Christmas Review

Christmas was spend with Nathan's family at a cabin his grandfather built in McCall, Idaho. They call it The Ranch. It has a large open plan house, a hot springs swimming pool and sleeps several families. What a sweet legacy to leave your family, a place to gather and enjoy each others company, usually...

Had I known how sick my sweet little family was before we left we would have never been there. Wilson threw up the Monday before we left. That was it. Two days later, we left for Boise. Fevers, barking coughs, hacking up lungs, lethargy, ear infections and stomach flu are all gifts we gave for Christmas. Now, can you see why I am not that eager to go back? Ever.

I held sick kids, wished I was closer to a pharmacy, watched them get worse and worse. By the time we got home, Wilson had double ear infections, James had one too and everyone received a diagnosis of Bronchiolitis. A deep chest cold for the big girls but darn near killed my babies, not to mention all the cousin babies that were up at the Ranch. 

All total, we were down for about three weeks again! I keep wondering, we are healthy people with decent immune systems, how did this happen again? It came out of the blue and wiped the floor with us, including me. If we were living in the 1800s, I would have lost half my children. 

I am still recovering and feel extremely humbled by the whole thing. At the Ranch, every cough from my children, grated on me and was like a hangman's noose around my neck, getting tighter and tighter. I wasn't my cheerful usual self. I'm sorry. If you got sick because you shared your Christmas with us, I am so sorry, I was sick with worry for you and your family. Grammy, you never get sick, and you got sick. Thank you for holding fevering children and sharing our load. Grumpy, thank you for taking special care of Quinny, she healed the quickest.

We are not big spenders for Christmas, the babies received two little gifts, not that they will remember and Hazel and Claire collectively, got one gift from us but it was a good one. In the summer, my friend Mary Kate was getting ready to go to college and decided to sell her dollhouse. I bought it from her, and a rubbermaid tub that held accessories. I didn't look too much into it, I shoved it in the basement and put a grimy dust cover over it. I didn't know what a treasure I had. For years, Mary Kate had meticulously gathered every dollhouse piece known to man, sewn tiny blankets for beds and pillowcases, collected animals, tea service, cupcake tins, dolls and dolls for dolls. That dollhouse is one of the best purchases I have ever made (besides the limo) and the only gift Haz and Claire got from us ahem, Santa. Thanks to Mary Kate. Long live the dollhouse!