, rash, etc. Then at the very end of the list, she has "death" as a sign of allergic reaction. You think? Can you really consider "death" to be a sign of a food allergy in your child? I know that people do have horrible food allergies that can cause death, but I didn't think this "allergic sign" really needed to be put in the same list as itchy skin and runny nose.

oops, I hear coughing and crying in the next room. I am off to tend to my patient!

Miss WorryWart

Yep, that's me--Miss WorryWart. I honestly think one of the hormones that kicks in as soon as you see that little positive sign on the pregnancy test is the worry hormone. I spent the first part of my pregnancy worrying that something would happen and I would lose the baby (until my nurse at school told me that I could possibly make my body do so out of worry and stress--then I worried that I was worrying too much). Then I focused my worry on things that can happen to a child in the womb--organs not forming right, too many QT cokes causing large amounts of caffeine to come through the umbilical cord, a potential fall onto my whale-like stomach. I would panic if I felt a lack of fetal movement (which lead to two different trips to the hospital for non-stress tests). During those moments of worry, I would think, "I can't wait until Isaac is here and I can see him, then I won't worry so much.

YEAH RIGHT! Now that he is here, I worry about a whole new variety of things. One of my biggest worries is SIDS. I often wake-up about two to three times a night to check and see if Isaac is still breathing. I make sure that there is always a fan going in his room to prevent the temperature from being above 68 degrees. Although I give Isaac his loved giraffe blanket to fall asleep with, I always sneak into his room once he is asleep and pry it off his face.

Yesterday as he and I were driving to physical therapy, I had this sudden worry about what I would do if a sudden natural disaster happened while we were away from the house. I panicked because I only had about three feedings of formula in his diaper bag and only one bottle of water. As I was thinking that I should probably start traveling with a full container of liquid formula and a package of diapers in the trunk of my car in case war breaks out here in Grapevine and I am unable to return home, I realized that I had turned into Miss Worrywart and needed to calm down. During my teaching career, I dealt with a variety of parents, some who worried and obsessed over the silliest details of their child. I don't want to be that parent who carries her child into kindergarten everyday, fearful that he might get trampled by the bigger kids (it happens, trust me!) . I don't want Isaac to be the only child on the soccer field, covered in bubblewrap because his mother fears a broken bone. God gave me a boy--someone who will likely nosedive off my couch, contemplate how to climb up on a roof, and stand on the seat of his bike while racing down the street.

This morning I read Isaac his board book about the story of Abraham and Isaac from the Bible. This story is such an example of a parent who did not worry about his child, yet trusted that God had things under control. Today I am working on my worrying and obsessing over potential dangers. I have cancelled my order for the plastic bubble to put Isaac in and might even let him play with the remote control without thinking that all of his drool could cause an electric shock....

Happy Birthday, Miss Morgan!

Happy Birthday, Morgan! We hope that you have a lovely first birthday. Here is a picture of your mommy and me taken shortly after you were born. Notice how refreshed and perky your mom looks, despite the sleepless nights. Notice that I look fat rather than pregnant and am wearing hot pink, a color I normally avoid (must have been the hormones or perhaps a sale at Old Navy that week). I had a picture to post of you in the hospital, but Blogger was being stubborn.

We can't wait to see you now that you are "all grown up" (as opposed to being "just a baby" when I saw you two weeks ago)!

Television Tidbits

For those of you with nothing else to do right now, I have a few television tidbits to share.

1. The other night Tobe and I were discussing Blue's Clues (and you all thought we sat around and chatted psychology all day). Don't know how we got on this topic (I guess we were done discussing car batteries, huh Tobe?), especially considering Isaac only watches the occasional Baby Einstein video and The View. As you parents of small children might know, a while back the main guy (Steve?) on Blues Clues was replaced by a similar looking friend of Blue who also happened to carry the handy-dandy notebook. Apparently the former Steve is now living the "rock and roll" life. Tobe read about him in an issue of Spin magazine. How do you explain that one to all your edgy, rock friends? Do you think he really has any credibility in the rock circles, considering he used to once talk and dance with an animated blue dog?

2. Last weekend Tobe and I took Isaac on a stroll down lovely Main Street, once again admiring our great town. I happened to notice a poster on a storefront, proclaiming that Candace Cameron (formerly known as DJ Tanner on Full House) is coming to speak at the First Baptist Church here in Grapevine. How exciting is that? Who didn't love DJ with her big-sister wit and long hair with perfect mall bangs? Apparently she is on a speaking tour aimed for mothers and daughters based on the concept, "I am a princess and my Father is the King of Kings". I missed Lisa Welch (Blair from Facts of Life) when she was at the MOPS convention at the Gaylord back in September, but don't think I can pass on Candace Cameron. Anyone have a daughter I can borrow?

3. For those LOST fans out there, do you know if Walt is now off the show for good? He is apparently in a new show on ABC that just premiered this week. I am quite excited about the new two hour episode on Wednesday and will be terribly angry if they use the first hour to summarize everything that has been happening this season. I will also be angry if they spend more than five minutes on the tension between Jack and Kate. Matthew Fox (AKA Jack) also had terrible love issues on Party of 5, so this whole tension with Kate is old-hat in my opinion.

4. This is more film related rather than television, but I liked the sound of "Television Tidbits" and didn't want to change my title. Last night Tobe and I watched the documentary "Murderball" after Isaac went to bed (didn't you hate it when your parents sent you off to bed and you knew they were going to stay up and watch Falcon Crest and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson? Don't you love being on the other side of this torture now?). This is a documentary about the United States quadriplegic Rugby Team. The documentary was very well made and the story was fascinating. These men have either broken their neck or had some disease that makes them confined to a wheelchair. Some don't have arms or hands, others have limited use of their hands. They rush around on the court in these Mad Max-esque wheelchairs, slamming into each other. Greatness. I recommend it to you if you enjoy a good documentary. Please be warned that these are athletes and they do use "locker room" language VERY freely. Also, the sport is a bit violent, so this is not a suitable movie for children or young teens.

5. This weekend Tobe and I also viewed the film "Crash" (can you tell we have cashed in our Netflix gift certificate?). Tobe liked the movie, but proclaimed it to be the second most depressing movie after "The Hours" starring Nicole Kidman (that movie I recommend to NO ONE. It is the MOST depressing movie ever made and the theaters should have had a psychiatrist on hand to dispense Prozac to movie-goers on their way home). I really enjoyed "Crash."(I am a prolific movie reviewer, huh? Move over Rich Shirtenlieb) It looks at racial stereotypes and how such stereotypes "crash" into each other and can cause a lot of destruction. We live in a society that in some ways forces us to protect ourselves from others out of fear and potential dangers. However, sometimes this need to protect creates preconceived notions and ideas about people and groups of people. Don't remember Jesus preaching about his people doing that one anywhere in the Bible.... Anyway, I thought it was a good film and also recommend it. Once again, not for children or preteens. Also not for those who are currently in a deep state of depression.

6. An interesting sidenote about "Crash" that I felt needed it's own point--Jin from Lost is in this movie. As we popped in the DVD and were choosing our options from the menu screen, there were flashes from the movie playing. All of the sudden, Jin pops up. We got so excited that he was going to be in this movie, because we like his character on LOST. Well, his whole screen time was approximately 19 seconds and I don't believe he had any lines. This movie was made before LOST became a cult hit and he was just another starving actor. However the DVD of Crash has since been released after his popularity on LOST. Tobe and I assume they editors of the DVD flashed Jin up during the menu selection to gain the favor of LOST fans. Pretty tricky.

What are your random television tidbits?

Then and Now

A year ago today we saw Isaac for the first time. Can't say he was much of a looker then.....

And here he is now, hanging out in his favorite spot--his changing table (location of birth announcement pictures as well!). We aren't quite sure what we will do when he outgrows this table, considering it can calm him down when he is upset. I wonder how much weight a Jenny Lind piece of furniture can hold....

Aside from that piece of sentiment, I have a complaint with Matt Lauer today. This morning he was reporting live for the Today show from the scene of the horrible mining accident. First, let me say that this is a terrible tragedy, especially considering the misinformation that was reported (another example of why the game "Telephone" teaches such an important life concept). Now my beef with Matt Lauer--he was live with a gentleman who had lost his father in the mining accident and the governor of the state. Matt was attempting to ask the grieving man introspective questions, such as "Tell us what kind of man your father was." and "How does this tragedy affect your community?" I am not sure what answers or type of response Matt thought he would get from someone who has been awaiting to hear the fate of his father for days and has heard two conflicting stories about the condition of the miners in the past six hours. The response Matt did get was a bunch of jumbled, angry words and incoherent statements. Since when did putting a grieving human on TV become quality programming? I felt sad and embarrassed for this man as he was on national TV in a state of shock and grief. Matt Lauer seems to have a compassionate heart--why did he conduct such an interview? Apparently after the cameras went back to Katie in NYC, the man had very harsh words for the governor (who can blame him?). Of course, once the cameras were back on Matt he had to share the details of these harsh words.

So my question is when are we as a people going to stop craving the sensationalism of our fellow man? Why did the Today show producers think that their viewing audience wanted to see someone in the grip of grief? Why do we care if Angelina has Brad's baby? Hopefully soon the viewing public will tire of reality TV and its voyeuristic nature and resume interest in quality programming and compassionate journalism -- especially now that the 4th season of Newlyweds isn't going to happen.

All Things Must Come to an End

Sadly today was our final Christmas celebration. Tobe, Isaac, and I are fortunate enough to not simply celebrate Christmas one time each year, but four times (sometimes five on the years we are actually in Searcy for Christmas day). Today was our final Christmas celebration as we opened gifts and drank hot chocolate (despite the 70+ degree weather) with Tobe's parents. We have been traveling for over a week now and just arrived back at the Phillips' Manor yesterday. Here are some highlights for us during the past week:

1. We drove to Lubbock on the 23rd with Tobe's parents and sister. Isaac did wonderful in the car, only becoming fussy during the last thirty minutes. We quickly resolved this problem by turning on Baby Einstein (which I refer to as "Baby Crack" because of the reaction it invokes out of children) on the laptop and peace resumed.

2. We ate at the lovely Taco Villa in Lubbock.

3. Isaac was able to meet his great-grandfather on Tobe's dad side, the last relative he had yet to meet.

4. I was able to enjoy some quality "girl time" with all of Tobe's female relatives out at his grandparents farm. Girl time involves sitting around the kitchen table sharing a bit of gossip, lots of laughter, and eating Uncle Lamar's fudge straight from the pan. Poor Isaac had to join in on a lot of this girl time as one of us was usually holding him. Hopefully he took notes and can put such wisdom to good use one day as a married man.

5. Tobe preached a wonderful sermon Christmas morning as we all worshipped together as a family. His words brought forth tears and laughter. We also had a great time teasing Tobe about his sermon leading up to Sunday morning. I personally wanted to create a church bulletin to pass out. Do you think Mr. Gatti's gives you the 10% off on the Sunday buffet if you bring in a homemade bulletin?

6. Tobe and I managed to get good gifts in the gift exchange at his paternal grandparents celebration. This is very important to me each year as I was robbed of the Eurosealer the first Christmas I spent with Tobe's family (those persons who stole such Eurosealer will remain nameless).

7. Isaac was awake during the opening of stockings on Christmas morning, but snoozed right through the opening of the presents. Tobe and I opened his gifts for him and then remembered a few days later that we never showed him what he had received that morning. Oops.

8. Santa left Isaac the Snicky Snack Hippo, which was a huge hit. Isaac LOVES this stuffed hippo which is also a book. It is on my list of recommended toys.

9.Isaac did wonderful on all the plane rides--we flew from Lubbock to Dallas to Little Rock on Tuesday of last week and then flew from Little Rock to Dallas yesterday. He was the perfect little traveler, not fussing once during the flights. He was also incredibly tolerant of constantly changing environments and of various people playing with him throughout the week.

10. Isaac witnessed his first West Texas dust storm as we headed out of Lubbock on our way to Searcy. Can't say that I miss that aspect of West Texas. My allergies still aren't the same.

11. Tobe and I were able to see King Kong at the Searcy Cinema 5 while Nana J and Pop-Pop baby-sat. Those readers familiar with the Searcy Cinema 5 know this was a less than thrilling experience. Supposedly we saw the movie in the theater with stadium seating. Apparently if you elevate a row slightly, this is considered to be stadium seating. Also, this cinema requires you to buy tickets at the concession stand and pay only in cash. We had to wait as bubba and his twelve kids ordered every possible combination of popcorn and coke before we could get our measly movie tickets. Perhaps one day someone will build a real movie theater in the lovely town of Searcy and Cinema 5 will go out of business. One can dream....

12. I was able to visit with some friends from DC and finally meet their precious baby girl. Sometimes it seems surreal that I actually have a child and then for that child to be "playing" with the child of one of my childhood playmates (could you follow that thought despite the numerous times I used the word "child"?). Weird.

13. Our house was not consumed by the fires that apparently were sweeping across the DFW area. Last night I did hear the charming (I use that term loosely) neighborhood boys shooting off fireworks and hoped that a fellow neighbor had more energy than I did and called the police to report such behavior. I was only able to briefly think of how horrible it would be for our new fence to catch fire before I drifted back off to sleep.

14. We finally were able to get medicine to treat Isaac's poor constipation after things became really bad on Monday of last week. I know this is not a particularly holiday-esque highlight, but it was a very big deal for us. Things are going just fine now for sweet Isaac and his intestines.

15. Everyone loved the gifts that we gave them. The Christmas craft from hell was well received and nothing broke in all of our travels. (By the way, the Christmas craft was sets of coasters with various family pictures on them)

16. I now own Rachel Ray's cookbook "365 Meals: No Repeats" and will no longer wonder what to do for supper this year. Amongst other things, Tobe gave me a gift certificate to take cooking lessons, something I have been dying to do. My husband was very creative in his gift giving this year and really tried to make things special for me.

17. Tobe and I took my grandmother on a scenic drive of Arkansas and saw such places as Step Rock, Bald Knob, and Boldingville. We heard some great stories and drove past the house where Grandmother grew up. Then it was off to dinner at the famous Huckleberry's Catfish House. Such establishment is a great lesson for Tobe in Arkansas 101. I believe he stopped counting men in overalls when he got to seven....

18. My family was able to have a quiet, enjoyable holiday even though it has been a difficult month since the passing of my grandfather. I believe it helped things this year with Christmas falling on a Sunday and Tobe and I arriving on the 27th. Our normal family holiday traditions were put aside for the year and we were able to enjoy being with each other and honor the memory of Pawpaw.

19. Tobe discovered that there is a new version of the soft drink Big Red (his family's favorite beverage--I believe it to be an acquired taste). This new version is called Big Red Float and is supposed to taste like Big Red and vanilla ice cream blended together. He said it was not that tasty and prefers to stick to the regular version.

20. Isaac has found his voice and his feet, both of which are providing him with hours of entertainment. He has been talking for months now (by talking, I mean the basic cooing and babbling--however I swear he sometimes says, "Momma"), but he just learned how to talk very loudly. This can entertain him for extended periods of time, especially when ten people are all huddled around him laughing at every cute move he makes. He found his feet about a month ago, but really did not show a lot of interest. All of the sudden these appendages hold great interest to him. He especially likes his feet when they are sockless and shoeless (which doesn't happen very often because I have a thing about always wearing socks) and ends up tickling himself when he grabs at them. Too cute.

That is our holiday in its condensed version ( I know you are wondering how long the extended version would have been). Tomorrow we officially close the book on Christmas 2005 as the tree and all the decorations come down. I am now off to finish cleaning up the last of Isaac's latest throw-up episode and then crawl into bed in my snazzy new red jammies (thanks, Santa Baker!). Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas season as well!

Here are some pictures from the past week. My favorite is the picture of Isaac covering his face with his giraffe blanket while he slept.

All I Want for Christmas is Isaac's Teeth!

It was bound to happen. I suppose Isaac could not have gone around the rest of his life simply gumming his food. At some point, he is going to have to get some teeth. For weeks he has been attacking things with an almost disturbing ferociousness attempting to get such desired item into his mouth. Friday night while eating-out, he so desperately wanted to gnaw on my salad fork. Yesterday was what I consider to be our first official teething day. It was filled with much moaning, gnawing, and crying. We had the baby oragel out in full force, along with the infant tylenol. At his four month check-up, the pediatrician suggested giving him a frozen pancake to chew on during stressful teething times. This idea is simply hilarious to me and I could barely tell Tobe about it due to fits of laughter. Our freezer holds no frozen pancakes, but does have a lonely Ego Special K waffle left over from my pregnancy days (one of the few things tolerated for breakfast). I might be tempted to pull that out and hand it over to Isaac. Despite his pain and discomfort, Isaac was able to throw in a few grins and giggles throughout the day. If you happen to see a baby riding around in a stroller, sucking on a waffle, that is likely Isaac.

Christmas Craft 2005 update: The craft is finished and all wrapped under the tree! Yippee! Now the hard part is transporting such presents to and fro without anything breaking or the dried macaroni falling off.

Despite his tooth agony, Isaac wanted to send out a Christmas greeting to all of his blog readers. Merry Christmas!

Two stories for the price of one

A few posts ago I promised to rehash the story of the day I discovered I was pregnant. Perhaps you were hoping I had forgotten this promise, but unfortunately for you (and sometimes Tobe) I have the memory of an elephant. It was a year ago November 29th that I came home from work and took a home pregnancy test. Tobe and I had been hoping for a positive pregnancy test for months and months. Because we are very proactive people and not getting any younger, we had been to different doctors and had some tests to make sure we could have a child on our own. My doctor, being proactive herself, had written me a prescription for Clomid to fill if I did not get pregnant in November (by the way, my OBGYN is WONDERFUL. If you live in my area and need a doctor, please let me know and I will pass along her name). So this cold November day I drove home, thinking of babies, and decided to just take the stupid pregnancy test, see another negative, and go fill the prescription for Clomid. I decided to do all of this because I was attending a baby shower that night and did not want to sit there saying, "What if....." I would have my Clomid and we would be good to go the next month.

I came home and went through the "delicate" process of taking a home pregnancy test. Before I could even put the test down and wait the suggested three minutes, it turned positive. Thankfully I had already emptied my bladder, because I might have had an accident right there. I remember running through the house just saying "oh my" over and over again. Then the phone rang and the caller ID said it was my mom. Of course I could not answer it because she would know something was different about my voice. I realized that Tobe would be home soon and I needed a cleaver way to share this wonderful news with him. That morning we discovered our schedules would not really meet up until after I got home from the baby shower later that evening. Fearful he would run off to the gym while I was out thinking of a creative "Your a daddy now" gift, I left a note telling him I had something important to talk to him about that happened at school that day and to hold off on the gym until I got home. I jumped in the car and rushed to Main Street. Since we live in a wine-producing city, I figured I would get him a bottle of wine that read "Don't Open Until August 2005". I went to the first winery on Main Street and inquired if they did personalized labels for wine bottles. The owner said they did and asked me what I wanted the label to read. He then informed me that you must buy a "batch" of wine with this label. A batch was 200 bottles. Knowing we didn't need 200 bottles of wine, I left the store dejected. I walked up and down Main Street, attempting to come up with something creative. As I was becoming desperate and had started looking for a "Baby on Board" sign from the 80's, I stumbled upon Devine Wine Winery. I went inside, inquired about the personalized label, and about buying individual bottles. The wonderful shop owner told me they could do a personalized label on an individual bottle. She then helped me select a tasty wine and a cute label. As I was about to pay for my purchase, she told me I could stop by the next day to pick up my wine. Apparently they were about to have their grand opening in twenty minutes and were closing early that day. She must have sensed something was wrong by the expression on my face and decided that they would make the label for me right then. I left the store skipping, grasping my prized purchase in my hand.

Tobe was in his study when I got home. He looked at me with a confused expression when I entered the room, since I was in my work clothes and my note told him I was at the gym. I handed him the gift bag and said, "Look what I got at school today." He opened it, read the bottle, and a huge smile lit up his face. Much laughter and celebration followed. I then realized that I could not attend the baby shower that night because it would be so hard to keep this marvelous secret. I called my friend Kelli, making up some excuse as to why I would not be in attendance (in case you are keeping track, that is three little lies I told that day: 1. the gym 2. someone had given me a present at school 3. excuse for not being at baby shower---OOPS!).

Now for the second story. Tobe and I decided not to tell any friends about the pregnancy until we had told our parents. He was graduating with his PhD in a few weeks and my parents were coming down for the ceremony and celebration. We decided that would be the perfect time to tell them the exciting news. My parents were set to arrive in from Arkansas around 4pm on that Thursday afternoon. The plan was for them to come to our house, then we would all drive up together to the restaurant where Tobe's dad worked and eat dinner together. My parents were a little early, so the four of us sat around the living room chatting until time to leave for dinner. My mom kept asking me what was wrong, because I was talking very excessively and rapidly due to this exciting news we were about to share. Tobe told her I just loved the holidays (we were a week away from Christmas by this point) and that was why I was so hyper. Tobe's parents called and said they would have to take a raincheck on dinner due to some scheduling conflicts. Fortunately Tobe figured something out and reworked our dinner plans so the six of us could still eat together. Finally we arrived at the restaurant and ordered our meal. Tobe left to "go to the bathroom" and came back to the table with a present for each of our parents. He told them he wanted to give them something out of appreciation for supporting him during all of his years of education. They opened their presents and just starred at the contents. Inside my mother's box was a stuffed yellow lion and inside Tobe's mom's box was a stuffed purple elephant. My dad was shocked to find the book "The Bernstein Bears Visit the Doctor" as his present, while my father-in-law discovered the book, "My First Hammer" in his box. The four of them sat quietly at the table for a minute, wondering why Tobe had given them such bizarre gifts as a token of appreciation. Then Tobe's dad figured out the connection as did my mom. When Tobe's mom understood what all the gifts meant and who they really were for--the future grandchild--she burst into tears. It was a wonderful moment of celebration.

And now a year later we have sweet little Isaac to kiss and hold. Sweet little Isaac who only cried once during church yesterday---except that "once" happened to be during his blessing/dedication in front of the congregation. Sweet little Isaac who smiles at some strangers who stick their face into his stroller and cries at others like he did a few hours ago at Barnes and Noble. Sweet little Isaac who kicks his legs like a madman in the bathtub when I sing "Splish Splash I was taking a bath..." Sweet little Isaac who now cries when we start our naptime routine because he hates going to sleep. Sweet little Isaac who jumps out of terror at the Dragon on the Baby Einstein videos every time he watches it.

These are my precious stories to share in this season of joy and happiness. Feel free to print them off your computer and read them around the fireplace on Christmas Eve instead of "The Night Before Christmas." Happy Holidays!

Craft Conundrum

I am alive!!! I know that it has been four long days since my last post and my five readers were questioning my existence, but I have been in craft horrorland (wanted to keep this with a G-rating because some former students read this blog) for the past few days. I love all things crafty, especially during the holiday season. Typically I make some sort of present for our relatives. One year it was serving trays and another it was nightlights. Perhaps my relatives dread opening the gift marked, "From Tobe and Lynley" because they know I have made the present and they fear it is their last name etched in dried macaroni. No one has ever spoken of this fear, so I continue to handmake the majority of our Christmas presents. There has only been one time in the past when I embarked on a craft journey during the holiday time that lead me to tears of frustration. This was the year of the ornament, when I handmade intricate designs on a Styrofoam ball out of straight pins and sequins. Sounds terribly horrible, but has a beautiful result. This process takes hours because each sequin must be put on individually, until you can no longer feel the pads of your fingertip from pushing pins into foam. This year's craft is causing an equal amount of distress. It does not involve sequins or pushpins, but does have some cursing and tears. Some of you readers know the pain of this craft (please don't mention it in the comments so my relatives can be dutifully shocked on Christmas morning) and have heard my complaining this week either in person or via email. Christmas is a week away and this craft is still sitting on my fireplace, eagerly awaiting completion. However, today I have managed to take 54 pictures of Isaac in front of the Christmas tree (no exaggeration), take a nap, talk to Tobe, make hot chocolate (Best Kind: Swiss Miss marshmallow lovers made with milk rather than the suggested water), and now blog hoping to avoid this craft. Will my relatives rip into their beautifully wrapped Christmas presents only to find a half-finished project? I will let you know on December 26th.

(Isaac wondering if this present was handmade or is a real gift)

Our New Business

Despite the fact that we both have masters' degrees in psychology and Tobe has PhD, I have decided that the Phillips' clan is starting a new business. Care to know what that is? Well, my friends, we are going into the Santa Claus/Easter Bunny/Great Pumpkin business. Yesterday I bundled up my precious boy (Isaac, not Tobe) and we headed off to the mall. I was determined to get his picture made at a reasonable price with jolly ole Saint Nick. Did this Santa picture cost $10? Nope. It cost $12.99. The 17 year old photographer tried to convince me that this was a reasonable price, considering Santa has a real beard and I would get a coupon for a free 5 x 7 with the Easter Bunny in the Spring (after paying the $12.99 again). When did we go from kids climbing up onto Santa's lap and telling him their wish list to this being a professional portrait session? Do the people organizing such events not know that I can take my child to the Target photo studio and get a package of portraits for $4.99 and not pay a sitting fee?

This is why I have decided that Tobe could dress up as Santa and we could set up our own photo studio on our peninsula (you know what I am referring to if you have visited our house--we live on a lot shaped like Florida. Sounds charming, but it is quite odd). We could charge a simple $3.99 and make a killing. Then come April, Tobe can be the Easter Bunny and then the Great Pumpkin in March. We will have Isaac's college fund in no time.

So yesterday Isaac once again witnessed the cheap nature of his parents. We still have no picture with Santa and I am tempted to take him to Pet's Mart where you can pay one dollar for your pet to have his picture with Santa.

Because we don't have a picture from yesterday, I am posting Isaac being attacked by his vicious purple dinosaur Shred and then attacking his great white Rino. Don't worry, no animals were harmed in this making of this photo.

Santa part 3

Last Saturday we took Isaac for his first Santa visit, which was at a discount drug store. Yes, Santa was young and inexperienced and did appear to have a black eye. That Santa experience part 1 was not the greatest, considering Santa came close to dropping my child (do you have to pay for the picture if that happens?) Well, Saturday Tobe and I attempted Santa part 2. We took Isaac down to Main Street, searching for the lovely Mr. and Mrs. Claus we see every year. They were not at their usual post, so Tobe darted across the street to ask the friendly elf (who was swinging a large candy cane quite haphazardly) where Santa was hiding. Apparently our quaint little town has sold-out to "The Man." Santa no longer resides in the Lancaster Theater where you can pay $1 for a Polaroid and take as many pictures as you want with the family camera. Nope. Santa now lives down by the train station in The Polar Express bonanza where he is charging $10.00 to sit on his lap and you cannot take your own pictures. This was a life lesson for Isaac as he came to understand that his parents are much too cheap to pay $10.00 for a picture that might not look good. Fortunately, Isaac is only four months old and does not know disappointment yet. He just continued to chew on Eleanor the Elephant (his favorite toy right now. Something you should know about Tobe and me--we name all of Isaac's toys that are animals. Poor kid won't get to name them himself one day because we have done it for him) and smile at the Santa on stilts. So today we are going to attempt getting our picture made with Santa again, this time at the local mall. However, if they charge more than three dollars, I am tempted to just have someone snap a quick picture with my camera as I dart in front of Santa holding Isaac up. If you see me on the local news tonight being escorted from the mall, you will know that I had to take matters into my own hands.

Here is Isaac, ready to go see Santa on Saturday

For those wondering, Tobe did great yesterday at the White Rock half-marathon. Isaac and I were quite proud of his time and this life accomplishment. We can't wait to cheer him on when he runs the full marathon in late winter/early spring.

Peter!

We can officially begin the holiday season because I have finally seen THE quintessential Christmas commercial. Here's the scene: It is early on a snowy Christmas morning. A car pulls up to the classic East Coast home. The front door opens and in pops the rugged college student who is greeted by his younger sister with glee. College student and sister hug, then they are off to the kitchen to put on a fresh pot of coffee. The luscious aroma of the hot liquid brings Mom and Dad downstairs, where Mom says in a shocked voice, "Peter." Yes, this is the Folgers Coffee commercial circa 1982. I get so excited every year when it runs and I always exclaim, "Peter!" After marrying me, Tobe has come to know many of my oddities and this one just causes him to look at me in wonder (not good wonder, but more like "I thought you were more intelligent than this" wonder) and shake his head. Despite the fact that this commercial is at the very least twenty years old and that the young girl is most likely my age (22) and that Peter is likely a 40+ bald actor doing community theater in Northern Kansas, it still brings Christmas cheer into my heart. (I also saw the Campbell's soup commercial where the snowman comes in from outside and melts into a little boy as he enjoys a tasty bowl of Chicken Noodle. This is my second favorite holiday commercial, in case you were wondering)

However, the highlight of today was not seeing the "Peter" commercial. Today was Isaac's four month check-up. For those of you keeping precise details of his growth (I hope someone is because I keep forgetting to write things in his baby book), he now weighs 15 lbs exactly and is 26 3/4 inches long. He is in the 50th percentile for weight and the 95th percentile for height (swim team here we come!). We were glad to get to see his regular pediatrician, as she has been out on maternity leave. (side note: I noticed today that the pediatrician was wearing the red Kabbalah bracelet. I really wanted to ask her if she followed this religion and if she went to church with Madonna. I figured this was not appropriate and kept my mouth shut.) This appointment was also Isaac's second round of vaccinations. I know there is a lot of controversy on vaccinating children and I have done extensive research on this topic. I taught children with autism for four years and am aware of the hype between the supposed link of vaccinations and autism. I don't see this as much more than hype, but I do see the connection between the preservative thermesol (found in some vaccines) and rates of autism. But this connection gets very technical because you start looking at amounts of mercury in the child pre- and post- vaccination. I don't want to bore you with the details. I spent four years as a special ed teacher telling my students' parents that I did not believe in a direct connection between vaccinations and autism. I still don't believe that, but put me in the exam room with my own child and a nurse holding a vaccination and I suddenly have a million questions. I had already talked to our pediatrician and the nurse on separate occasions verifying that they do not use vaccines with thermosol. I had been reassured that they do not (most places do not anymore, with the exception of rural areas), but I still questioned the nurse today. How easy it is to take a stand on something, until that stand impacts the well being of your child.

Isaac did have his three shots today and took them like a champ. We believe that he has my pain threshold (He too can one day slice his knee open to the bone and calmly tell his spouse that a band-aid won't do and a trip to the ER is necessary). He did scream at the initial poke, then just cried out of anger and a sense of injustice after that. I always feel embarrassed when Isaac cries in public and have this overwhelming need to apologize to anyone within twenty feet of us. The exception to this is at the doctor's office, because I usually hear at least three other babies crying as well. Isaac was fine after a few swigs on his bottle, some infant Tylenol, and a nap.

Tomorrow is visiting Santa on Main Street, which can only be better than last weeks Santa (who does appear to have a black eye as Alison pointed out on a previous post) and then spend the night at Nana and Poppa's house so Tobe and I can have a conversation that does not involve discussing poop or formula intake. Tobe is running in the White Rock Half-Marathon on Sunday, in preparation for running a full marathon in the spring. I pointed out to him this afternoon that Channel 8 is doing coverage of the last hour of the marathon beginning at 9:30 am. The marathon starts at 8am, which means the competitive people are finishing with times in the two hour mark. I find that quite unbelievable considering my younger brother who is in excellent physical condition just ran a marathon last weekend and was happy with finishing in under five hours. (The interesting thing about a marathon is that along with water stations they also have food stations along the path. He was telling the family that some of those food stations were Krispy Kreme Donuts and pizza. I cannot imagine running 26 miles at all, but I especially can't imagine running 26 miles while eating a Krispy Kreme). So if you don't happen to be at church yet on Sunday morning and live in our area, flip the TV to Channel 8. Perhaps you will see Tobe jogging by the camera, possibly eating a donut.

Snow Day!

The temperature has continued to fall throughout the day and sleet has been pelting the homestead on and off for hours. It is officially a snow day (minus the snow)! One thing you should know about me is that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE snow! I was the child huddled by the radio (TV did not broadcast our school closings) eagerly awaiting to hear "Searcy Public Schools closed." As a teacher I was just as bad as the students when it came to snow and being out of school. My first year of teaching we had a snow storm hit in early December. As I drove home from work that day, I just knew there would be no school the following day. Tobe and I stayed up late decorating our little house (which had a variety of unique features, such as a bed in a closet, for those of you who never visited the first Phillips' casa) because I KNEW that LISD would cancel school the next day. As I sat in front of my TV waiting for Tammy Dombeck to announce closings, I was struck with disappointment when my district was not mentioned. I was about as grouchy as all the kids that day, who also stayed up late in hopes of a day off.

Although I have no official work to report to now, I still love a good snow day. However, I have grown weary of the 24 hour coverage of the storm that Channel 5 ran all day. Do they really expect me to get up at 1:05am to watch today's episode of Days of Our Lives that they chose not to show at regular time? I know winter weather is a big news story here in Texas, especially considering temps almost hit 90 degrees at Thanksgiving, but I could only watch Crystal Valletta standing on the side of I-35 talking about potential ice and accidents for so long. Tobe worked from home due to an appointment later in the day so Isaac and I got to hang with him in between his important Baylor duties. We all supported my home state and wore Arkansas shirts (this was not Tobe's choice as he was the first one dressed and just happened to wear his Razorback tee. I just made sure that Isaac and I followed suit. ) and took a family portrait by the tree.

Tomorrow it is cinnamon rolls and coffee for breakfast (our winter weather treat as opposed to the everyday Shredded Wheat) and round 2 of Channel 5's around-the-clock coverage of the storm. Happy Snow (minus the Snow) Day!
(editing note: this post was written yesterday, December 7th, but I was just able to post it this morning)

A Christmas Miracle

CENTRAL MARKET IS COMING TO OUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD!

Once I heard this delicious news this morning, I called Tobe at work to tell him. I proclaimed it the Christmas Miracle of 2005.

Blessings and Santa Claus

A week has passed since my last blog, yet it feels like a month. Tobe, Isaac, and I arrived back in Texas on Sunday morning. Although it was a very long and sad four days in Searcy, I felt blessed by the support and love that was showered upon my family. Hundreds of people came to pay their respects to my grandfather and to encourage our family. Living in the metroplex often makes me forget what small town life is like. Entering those Searcy city limits often brings back that culture in an instance. Everywhere I went last week, someone hugged me in sorrow or offered a kind thought about my grandfather. The cleaners did not charge to have the burial suit drycleaned. I went to the local jewelry store and put something on our family account and was given a discount because of the circumstances. Countless people stopped by with food and flowers. I love being able to hop in my car and be at Target or Bed, Bath, and Beyond in five minutes, but that doesn't compare to the blessings a small town holds.

On Saturday we decided to do something "normal" and take Isaac to see Santa. Mom, Dad, Tobe, Isaac, and I loaded up in the van, attempting to find the holiday spirit and a quality Santa Clause. When we pulled into the local USA drug parking lot and started to unload, Tobe innocently questioned as to why we were all getting out of the car. I replied, "To see Santa", with that "DUH" look on my face. Apparently, my big-city husband (by big city I mean Lubbock) thought that we would visit Santa at the mall or maybe even a department store. The stress of the past few days must have gotten to him, causing him to forget that there is no mall in Searcy and that Santa being at USA drug is perfectly normal, as it is the newest store in town (with the exception of Walgreen, who was having a grand opening the next day--very big event). The five of us rushed inside, eager to see Santa and see what Christmas goodies awaited us on aisle seven. I had images of a jolly Santa with rosy cheeks and a hearty laugh, ready to make a timeless portrait with Isaac. What we found instead was a 20 year old Santa who didn't smile or talk and who looked panicked when we placed Isaac in his lap. The "elf" photographer had to tell Santa to hold onto Isaac better. Santa did not sit on an elegant chair surrounded by glittery gifts. Rather he sat in a folding chair with white lattice behind him. It looked like Santa had come in and sat down during the middle of a bridal shower and started posing for Christmas pictures. It was not the Hallmark moment I had pictured.

Regardless of the Santa incident, our time in Searcy was meaningful and blessed. Our family did not once feel alone in our grief, but was able to share it with many. Thanks to all of you readers for your kind comments, emails, and phone calls.

(The Santa picture was supposed to be in the middle of the post, near the Santa paragraph. However, blogger hates me tonight and is causing great trouble. )