IrishOboe

Things we are thankful for in some particular order:

1. Christ’s coming to earth!  Hallejula!  We had a wonderful Christmas day with family.  Little did I know that that first gift I got that morning was a virus from the train bathroom . . .
2. On the second day of Christmas I was extremely grateful for the loving care I got from my husband and in-laws as they looked after me while in intestinal distress and entertained my son.  They even let us spend an extra night because I could not fathom a train or car ride.  In the evening I was feeling better Stephan was coming down with it and I a relapse and so we went to the hospital worrying about the baby having enough fluids.  At the hospital we got lots of questions and
3. IV fluids and learned the baby was doing just fine.  They wanted to keep me over night, but I didn’t think that was necessary, and I’m glad I didn’t because the next morning poor Joseph had diarrhea and I’m thankful I was there and that there’s such a thing as
4. disposable diapers for awful messes like that.  I was well enough to start looking after my now sick husband and my sick son who hardly showed any signs of being sick except that he had to “poo pee poo” frequently.  He usually told us after, not before a bout, but for the first time he went on a normal toilet.  I’m glad my stomach was settled enough for that – but I think I’m getting into too much detail.
5. By evening we were all well enough to thankfully accept a ride home from Stephan’s dad, which cut the trip in half and made it much, much easier on our systems.
6. We are terribly sorry for the family members we passed this Christmas gift on to, but we are extremely thankful that we didn’t infect everyone!
7. Last but not least we are all very grateful for returned health.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

There are many thoughts flying about my head, but Joseph’s nap won’t last forever and there are more important things to do, like prepare ourselves to welcome the Savior of the world.

But Stephan’s 7-takes lead me to an article which I think is as important as it is horrifying: Mother’s who decide not to be mothers anymore.  Full-time mothering is tough no matter what outside commitments you have.  It’s difficult to express all that goes into it being a very demanding and stressful job, especially when it’s much better to focus on all the joys it brings.  Yet I think it’s dangerous to underplay the difficulties to women who are not yet mothers.  They need to count the cost.  Examples of women who found it to be too much to give up their careers and so much time and energy can be a good way to hit home the sobering truth of just how tough a job it is without having to whine all the time trying to express it.  It can also be an encouragement and warning to current mothers: don’t take on more than you can handle outside the home.  Your work inside is of infinite importance and is not “nothing” but requires an incredible amount of energy and strength – even if people around you don’t ever “get it.”

Things Joseph is thankful for in no particular order:

1. Snow
2. Mommy
3. Daddy
4. Chances to be outside
5. The ball playground at the shopping center
6. Our advent calendar (what fun to open and shut the doors!)
7. ninganinganinga (or “mittens” in English)

There’s only so much computer time, much less blog time and it looks like 7-thanks have taken over bullet updates.  I’ll try to catch up a bite at a time.  Here are notes on Joseph over the past month or so.

Nov. 11^th: We had our first frost! (Okay, that’s not about Joseph, but I wrote it on his sheet so in it goes.)

20^th: Joseph says “mama” when he the Grandma bit.

25^th: Joseph knows upper case “I, S, W, M, O” and can place many letters in his wooden alphabet puzzle that Tante Anita gave him.  He signs ‘G’.

Dec. 4^th: Joseph no longer calls both of us “mama” but can say and sign “Bappe” and “Mama” correctly.  He takes great pleasure in this and sometimes says and signs them over and over in succession.  He does the same with “yes” and “no” (though he doesn’t sign them) and it’s terribly cute because “no” is a sweet word.  It’s “nein” that really means “no” to him.

12^th: Looking at some mammal bits I had spread on the floor to keep him busy, Joseph said “Caracal” (sounds like Karkal), “horse” (hs), “otter,” and more.  This were retired bits, though not long retired.

21^st: Joseph had croup again in the night, but this time I knew about the cold air trick and I stayed calm so Joseph recovered well and though he needed extra care in the night he would return to sleep after some rocking.  We’re all sick, but not as sick as we could be.  Here’s hoping we’re well by Christmas!

23^rd: Joseph helped me make dream cookies, taking the formed dough balls I gave him, dipping them in sugar and handing them back to me.  He did a very good job obeying and at the end he got to eat one.  Oops, he’s up from his nap now, but I should add that he’s very good with the upper case alphabet.  He can do most of his puzzle and knows most of the letters.  Even if I write them out on a piece of paper he can identify more than half (though he says oddities like “ba” for “Z” because Z is for zebra).

Dear Readers,

I have been getting so many spam comments that I have decided to turn on comment moderation.  Once you have been approved your comments should show up right away, but until your first comment since this post has been approved there will be a delay until I can get to the computer and sort through comments.  Thanks for your understanding.

Things I’m thankful for in no particular order:

1. I won’t always and forever have my sleep constantly interrupted. (Sorry, that’s a complaining thanks.)
2. Marriage vows
3. Helping hands
4. Pregnancy doesn’t last forever
5. Massages
6. Clean yummy water right from the tap
7. Better iron levels (read: more energy and less breathlessness)

1. Catholic holidays when living in a Catholic canton and father-son outings (this time to the transport museum)!  Plus a “Getting Things Done” system that works well enough for me to tear though a bunch of tasks when I have a few hours alone in the house.
2. A freezer!  We have a new 100L freezer in our cellar.  That’s bigger than our kitchen fridge and freezer combined.
3. Meals I don’t cook.  I’ve discovered that I really do enjoy cooking, but it takes quite a bit of time and I love feasting without preparing.  Our church had their Christmas lunch this week and it was beautiful and tasty.  Thanks to all who served (not that you read this blog . . .).
4. A husband who helps keep the house neat and clean the way I like it.  Have I mentioned this one before?  It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
5. No severe winter sicknesses.  We keep coming down with things but getting over them quickly.
6. Malls.  No, really.  The shopping center next to us feels a lot like an American mall and it makes me feel at home (though I still don’t frequent it all that often).
7. Everything I don’t see.  Someone made a comment the other day that bugged me because it clearly showed that that person didn’t realize at all the thought and care I had taken with him/her in mind.  Not only does it make it clear that my efforts don’t amount to much (though they might notice if I didn’t put that effort in), but it’s taken for granted and isn’t nearly enough.  Talk about demotivating.  Upon later reflection I think I might have misheard or he/she might have misunderstood what I said that lead to the comment, and this person is trustworthy, so it doesn’t bother me any more, but it made me think: How often do we say something in ignorance and have no clue just how much effort and care another person has put into whatever it is and thus tromp on their spirit?  I’m guessing it happens rather frequently, because life doesn’t just work.  So much work and effort goes on behind the scenes of everything, and whenever we complain it’s like we assume things are right all by themselves.  Instead of investing a thanks that things normally go smoothly, we tear a person down for not being perfect.  To all those whose effort and work sometimes goes unnoticed (that’s everyone!) here’s a big THANK YOU!

Things I’m thankful for in no particular order:

1. A head down baby that’s starting to lower – there’s just a small chance of a breech birth now!
2. Swimming with Joseph.  What fun!  He goes under like a pro and rarely ingests any water now.  He comes up smiling and saying “wow, wow, wow!”
3. A new kitchen scale that measures in grams and ounces – no more running to the computer to do a conversion (sorry, I don’t do so well with mental math).
4. My little helper: I bought too much at the store so Joseph had to carry the yogurt home all by himself.  What a trouper!
5. People who take Joseph on walks!
6. I went to the dentist today!  I made the appointment Tuesday thinking I’d never get my foot in the door.  I’m so thankful that that’s out of the way so I don’t have to find and go to the dentist with an infant.  Plus, a got a clean bill of health!!
7. Snuggles