Christmas Eve

There have been more than a few Christmas Eve's since we started this blog. This is the 6th if I count right. The first one was at the tail end of Rebekah's treatment; she had survived even after one of the doctor's had given her 30% chance of surviving 30 days and we were hopeful. 3 years ago we woke up Christmas Eve in a rental house because just 2 1/2 weeks earlier our house had been ravaged by smoke and flame; we were stunned. This morning we wake up, back in our home. We are stunned at what mommy is going through and we are hopeful, having been blessed by many MANY more months than the statistics tell us that mommy should have been here.

Tonight, at mommy's request, we are going to try and do what we have always done on Christmas Eve. We will go to Grandpa and Grandma's house for dinner and some presents. This morning daddy will start packing the vans - yes two of them are required to carry mommy, daddy, Jenny and the girls as well as the items we need to take care of mommy. At noon we will start with mommy's shower and that will take three people to handle. 3-4 hours later we may be ready. The preparations and the 30 minute trip will involve a lot of pain for mommy that, in her words, the oxycodone takes the sharpest edge off but does not control.

What will help "control" the pain is that mommy is able to spend yet another Christmas with us. She is able to watch her kids and their cousins open presents. She is able to have them come up and touch her hand - which although it causes some pain, it is a "good" pain. She is able to see the tree. And most important to me, daddy, she is able to hear me say "I Love You" and mouth the same back to me.

Merry Christmas.