Gingerbread

Yesterday we pulled out the gingerbread kits and the kids and Cici got to work.  I think half of the icing and candy was either eaten or dropped on the floor, but the rest got on the gingerbread and fun was had during the process. 

I sometimes wonder what traditions the kids will remember as they grow older and leave home.  It's not about the gingerbread houses, or driving to see Christmas lights, but rather about the family time spent together.  I hope that is what they remember the most...that we lived life together, enjoying each others company while making memories.

Traditions

Last night we ventured out to carry on a couple of traditions.  First we drove through the Living Nativity scenes at a local church.  Then we got warm drinks and drove around town in search of great Christmas lights. 

This year was special as we got to take our Chinese student along with us.  She was matched with our family through a campus ministry and we've enjoyed getting together with her a few times.  This is her first year in the States and we think Christmas is the perfect opportunity to share with her the Greatest Story ever told.  She's staying with us a few days since her semester has finished, and before she leaves for a trip over the break.  We're looking forward to sharing some other traditions with her and showing her some American family lifestyle.  Hopefully our busy family won't be too odd for her.  :)

On a much different note, we were greatly saddened to hear of the senseless act of violence that took place in CT.  We grieve for the families and community there and are keeping them in our prayers.

Another Christmas Program

Johanna is in her second year of playing flute in our local Christian school band.  It's very small, but she gets great instruction from her band teacher and enjoys getting to be with friends twice a week.  We attended her Christmas program last night and were very impressed.  Besides the regular band numbers, she was chosen to accompany the 1st graders on a song, and also play in a flute trio.  It was beautiful!  One of these days I'll get her to play a duet with Michaela and get it recorded. 

Obviously, Ami was not the star of the show, but I had to get a picture of her with her "emergency make-up kit" strung on her belt.  She carried four lip glosses in it.  :)

Good job, JoJo!  We are proud of you and the beautiful music you are making!

Rubies Program

This afternoon the girls had their Far Above Rubies program for the end of the semester.  As usual, we were very impressed with this wonderful group of home schooled girls.  Our girls look forward to this weekly meeting, each Tuesday for a couple of hours.  The older girls are given more responsibilities, giving them leadership opportunities.  They memorize scripture, work on good character qualities, and do lots of skits and songs.  Of course they also enjoy hanging out with their friends and snack time at the end.  :)

 
It's hard to spot our three, but Ami is front right, Michaela is just to the right of Ami in the back row, and Johanna is clear on the other end behind the red-head in the white shirt. 

Looking Good!

We left early yesterday morning on another two-hour trek to STL.  Up first was Benjamin's MRI.  He is always such a trooper with these....lying still for an hour with a needle poked into you is no fun.  There is no TV, no games, no music, no moving...just the whir of the machine and contrast being pumped through your body.  The one good thing about yesterday's MRI to Benjamin was that he didn't have to wear a hairnet this time.  :)  I have no idea why they've had him wear them every other time, but at least this made him smile.  Another thing that made him smile was knowing that while he was feeling like he was being sucked into some other time portal, his siblings were out with Dad picking up some goodies on "The Hill", STL's Italian neighborhood.  

Oh, there was even more yumminess than what's shown in this picture.  Some had already been eaten, and we did get a nice tray of goodies to take to Benjamin's amazing oncologist and staff. 

After the MRI we had a visit with the oncologist where we were given a great report!  The chest CT and MRI of Benjamin's knee did not show anything of concern.  His leg looks great and we are clear for 6 months this time.  Yay!!  It's hard not to get a bit anxious before each of these appointments.  The relief afterwards for this momma is great...probably more tears shed afterwards than before.  Thank you, Father, for another good report. 

So, as is our custom, we try to do something fun each time we're in the city after the visits with doctors and hospitals.  I dropped Chris and the younger four off at the Magic House, a great hands-on children's museum, then Michaela and I did some Christmas shopping at a HUGE mall.  Great fun for all!

Something else that has become somewhat of a tradition is a meal at Chick-fil-A.  It's greasy fast food, but the kids love it, and we don't have one in our town.  So after supporting life for cows, we headed to historic St. Charles.  Their historic main street is full of lights, carolers, Charles Dicken's characters, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and shops to duck in and out of.  We enjoyed great temperatures and strolling along the streets.  The kids collected "business cards" from the characters that we saw, we even wished Scrooge a Happy Christmas.  Fun memories being made, mixing the joy of family time with the celebration of beating cancer!

Check-up Week

It's that time again, time for Benjamin's week of check-ups.  We had his CT scan of his chest done yesterday.  It's pretty quick and painless and we have that done locally.  I always ask him to sit by Truman the Tiger for a picture at the entrance to the children's hospital and he finally obliged yesterday.  No, he's not much of a child anymore and had to squish to sit with Truman's arm around him, but I appreciate Benjamin's good-natured attitude.  It's really a reflection of how he has handled all of this last year with cancer.  We love you, Buddy, and are very proud of the you and the maturity with which you had gone through all of the pokes, prods, scans, appointments, miles on the road, etc. 

On Friday we will head to STL for his MRI and visit with the oncologist.  We are praying for continued clear results!

Decorating

It's that time of the year, and the kids had already been begging since before Thanksgiving to get out the Christmas decorations.  The boys' room was very quickly transformed after our Thanksgiving guests left....they have their own style and decorations that they've collected.  I must get pictures. 

This weekend we got out our family decorations and put up the tree.  If you remember our dilemma from last year....well, this is our second year with the "life like" tree.  Michaela added a nice touch and bought a Christmas tree scented candle that really does add some essence to the room.  Somehow it's still not the same as going to the tree farm and all that ensues with that adventure .  

So, things are feeling more festive around here.  With Christmas lights, nativity scenes, Christmas music, and candles it feels like December, although some of us wore shorts yesterday!  I'm desiring to keep things a bit more simple this year, as the materialism and "stuff" of Christmas does not attract me.  With many others in need, it's hard to bring myself to want to buy much. 

I'm also remembering how things were around our house just a year ago.  We had so much uncertainty with Benjamin's cancer and upcoming surgery.  Putting up Christmas decorations at that time was a welcome distraction.  This last year has taught me much, and I have become all the more aware of the importance of family and loved ones and not taking for granted the gift of time.