Our Annual Hibernation

The kids and I are on our annual pilgrimage back to Sanity Oasis, via some R & R and hibernation. I didn't realize how desperately we all needed it until it began. Since the last blog update (yikes, that's a while), we hurled ourselves into football and cheer - so much so that I convinced them that the concession stand is "Home Cookin'" - started school, and broke down and regulated the sleep schedule a bit too. I have written, re-written and e-mailed out our family newsletter, saw my Dad off to the hospital and into the Stem Cell Transplant, shopped and put up the tree. Football and cheer proved to be hectic and demanding, but awesome. More importantly Dad's condition continues to improve, thank God, despite some minor speedbumps, such as an infection in his PIC line on Christmas Eve (which his "Team" rapidly treated and resolved) and some swelling in one arm & feet/ankles that brought his weight up thirty pounds! (Those aren't 30 good pounds, and his arm looks like it should be held in place with rope, given the Macy's Day Parade quality it has.) 

So 2010 is looming with lots of question marks. This is the calm before the storm, regardless of whether there is resulting damage or not, I feel like I should be battening-down-the-hatches somehow. My abhorance to becoming a pessimist is in a constant battle with staying a devout optimist. Several friends moved away in the second half of this year....one as far as Arizona (wth?)...and I have to remind myself that the black cloud is coincidental, and not following me around.

Or, rather, it's big enough to be over LOTS of us.

My aunt and uncle's recent medical challenges have been ongoing, and yet remind me that the network of family is SO much more important than I sometimes realize.

In the overall scheme, everyone is ready for a week in front of the fireplace. It would be cool if we could finagle a month, however. I only stacked enough wood for about a week though...I supposed that will have to do!