(1/1)...streaming

It feels like it's been months since I blogged, and actually it's just been a little over a week. A lot can happen in a week. We mostly enjoyed our eight days of Christmas thus far. I took pictures of  ♬ a few of my favorite things ♬.

A new tree this year. Surprise to us! 

The boys went down to get the tree from storage

 and it wasn't there. 

Doug forgot that he put it out on the curb last year 

so we wouldn't be tempted to use it again -- it was pretty old.

We bought a new pre-lit tree 

and even though the lights don't glow

 like the old one, 

it took exactly three minutes to assemble. Yey!

Geoffrey is back at school today, and Noah starts back to school on Thursday. I promised Faith I would  make a gingerbread church with her, and so I think we'll do that on Thursday, and some lessons on Friday. It's going to be a rough transition because we took a longer break than we normally do.

A new ornament this year. My brother (former Marine Corps major) 

often gives us the annual White House Historial Association ornament. 

This year's is a cute little car like the one President Taft rode in.

My mom decided last week to create some excitement and she ended up in the hospital. Actually, it was not intentional at all. On Thursday, she had several minutes of blurry vision when she got out of bed. She dressed, went to work as usual, and called the doctor from there. Because her doctor was not in, the nurse suggested she go to the ER because she felt the issue needed attention. My mom worked all day (that's my mom) and after work drove to the ER. When she got there her BP was 220/97. Yikes! Because the ER was just that, only an ER, she was transferred to the hospital by ambulance (they wouldn't let me drive her). She spent two nights there, and learned she has really erratic BP, and a brain aneurysm. Surprise, surprise! 

Ultimately, it was decided by the neurologist on the brain/stroke floor, that the vision blurriness was an issue with her eyes, that her BP needs much better management (she is on BP meds and takes her pressure every day, but usually at the same time, in the morning before work -- she needs to check it when she is active and stressed), and that the brain aneurysm (less than 5 mm) needs to be watched. They were, apparently, three completely unrelated issues, which scared the bejeebers out of us but are not life threatening. At one point we thought she'd had a TIA so we were on pins and needles thinking she could have a stroke any minute, but she, fortunately, got the "all-clear."

On with the show...

My sister-in-law gifted me with this plate. 

She found it at a thrift store and rescued it for me. I love it, 

and I love that I am worthy of a rescued religious item!

The other "happy" news (totally sarcastic) is that my ovarian cyst is still there. My ultrasound was last Thursday, but because of the weekend and then the holiday, I haven't heard from my doctor. It does bother me (mentally) only because I know that the generally harmless kinds of cysts don't usually occur in women my age. I'll be calling the doctor in the morning. 

I also have to go see another orthopedist about the meralgia paresthetica in my right leg. It got much worse over the holiday (probably from standing in the kitchen for days) and it's very painful. I'm having so much fun! I must admit that when my extended family all kissed Happy New Year last night, I was thinking, "I sure hope next year is better than this year was!"

I saved the best for last.

My beloved gave me a statue of the Blessed Mother for our new mantel.

She is so beautiful, tall, graceful, and cradling that newborn God. 

It's such a special gift and one I will treasure forever.

I hope that you enjoy the rest of your twelve days. I try to get back soon...stay tuned.