Journal - December 8, 2008 (Monday) Day +139

Ah, the most wonderful time of the year... bitter cold, 10 layers of clothes, wet socks...  it's a blast! I do love this time of year though. Not too much went on during the week, but the weekend was a lot of fun!

     I starting making 'test' batches of Christmas cookies. I quickly realized that I'm waaaayyy too weak to make dough, and told Lucien right away I'm going to need a hand mixer if I'm making Christmas cookies this year. So I got a little hand mixer at Target and I love it so much! The cookies came out awesome too, they're cut out as stars and candy canes with homemade royal icing! It was my first time making cookies like this, so they're a little rustic looking. I think they'll look better next time I make them.

     Unfortunately, we lost our beta fish, Seaside, this week. I was upset because I had him about 4 years. I had won him on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk and he lived with us a long time. So, Saturday night we took the kids to the pet store to pick out a family pet beta together. We picked out a beautiful purple, red, and blue colored fish and some fresh food for him. When we went outside from the store it had started to snow big beautiful snowflakes! Lucien had Luciana, and I was holding Adrian's hand and asked him what he thought we should call our new fish. Immediately, he said, "We should call him Salmon". And that's his name! Adrian was so excited to get Salmon settled into his bowl and feed him. It's his first pet really, so he can't stop talking about him!

       Adrian's school has been amazing through this time, very understanding, accommodating and helpful. They had asked us to have the kids make up letters with some things they would like for Christmas and send them in. The staff all pitched in and collected all these amazing gifts for the kids for Christmas! Lucien went and picked them up this morning, and when he came home with everything, all wrapped and ready Christmas I was overwhelmed! It's so amazing and I'm so excited for the kids for Christmas. I'm so happy they are getting toys, because I wasn't able to afford too many. I got them mostly clothes they needed, some puzzles, books and movies so now they have more fun things for Christmas morning!

    His school even gave us a Turkey that we froze until Christmas and a Shoprite gift card which we will use tomorrow for diapers. To everyone over at the school especially Adrian's teachers thank you so much for everything you have done for our family during this season, Adrian and Luciana had just as tough a year as Lucien and I, between adjusting to babysitters, traveling to their grandparents every week, change of routine, not spending time with me for so long, it just makes me want to give them the best Christmas ever! And with everyone's help that we've received, they will have a perfect Christmas.

     I also have to thank everyone at the church again for everything you are doing to help us through this time. It amazes me that people continue to open their hearts to us and I will forever be thankful for that, because even though I am sitting in my familiar spot at the desk working, taking care of the kids mostly on my own and seeming to be 'back to normal', I'm definitely not. I just don't want to log on here every week and complain about my ankle pain, or extreme tiredness or any of that, because it's a time to be thankful for the positives. And we would not be able to keep this household running just yet without the help that all of you are continuing to offer. I do still have a ton of prescriptions, medical transportation, and things like that, so we are close, but not quite there on getting caught up. And for all the help, support, and prayers I can never ever thank everyone enough!