Christmas Card

to all of you I neglected to send a card (yes, I still have a few on the kitchen counter). Here is our card. I send it off to the world with love.

whitney

I may have to get this furniture, but I promise NEVER to do this with our new Scrabble board. love it so much.
(viewing for adults only) www.blacksbeach.org/scrabble1.jpg


from the blacksbeach webpage

gazelle

hope you are feeling better. I could have wrapped this album up for you instead.....

have a listen http://odeo.com/audio/17279383/players

yup, thought so.

Kate's trail of light

well, the boys delivered their letter about the luminaries and the orders kept coming and coming and coming! We bought all the white bags from target, michael's and hobby lobby and added them to the luminaries we bought at a book store. Marc was continually running out for more cat litter, cups or tea lights. The boys made big signs that said "lit up for Kate."

Ben and Will raised $400 for the Leukemia Lymphoma society and we had the most wonderful Christmas Eve working together and visiting our neighbors. We set out the bags just before dusk and lit them as the sun set. Our neighbors were in their yards smiling and taking photos. Cars drove down slowly admiring all night. The best part was when Kate and family drove into our driveway after viewing the street. Kate had the biggest smile and my children felt it...truly felt IT.

"You don't keep Christmas. You give it away." --Charles Dickens

Lit up for Kate!

cause you just have to see their cuteness!

words that make me giggle

snorkel
shag
falafel

all lit up

wow! Having a tough week running because of an injury (remember to stretch!) but my spirit for running is HUGE! My account recently received a donation from the Getzel Kenner memorial in honor of my uncle's father who lost a battle to prostate cancer but also suffered from a blood disorder. His foundation, inspired by Kate's story, decided to honor his life while honoring Kate. I will run strong in his honor.

Then...Chik-fil-A (Druid Hills/Briarcliff) donated $490 from the proceeds of Kate H. Day. Carolyn, Whitney and I each received this amount. wow, $1470! Carolyn also received a bundle of cash. Thank you Greg Mapoles and Angela McDaniel for organizing such a meaningful day that brought together the community and will support Leukemia/Lymphoma research for a cure. I am continually amazed by the thoughtful generocity of my community and friends.

There's more...My children love to be backseat drivers at this time of the year. "turn left. look at those lights.... go that way where those trees are lit up in the woods." They mentioned how we set out luminaries on Christmas eve each year and asked if we could sell them for Kate, to cure her Leukemia. I wish there was a word I could come up with that could express my emotions of love, pride and hope at that moment. "could we?" they asked. So, we bought all the bags and candles and what not and will be out in the neighborhood with their luminary service ($2 for the bag, weight and candle and $5 for the luminaries being set up for you on Christmas eve) with all proceeds going to the Leukemia/Lymphoma society. Drive by. Our lights will be the brightest, as they are lit with hope and love.

nostalgia

Prominently displayed on our Christmas tree----not a holiday tree----is one of the wise men my dad and I painted when I was a little girl. It was the greatest wooden paint by number ornament kit EVER! Paint by number Jesus even. I believe I whipped out the ol wood burner to add a bit of flair to them.

Same wonderful event every year...Christmas music, lots of appetizers, sparkling grape juice in wine glasses, cheese and sausage, tree trimming with dripping icicles (you know you have to place them one by one), attaching the delicate bird that was a fav of my grandfather, angel on top AND the crackling fire tape in the VCR. And now the wooden wise man is on my tree. makes me very happy.

Poly want a cracker?

I just had to comment on the email I just received. I didn't open it but the subject line read:

"turn your trouser mouse into a one-eyed giant." hmmm.

holy cow!

I ran 12 miles today....in a row. seriously. me.

If your brain works like mine and you understand the photo reference, sorry.

yikes

so. My little Will has had an irritation near his eye for a couple of days. I thought it was hives because he helped me trim the rosemary bush and the oils were all over him. Well after a visit to the doctor this morning we found our that it is poison ivy that is spreading across his face and his torso. Don't hand me the mother of the year pin yet, there's more. He also has been complaining that his legs hurt. "growing pains, sweetie. I remember them. They really hurt." I said. Then we saw the big red mark behind his knee. Hmm. What could that be? A bug bite? Let's put some antibacterial cream on it and keep it clean. Guess what the doctor said--It's a staph infection that is pretty bad. They took blood and will see if the antibiotics work.

So, we have antibiotics 3 times a day and steroids twice a day. We took the steroids with just a bit of whining. Then came the yummy pink stuff. We took it in itty bitty bits and then I said "just one more bit." That's when he vomited it on me. So we are supposed to take this 3 times a day for 10 days and he can't get it down once? Great. He is sleeping now after the trauma of the medicine but i will have to wake him to pick up his brother from school. The nurse who needs to call in a replacement prescription (takes what a minute?) has not called me back.

AAAAHHHHH! Did I mention my sweetie is out of town for a couple of days?

later in the day....got the substitute medicine. works great (meaning he takes it without throwing it up in my hands). Walgreen's people = so sweet and good.

followup on Friday---"drained" the knee. Here's me: "Will, honey don't squeeze it too hard. I am afraid it will hit me in the face."

Will: "what?"

knee: splat

me: "can you hand me that towel, Will?"

**12/12 Have been called by the school nurse and my child's teacher regarding the paper cut on his ear (that he got while in school mind you). They just want to make sure it is not the spreading of staph. I am nervous to send my healthy, well fed, well rested, clean, loved, well-behaved child to school now. What if he coughs?

**12/15/07 Had to take Will into the Drs office for rash covering his entire body. His face its spotty and bright red. Yup--he is allergic (they think) to the antibiotics. They tested him for strep--nope. His knee has returned to normal. Oh and the ear is a normal cut, healing well.

Happy Birthday Christa!

Today is my very best friend's day! Love you. Miss you. Only a few times in my life have I found a card that truly says what I want to say, not Hallmark's version. So I found this card for her that said...ooh I wish I had written it down for it was perfect.... Well, the jist of it was that we can always pick up where we left off, no matter the miles or the days that have passed. Whenever I need her, she is there. Whatever i say, she speaks my language. Unconditional love. Today I salute you Christa with coffee (not watery tea), with clove candy, wearing red (not mixed with pink) and a hunk of cheese (colby). Love you.

(that's Christa in Chinese)

wee me

Look at the wee me.

tee hee.

good stuff

Here's the little girl I adore. Sweet photographer, Parker Smith took this photo on Kate's first day back to school after a while of yuckiness. She is doing great. She is so brave and strong. Thank you to everyone who has donated money to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society on behalf of Kate for my half marathon in January. Thank you to everyone who simply gave a "go girl." I truly feel that the money will make research and positive outcomes happen but above and beyond this, this organization has created a web of goodness that has spread throughout the nation. That much positive energy has to be good for the world. My soul feels it intensely. On saturday mornings when there are just 20 of us running for this cause I feel it. Imagine when I get to Disney and there are thousands of us in purple shirts supported by hundreds of thousands there and at home. What will that feel like? How can that not be so good for the world?