A few photos

 I really do wish that I had more time to sit down and type a real good story.  However, life is very full at the moment.  It seems, at times, that every minute is designated to work or sleep.  When Mariana was conceived we had no idea that she would be born just as Dave's mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  I laughed when I said to Dave that if his mother had been diagnosed last year, we would have said, "Thank God that we don't have a newborn to deal with as well."  Nevertheless, God knows exactly what He is doing:  as we usher in new life, we also say goodbye to one who gave life.  Life is beautiful.

 When fall rolls around, I begin a daily prayer that we will not have snow until December.  This year, in anticipation of months locked inside with a newborn, I implored that December would become January, or at least after Christmas.  Wow, was this prayer ever answered.  Snow and cold temperatures waited and waited and finally arrived three days after Christmas.  Consequently, I have easily taken Mariana and other children on daily walks enjoying our extended fall.  This weather has been a tremendous blessing - a real boon to my spirits.

 Mariana lost her newborn hair according to male-pattern baldness!  It is already begin to re-grow and seems to be coming in dark, as is her skin.  I just might have finally gotten my dark-skinned, dark-haired baby ... with blue eyes.  As Jacob tells me, two out of three ain't bad.

 Hannah showing off some Christmas gifts.  Her feet are just about my size and she has begun to share footwear with me.  I somehow don't think that we will ever share much clothing if body type has anything to say about it.

 This baby has left me very tired in the evenings.  I usually can't fall asleep anywhere other than my bed.  However, I have been doing a lot of falling asleep while sitting up and holding the baby. The other night, I fell asleep with my head down on the side of our wing chair in such an awkward position that Dave thought I was pretending.

Alas, no one in this photo is pretending.

Joseph is eight

Sarah was flipping through photos on the iPad, when she called me to look at a photo of Joe's birthday.  Seeing the photo made me realise that I had completely forgotten to load Joe's birthday post to the blog.  Here it is.
 Can you tell that the 8 candle has seen a few other cakes?

This year Joseph's birthday was on a Saturday which coincided with Star Wars movie night at a friend's house.  I asked the host family if we could bring over two cakes before the movie started to share with the other children attending the movie.  The family graciously agreed and even provided candles, "Happy Birthday" and "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow".

Unbeknownst to this family (and to me at the time), I inadvertently asked them to host a birthday party for Joseph.  Very sly mother.  It was a great birthday party!

This is just a random photo from my collection of not awesome photos.  I am single-handedly blogging old-style:  fuzzy, unprofessional photos vs.  professional-quality-Canon photos.  The shirt he was wearing was a gift from my parents - an Underarmour mock turtleneck.  If he can't play "real" hockey, he can at least dress the part.  Happy eight years, Joseph.  We love you to pieces.  I want to write so much more, but, "The time!  The time!  There is no time!"

Scenes from the new normal

 As a good friend said when she saw this photo, "At least someone's getting sleep at your house!"  Fortunately, Mariana is a very good sleeper at night.  She only wakes to feed and that is only twice or so at night.  She does, however, spend the second half of the night asleep on my chest.  Hannah tends to be the sibling who holds her while I get ready for bed.  Dave works most weekday evenings and is unavailable until much later in the evening when I am already tucked in bed; thus, the older siblings really help out a lot.  They don't, however, have to change diapers.

 I really am struck by how much the younger boys want to cuddle their new sister.  Ben feels most at home with Mariana when she is peaceful or sleeping and isn't embarrassed to admit that he can't calm her down.

 Joe, on the other hand, has a knack with babies.  He loves the challenge of trying to settle her from crying to sleeping, and often does so with ease.  I often look over at him as he dances with her and think, "He just looks like a very short father with his newborn daughter."

 He told me that Hannah told him that he wasn't competent with babies.  Joe almost always rises to a challenge and Hannah's words were challenge enough for him to get his baby game together.  This photo was taken shortly before sledge hockey practice.  I don't think it needs words.

 Most of you who know us well are already aware that Dave's mother was diagnosed this summer with stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to her liver.  She also had a bad fall and brain bleed shortly after Mariana was born.  Two days later Dave's sister's husband was hit by a tractor trailer while biking.  Praise God, he survived and is doing very well with a few broken bones.  Needless to say, the month since Mariana's birth has been quite eventful.  One of the greatest blessings was my mother's presence here for the two weeks following Mariana's birth and the two weeks of meals arranged by a good friend once my mother left.  Dave's staff also brought over a few freezer meals.  I am so appreciative for this help and for the love of those who support us.  This photo was taken two nights ago when Dave's mother was finally able to meet her newest grandchild.  Dave's mom, Anne, is such a witness to me in her sickness and preparation for death.  She is neither bitter or resentful and her very presence reminds me that the dust and the dirt and the not-yet-purchased Christmas presents  really don't matter.  Rather, the relationships do and I need to focus on those.  "Martha, Martha, you are anxious about many things.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

 Jacob stayed home from school today to help me around the house.  He is quite unable to focus on just holding Mariana and always needs to read, eat, watch or be otherwise distracted while calming his sister.  As long as she is safe, I am happy to let him hold her.

 One of Jacob's struggles with piano is practising his right and left hands separately.  Perhaps holding his sister while practising will encourage more separate-handed practice!