Grateful

I am part of a Shutterfly group in support of a woman I have never met. Her name is Lanie and she is in the last stages of Breast Cancer. Today she posted her update and I am left with very little words. I am in awe of all the strong, brave people who keep trying to just have one more month, one more week, or even one more day. The people who never give up. As she said she is not fighting to save her life but to squeak out a little more time... and then I thought how very often I find myself taking for granted all those things I CAN do. I find my focus slips into the negatives "I don't feel well", "my hip hurts", "my back aches"... but I have time. I have a seemingly infinite amount of time in front of me. Then this brave woman I have never known points out that I am wasting that time really. I can walk to the kitchen, I can focus, I can think, I can read, I can breathe without pain, I can plan!!!, I can reasonably hope to see my children grow up, I can wrap my hands around a cup of coffee and breathe. I have the luxury of knowing I can do it all again tomorrow. I know the sore throat will heal the aches will subside and that I can LIVE with very little effort on my end I get the gift of life!! So today I am grateful for every breath and every step and am sitting on my comfy couch breathing in the candles, having a piece of chocolate, and a hot cup of coffee and thanking every single thing in the universe that has allowed me to do so. I send my hopes and prayers to Lanie and her family and hope she finds that bit more time, quality time that she can get in one more squeeze with her boys and her husband and that she can have one more day to smile. So raise your mug and be ever thankful that you are and that you can....

Afters...

The afters of Christmas at our house are a dance party...we have everyone make some song requests (including the kids) and we make a playlist and let it take over. Our living room becomes a dance floor!

Me and the Irishman...

Cupid shuffle...

Kate and Lenny...

Matt and Margaret (parents of The Fuzz)...

The Fuzz entertains us with some guitar samplings... (he signed autographs after!)

Auntie T became a great place to crash!

Tyler busted it out...

Sylvie and Bronwyn rocked it...

Ella showed us some pre-party style...

And during all the excitement and dancing my Ella pirouetted herself right into a bench, unfortunately mouth first...so what were teeth that were "preparing" to loosen and come out (they had been hurting her for a while and she had been telling us everyday she thought they were loose), one of them is actually now loose and with her constant touching and checking will probably be out before she goes back to school. I am not ready for my baby to begin loosing teeth...I am not ready to see this yummy little face change and transform into it's next self...so this morning while we were having breakfast I snapped some photos of her with teeth in tact. She and I had a lovely little morning as she chatted and discussed the impending tooth loss. She has a funny view of the world that I enjoy hearing. It was nice to get some time alone just she and I admidst what has been quite a bit of chaos!

And finally, we are hoping for some more Christmas Miracle as I ask for your thoughts and prayers and wishes for healing for my Uncle John as he fights his way through some big battles! He is a beautiful soul and I hope to keep him around for a bit longer!