12.18.2013

Some {Almost} Winter Moments . . .



 We've been busy with all the stuff that comes with this time of the year.  This includes picking out our Christmas tree.  We went to a different place for our tree this year and are so happy we did.  There were several different types to choose from.  We wanted to cut our own but schedules didn't allow for that.  I'm still looking for the kind my Grandmother had when I was a kid that looked like this . . .
Compliments of Google Images.
  . . . but I'm starting to give up on that idea.  I guess I'll always have my memories. It's funny but the woman in the photo kind of looks like my Grandmother when she was young.  : )

My son actually let me take a photo of him while tree hunting!!  YAY!!!
This one, on the other hand, has absolutely NO problem letting me take her photo!!!  LOL!!!
Meggie and Daddy making sure the man cuts the tree to the perfect length.
 We also attended Brendan's first middle school holiday concert.  They did a phenomenal job!!  What a difference between elementary school band and middle school band!!!  : )

Not a great photo but we didn't have great seats.  The poor kid on the right probably thought I was stalking him!!  : )
I'm so proud of Brendan for sticking with band.  I love that happy face!!!  : )
On my way back to the car after the concert, I saw this in a tree and thought it was someone's lost parrot.  I was all ready to try to catch him because I knew he'd freeze to death and then I realized it was something that someone must've put there as a joke.  It looked so real until you got up close!!!  Creepy!!!!!  LOL!!!!!

 We have so much going on around here and a lot of it is not so great.  My father in law has to have emergency open heart surgery on Friday and my brother in law had surgery to repair a broken tibia yesterday.  They are my family from my first husband.  If you don't know already, my first husband passed away nine years ago very suddenly at the age of 40 from a heart condition that we didn't know about.  Most of my father in law's family is in Ireland and we are pretty much all that he has left here.  My mother in law passed away almost four years ago.  My brother in law is mentally retarded and lives in a group home.  He fell a couple of weeks ago on a wet floor and shattered his knee cap.  I sat with him before and after surgery yesterday for a few hours.  He's in very good spirits but was asking me a lot of questions as to why his dad wasn't at the hospital..We can't tell him that his dad is in the hospital because he would get too upset.  Those are my father in law's wishes.  We have no idea how we're going to get thru Christmas with all of this because he still believes in Santa Claus and my in laws have always made a big deal out of Santa coming.  This year, he won't even be coming home from the group home for Christmas because my father in law will be in the hospital for a week to ten days following the surgery and then to a rehabilitation facility for up to a month after that.  We're going to see if his leg is okay enough for us to bring him to our house on Christmas even if it's just for an hour.


My father in law and brother in law.  : )
 I can't begin to tell you how much this breaks my heart.  This family has endured so much and it always seems to be during the holiday season.  I adore the both of them with all of my heart and so does my husband.  To see my husband with my father in law is something that I can't put into words.  They are truly like father and son.  I know that my first husband sent Jim to me and I have no problem saying this.  It is nothing less than Amazing Grace.  I know we will get thru this.  One day at a time. 

 Many blessings for a beautiful Wednesday ~ Wendy


2 comments:

sage and spirit said...

You are a strong and wonderful woman, Wendy. You will get through this and my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Please keep us updated on your father-in-law.

xx

Gina said...

Wendy. The way you write about your first husband and your in-laws gives me goose bumps. Your relationship with them all despite "moving in" to a new chapter in your life is proof of real love. The fact that your husband can have such a close bond and be so supportive of a family that are not his own flesh and blood is just awe inspiring. You truly are beautiful people. I hope that Christmas works out ok for you all despite all the uncertainty. Thinking of you. Gina