Saturday, December 28~A Double Celebration~

First I must say Happy Birthday to Sara!  For years the 28th marked another year older for our youngest daughter.  But 5 years ago this date added new significance.  It marks another year of progress since Andy's fall in our garage.  I remember it as though it were only yesterday and wish that I didn't.  I blame the accident on the Cleveland Browns.  It was a Sunday five years ago and pleasant much like the weather was today.  Most Sundays we would be glued to the TV but five years ago the Browns were getting spanked by the Pittsburgh Steelers so Andy went out to the garage to drill the holes for the flood lights.  I went out during half time to hang several of the lights above the work benches.  As I worked in the back of the garage I heard a loud thud near where Andy was working and when I looked up I could see him lying flat on his back on the floor.  He had fallen about 12 feet from the top of the garage.  He lost consciousness briefly and I had to get his phone from his pocket as I didn't have mine with me.  I called 911 for the first time in my life.  By the time the squad arrived, Andy had stood up and walked into the house.  He joked with the boys from the squad and sent them on their way.  Two hours later our nightmare began.  A trip to Madison County Hospital, CT scans, transport to OSU Medical Center and observation in ICU.  Our lives as we had known them would never be the same.  It was an emotional roller coaster that seemed to go on forever.  If it weren't for my family, friends and faith I am not sure I would have made it through.  Many times I wish that I could forget the ordeal that was set in motion on that fateful day but I realize that without our lows we wouldn't appreciate out highs.  I've learned to take each day at a time, appreciate the small things and to never take any thing for granted.

  Andy has made tremendous progress over these 5 years and has made some monumental strides just in the past year. He agreed to go to Florida in January and we really enjoyed our time in Naples.  We had a wonderful holiday with the girls and their families.  Andy really enjoyed shopping with Chad and Matt and we are so blessed to have both of them in our lives.  Andy went shopping for Luke's gift, a compound bow, which is a first for him.  He usually has someone else do his shopping.  He is spending much more time outside working on projects and he reads the paper and does his Sudoku every day.  He cooks for himself when I am not at home and is quite independent. And yes, I had visualized a retirement that included winters in our 5th Wheel touring around the Florida panhandle or visiting friends in Texas.  That may still be a possibility but for now we will enjoy what life brings.  I imagine that if any of us examine our lives over a 5 year span we would find that our lives may not have taken the path that we had expected.

So here is to a new year full of adventures. A year full of hope, good health and continued improvement.

December 26~Day After~

Sunday night at Garrette Park

Here I sit, recharging my batteries and thinking about how fortunate we have been this Christmas. Trish and Chad came in last Saturday and left today and Sara and Matt were able to spend Sunday and then Tuesday through Christmas here as well.  Luke, Lily and Evelyn had a great time together and we spent time at Galaxy Golf, Jumpy's in Troy, Ohio and even walked through Garrette Park enjoying the lights.  We have our Christmas dinner in the evening and although we did not bring Dad over, Mom, or Grandma-Great as the kids call her, spent noon dinner at Bob's and a 6 pm dinner at our house. We of course had more food than we needed but polished off a roast and most of a 5lb turkey breast and all of the fixin's that go with a festive dinner. Santa was very generous this year even though he vowed to cut back this year on the buying for children that already have everything! Lily got an animated monkey she named Piano that talks, giggles and burps and snores. Luke got an archery set from Pop Pop Bichler.  Andy went shopping with Chad and spent about 4 hours picking out the appropriate bow for Luke to use and grow into.  He even went outside with him yesterday to teach him how to shoot.  It has been a long time since I have seen him get that excited about buying gifts.  Evelyn got a large doll house complete with furniture.  After everyone left today, it certainly seemed quite.  I think that even Molly missed all of the activity and noise that the little ones provided.  So very thankful for another wonderful Christmas together!!

Christmas morning

One of Andy's 3 new jackets. Guess Santa thinks he needs to spend more time outside!

Christmas in the hot tub.

Luke getting his Hess truck that Grammie Bichler always gave him.  Pop Pop told a little fib when he told Luke that Gram had bought the truck for him before she died. 

Celebrating Aunt Sara's birthday.

Group photos are always such a challenge!

Grandma-Great reading to Luke.

Garrette Park

Evelyn hanging out with Pop Pop

Baking Aunt Sara's cake. Some how it seemed as though we didn't have the right amount of cake mixture in the pan. I think I may know the reason why! We did, however, have an abundance of sprinkles on the icing!!

Pop Pop teaching Archery 101

Friday, December 20~Return from Dover~

Christmas day appears to be getting here much, much too fast!  I have decided, however, that I am not going to spend too much time worrying about what does and doesn't get done this year.  I just got back from Dover on Wednesday.  I spent nearly a week there to attend both Lily's and Luke's musical programs at their schools.  Lily's was last Friday and it is a very nice program that is presented at a nearby high school auditorium.  The stage is decorated and the children did a wonderful job.  Some of the songs were repeats from what I remember of Luke's program last year.  All, performed as perfectly as is possible by 3,4 and 5 year olds.  Their 4 & 5 year olds even did several songs with handbells.  I was looking forward to seeing Luke play handbells but Little School didn't have enough students sign up for kindergarten this year.  Maybe by next year Lily will be playing.

OHIO without the H-I, we were going to get mom & dad and take another pic but forgot.

Sunday afternoon we drove to Washington DC for the Ice Sculptures

I could not believe how cold it was when we went inside.  Freezing doesn't begin to describe it!

This year all of the scenes were from the popular Christmas story.

We took the ice taxi

There was a full nativity scene carved in ice as we exited

The tree lighting in the atrium

 Luke had his Art and Music program on Tuesday.  His new school is K-8 and they also presented a nice program.  We could not locate any of Luke's art work.  It would have helped if he knew what he had painted but we enjoyed everyone else's work as we searched for his.  I must say he was the most handsome little boy in the program but I'm not sure he will ever be one to enjoy singing.

Last night I drove to Cincinnati to watch Evelyn and get her to daycare this morning.  Sara works at Target at 4 am and Matt had to go in to work early at 5:30.  Grandma was happy to help out and Evelyn is always so happy to see me.  This morning as we were trying to get ready for her to go to school she said, "no school Mamaw, no school!".  There were a few tears but not many as she was soon playing in the gym and forgot all about Mamaw.  Trish and her family are getting in tomorrow and Sara will have some time off Monday afternoon through Christmas day.  I just spent about 5 hours wrapping gifts and tomorrow's agenda includes cleaning the house and getting our tree up!  Have a wonderful Christmas, be safe if you travel and hold those you love just a little closer.

Evie's Birthday~The Post that didn't get Posted!~

Well, I thought I had posted pictures of Evelyn's birthday party, but it appears, after further examination, that I didn't.  So here they are.  Evelyn turned 2 on December the 2nd.  We had her party last Saturday, November 30.  Evie came up and spent the night with Pop Pop and me the Friday before to allow Mommy and Daddy some time to do a make-over in her bedroom.  We drove to Cincinnati on Saturday and had a small party for her.  She loved her new chalk/dry erase board and the T-pee that Mommy made for her.  She was not that impressed when we tried to sing Happy Birthday to her.  Here are some memories we made on that day!

Inspection by Pop Pop, Molly and Shorty

Evie's new table and chairs and her new chalk board!

Evie's t-pee, complete with her very own bear rug.

Not liking the singing so much.