Christmas 2011

This is our 'Christmas corner':

Here we have our tree, our children's bibles and Christmas story books. We have also set up our wooden nativity items (Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus) and our finger puppets, as well as including the nativity set P made at Bible Study creche.

Each night before bed we sit next to our (little) tree and read a part of the nativity story together. We don't follow a structure, but have read or discussed different aspects together. We've talked about how the girls sleep in a comfortable bed, but Jesus slept in an animals food box. We've talked about how Mary sang a song of thanks and sang a thank you song to God ourselves. P has enacted out the nativity story many times herself.

At the end of each Bible reading time, the girls each choose one Christmas decoration to put up on the tree. They both love this tradition.

I've been trying to think of ways of making Christmas not all about the presents. I decided this year to not put the presents under the tree but instead put our nativity scenes and Bible stories there. I'm still not sure whether to have the girls open their presents on Christmas eve (so that Christmas Day is all about Jesus) or not.

What are your thoughts?

Saddened...

by the finiteness of our existence in this world.

Gladdened...

by the infiniteness of eternity.

Mary Mary, quite contrary

Wondering how our garden is growing?

Pretty good, considering my lack-of-green-thumb.

These Earth Boxes are gold, I tell you. Gold.

E sick

E has been sick this last week. I took her to Emergency at the hospital down the road from us on Sunday night/early Monday morning. She was very upset in the middle of the night (unusual for her), had a fever despite being given meds to bring it down, seemed to be short of breath, and was going blue around her mouth as she cried. It was her breathing that worried me most, so I took her in to make sure she was getting enough oxygen.

I'm thankful that:

- we have a hospital literally 5 minutes drive away

- there was no-one else in the waiting room

- they were able to monitor her oxygen levels and determine that, when calm, she was getting the oxygen she needs

- they were happy to take a monitoring approach

- E was able to sleep a bit while we were there

- the nurses were so kind and thoughtful (although I did have to ask them to leave us alone when they were so intent on 'cheering' E up - poor thing was tired and terrified of all these people wiggling toys/balloons in her face. But they meant well!)

- there was zero cost. Didn't even ask for our medicare or insurance cards, despite being a private hospital.

- that PH was home for Monday morning and could look after P while E and I caught up on some sleep

I'm also thankful for children who are normally healthy and well. It's not something I take for granted.