day # 365.

its hard to believe that yesterday was the 365th day of us living here is san luis. today is the day that we drove up from l.a. to take up residence on the beautiful central coast. so here is what i did with the last day of my first year.

. read breaking dawn (not the whole thing)
. made breakfast
. played legos
. taught ash to draw a fish
. had someone come and fix the leak in the bathroom ceiling
. started to made invitations for a friends sons birthday
. worked
. emailed for work
. flipped the switch for the fuse i blew last night (in the house not is my head)
. did crafts with ash
. had left overs
. worked some more

isn't it nice to know that the last day of my first year was just so ordinary. i think it is! it means that this is starting to feel like home. can't wait to see what happens this next year!

christmas.

here is my new favorite christmas story. told by jt... remember he is four! when i asked him if christmas was about getting presents, he told me NO! then, without being prompted, he told me that it was about, 'baby jesus being born in a STAPLE in BETHALAHAM.' i said, ' a STAPLE?' he said, 'YES mom. a STAPLE.' i said, 'that's interesting.' he responded with, 'yes it is.'

ashlynn got... craft stuff galore! yeah for crafting. we have already started making new things. she has high hopes... tomorrow we will learn how to use a glue gun. hopefully that won't include cold water and bandages. what was i thinking? she got a bike from papa. an american girl doll of which has it's own christmas outfit. rollerblades, watch out world... she has come to run you over.

jt got... legos. legos. more legos. i was smart though, knowing that we were getting legos i went and go storage containers. one for each set. yeah for me!!!!!

i got a new road bike. i am so stoked. todd is such a huge rider (when he has time) that i always loved to be able to spend time with him on his turf. i told him that he can pull the kids in the trailer... then i had at least a fighting chance of some kind of beating him up a slight incline. we will see. my dad gave me this beautiful white gold and diamond cross. i love it. i have wanted one for such a long time. since he has been the most spiritual influence in my life, it was significant that i got it from him. he cried when i opened it... so did i.

todd got an ipod & headphones that block out the wind while he rides. sounds good right, but what happens if there is an emergency vehicle going fast, trying to reach some accident or something? can he hear it? who knows, at least they are prepared to help him if he crashes right? right.

so here's to baby jesus being born in a staple in bethalahem. hope everyone had a magical christmas.

taking a break.

we took some super cute pictures of the kids today. i just couldn't decide which ones i loved the most. these small squares don't do the full image justice, but you just had to see them.

jen.

i was informed by a number of people that jen collins (who would hate to be called out i know) was one of the wonderful people who helped with the craziness of our house. jen cleaned the kitchen. we were making egg salad sandwiches just before we went flying down the 101 freeway on saturday. thank you jen. you and so many others were such a huge blessing to me. i can't begin to describe the emotions i had when i walked into my house and was simply able to sit down and rest. thank you.

friends.

i have some amazing support... from not only my family, but my friends. i want to share with you the blessings we have seen in the last few days.

• friends came and pick up our kiddos when we got to the hospital so that we were able to run in and see dad. joel and kim took the kids to mcdonalds, did crafts with them, and talked with them about papa.
• people opened up their home for us to stay at without us even having to ask... mama fett made us breakfast in the morning, bought us toothbrushes, and talked with us.
• curtis and diane were waiting at the hospital to come and hug us through all the pain.
• ben took care of our dogs.
• people brought us food while we waited with my dad in the hospital.
• there were some great sales going on so we could get clothes.
• renelle took ashlynn and jeremy to play with cole at skyhigh bounce house.
• those who had our kids shared the stories with us about them talking about my dad. that brought me so much comfort.
• the nursing staff let ash & j go see my dad when he was in the step down unit (you are supposed to be at least 14, but they allowed the kids go give hugs and kisses).
  
• so many people came by to see us and give hugs knowing that they might not see my dad.
• when we got home our christmas tree was set up with christmas lights already on it (know we left with it thrown into our garage, it was actually still on the top of our car when we got the dreaded call).
• lisa, erika, and anna cleaned my house (we left so quickly & were in the middle of setting up our christmas tree that things were everywhere. they know me well enough to know that situations like that can be a little bit stressful for me. they set up the tree with ben's help).
• there were phone calls & text messages of love and encouragement.

i was just so thankful for everyone and everything that was done. i was amazed!

dad again.

my dad got some preliminary test results. the pericardium does have cancer in it. we aren't completely sure what is the next step, but my dad is already talking about what doctor he is going to be talking to next. he is going to go down fighting... either now or months from now, he isn't giving up or backing down.

waiting.

i am convinced that waiting for test results is the hardest part of any process. right now we are waiting. the surgery went well. they drained 700 cc's of fluid from around his heart. he felt instant relief when he woke up from surgery. the unfortunate part was the unexpected amount of pain and the horrible fever that he got. there were some blessings too... his nurses have been wonderful. i know them all by name & they have become my temporary family. tunjie his night nurse is an amazing and gentle man from west africa. he has proven to be my favorite family member. he hugged me as they took my dad off for surgery. man these nurses see a lot. a friend from high school is an icu nurse & was a huge help when my dad's fever spiked up again. she was so fantastic. i want to share with you something my dad showed me in a book the day that he went in for surgery. my brothers church was going through this book & he brought it for my dad. i suggest you pick up a copy. it is amazing. his perspective is so breathtaking.

"Christ will stand by you in trouble and at death. John 14:18 'I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.' When affliction arises, especially if it is for His sake, and you are bereaved of all outward comforts, christ will not leave you comfortless. When friends fail, and flesh fails, and heart fails, yea, and life fails, Christ will not fail, but will stand by and strengthen you, and be a light to you in your darkest hours, a stay to your spirits when they are ready to sink within you." Thomas Vincent The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ

My dad is amazing!

dad.

on saturday we got the dreaded phone call that we needed to get down to the hospital in santa clarita because my dad wasn't doing very well. we are so thankful for today because we weren't even sure if we were going to make it down to say our goodbyes, our i loves yous, or give our hugs and kisses. today at 7 a.m. my dad is going to undergo a surgery to relieve the pressure around his heart. we are so thankful that he has made it thus far. please pray for him. this will determine if he has an infection around his heart or if his cancer has made it to the pericardium wall. please pray it is an infection... most of all we want the Lords will, but we can still be a little selfish and pray for the infection as well. we have all had some very sweet and precious time with him over the last few days... laughter, tears, sleep. that is how his days have gone. thank you for praying.

cute phone calls.

this little guy with my kids is jeremy's best buddy. cole. we call him colie. coleford. colie rollie pollie. or sometimes just cole. both jeremy & cole got to talk to each other on the phone the other day. i wasn't assisting in the phone conversation because i was on one of my crazy hurry & get out the door moments, but todd was there. the one thing that i did observe from the other room was what really is important to little kids. jeremy's question to cole was, 'when are you going to come and stay with me?' they just want to have time together with someone. mom. dad. or best buddies from santa clarita. aren't they just so cute together? they will sit and play quietly for hours.

comedy.

it has been a while since the last time i actually got on my blog. about 2 weeks & 1 day to be exact. why do you ask? well let me share with you the lastest findings in my life. i have chosen to find the comedy in all of them... because without laughter i think i might need to be placed in a padded room. no seriously. here we go...

1. we have found new ways to homeschool. being that we are driving to LA so much to see my dad, the back seat has become a homeschool area! (yes i am driving and taking the picture at the same time, using the rear view mirror). sheer talent!

2. when you have your bathroom redone because of a leak in several places, there is a layer of dust that comes with the remodel. the dust doesn't remove itself when the workers leave, nor do they pick up the stuff that they have tracked into the house. plus you have be be careful to make sure that you have closed the bottom drawer before you turn around and try to walk past it. i have a feeling that it will puncture a hole in your shin and you will fall to the floor in such agony! no idea how i know that, but i do. maybe it is the magical powers my kids think i have.

3. my sister will still bite me when i do something she doesn't like. she is 24 years old. yes 24. all i tried to do was to erase a picture from her camera that she took of me in which i felt i looked too fat. she didn't like that!

4. ashlynn started handing out her number to boys. oh my, it has already started.

5. it takes 4 firefighters to come and show me how to turn off the alarm for the sprinkler system in the house... all the while jeremy asking if we are going to burn up & say, 'mom what did you do?' oh by the way, all you have to do is flip the breaker switch to 'off'. yes they laughed at me. yes i was home alone. no i didn't call 911.

6. which leads to the next observation if you will... when you are calling for help, just call the dispatch number on the first page of the phone book. if you call the city fire department number and leave a message, they will call back the next day. then you have to relive all the drama of the previous day all over again.

7. working 35 hours a week can make you a little crazy while attempting to accomplish everything else in life. by the way, 10 cups off coffee in one day IS TOO much!

8. working from home doesn't mean you have more time to clean up the house, it just means that there is another area of the house that needs attention daily.

9. my house won't clean itself. why won't it clean itself. doesn't it know that i have things i need to get done.

10. playing in the rain relieves all the tention.

11. and yes... cookies do make everything better. especially when you get a cookie sandwich from diddy reese in westwood. but make sure that you don't park in front of the sign that says you will be towed. you really will be towed. actually it took the guy about 7 minutes to come and almost hook up our car to impound it. my brother talked the guy down from $150 dollars per car to $40 dollars. which reminds me that people are just so darn honest. (laugh now)

12. yelling at the sewing machine doesn't make it go any faster. it just wouldn't sew the shirts i am doing for the boutique tomorrow any faster. ashlynn actually came up and rubbed my back telling me, 'everything is going to be okay.' do you think i went to far by yelling at the sewing machine?

13. you CAN read a book too many times before it gets frustrating. for some reason this book sent me over the edge. why in the world would a fox want to eat a gingerbread man? who knows.