A different kind of Christmas

As you might could tell from the previous post that the month of December was bliss.  Parties, decorations and sweet memories being made all over the place. All seemed right with the world but as Christmas Day approached the reality of this broken and hurting world became more and more real to us. The reminder that if it wasn't for Jesus being born on Christmas Day and living a perfect life in our place then we would never be rescued and would have no hope in such hard and difficult times.  We wouldn't be able to face what the next few weeks would hold for our family without knowing what Christ had done for us.

Usually when I think of Christmas Eve and Day I think of a long table of family sitting around together eating a delicious meal, laughing and children running around screaming and playing.  I think of grandparents helping us put together the kids last minute Christmas gifts and hanging stockings with the anticipation of the kids giddiness the next morning.  But this Christmas did not go that way. A week before Christmas Nick's mom was scheduled to have an out-patient surgery to remove a tumor in her colon.  Well, that surgery was anything but out-patient.  After complication after complication it was a surgery that will never be forgotten.  It led to a 6 week hospital stay and months of recovery.  Her pain level and care were questionable at best.  Our hearts ached for her.  Our hearts ached for the pain and agony she was going through along with Nick's dad and sister who were so graciously caring for her.  We longed to be with her and help her but with three small kids were not exactly the picture of help for them.  Meanwhile, my parents were in Auburn with the flu so it just left our family of five to be together for Christmas.  Nick went to visit his mom after work when he could while I stayed home caring for the kids.  My heart was sad and lonely missing all our family and knowing what heartache they were going through. So trying to make the most of the holiday I decided to take the kids to Zaxby's to get a milkshake to try to bring a little cheer.  While in the drive thru Henry started screaming bloody murder. I asked the kids to comfort him and they did all they could.  We offered him a milkshake and he swatted it away.  Nothing would console him. He was shaking and sweating he was screaming so hard. I rocked him, sang to him, tried to feed him, everything I knew how and nothing worked.  Finally, I put him to bed and heard him cry out every once in a while but nothing too alarming.   The next morning, I thought it was unusual that we had not heard a peep from him still at 8:30.  He was always up by 7 or 7:30 so the whole family went in to check on him.  And much to our horror he lay in his crib completely lifeless in dried up vomit.  Spaghetti vomit from the night before. When we went in he did not move.  He just laid their barely holding his eyes open and did not even let out a whimper. I have never in my life felt like a more horrible mom.  I could not believe my child had slept in his vomit all night and all the screaming he had done the night before was because something was wrong.  I quickly bathed him, cleaned him up and held him tight.  He vomited the rest of the day and laid on my shoulder completely lethargic.  I told Nick that this was the worst stomach bug (or at least that's what we thought it was at the time) I had ever heard of or seen in my whole life.  I couldn't believe how completely pitiful he was. I couldn't think about Christmas, or gifts or food. All I could do was think about how sick my baby and my mother in law were.  I ached for them. A precious neighbor and friend, Elizabeth, brought us some homemade soup for Christmas Eve dinner and I've never felt the Lord's provision in such a tangible way to comfort my heart.  

That evening after putting the two big kids to bed we put the gifts under the tree for them to wake up Christmas morning all giddy and excited.  Surely Henry would be better I thought to myself.  If it's the 24 hour stomach bug then he should be better by Christmas morning.  

                         

But that night he was still completely lethargic and all he did was sleep on my chest. Even though I was worried about him I didn't mind too much;)

"Santa" wrote notes to the kiddos...

while the stockings were hung with care….

A note was even found under the tree from Will to Santa….

The house was ready for the little people to wake up and come see!

The big kids were up bright and early and of course watching the joy on their faces and the delight in their eyes was one of the most fun and exciting times as a parent.  

Plasma cars, Rainbow loom, Lego's, puzzles, princess purses, neckelaces…oh the joys of being 3 and 5!

And I got the sweetest note wrapped up in a toilet paper roll from the most thoughtful husband in the world.  He was was in the process of updating our bathroom and he put this under the tree so I could have a gift to "open".

And the little man did this the whole time. For those of you that know him will know this couldn't be any further from his wild and crazy little self.  

We had a birthday breakfast for Jesus!

As the day went on I became more and more anxious about this little guy while trying to continue to be play with the big kids and all their new toys.  A very strange and different Christmas Day.