musings.....

it has been a while again....always too much going on.....some good, some bad.....just regular life....joyful happenings, sorrowful things as well.....just alot of life put into a short period of time.

we went to my mother-in-laws this past weekend to celebrate christmas. it was really nice. we had lost her this past year when she died twice, but they were able to bring her back, and she has re-gained her strength and health. she had such a good time giving us christmas. it was really nice to have all of my kids there (except for j.k. who was doing house care for sarah) and kevin's sister kathleen and her 2 boys (men-geez! hard to think of them that way even though they are 35 and 26 LOL) and another family friend and their kids there--the kids and grand kids all had such a good time playing together outside (it was high 60's--gorgeous day!)

and, here is marissa (yeah! she is still around! LOL--we love marissa!) daniel, shea and randi...don't know why i chose that picture of only them to stick in, there are sooo many great pictures of everyone having such a great time....

we all gathered for the prayer before eating and donna read a really wonderful thing that i really want to get a copy of....when i get it, i am gonna post it! it was amazing....

for christmas this year, donna (mil) gave us heirloom's. i was speechless and overcome with emotion when i opened my first gift. when donna was 4 the dionne quintuplets were born in canada. she recieved a set of the dolls and every year growing up she would lovingly wash their clothes and her babies and dress them in their bleached white dresses and caps and lay them under the christmas tree instead of the train that used to go there before the babies came. i have always known that she had those dolls (wrapped in tissue paper and stored away) and have always wanted them......when i opened the box, i was just overcome......my dear granddaughter eireland is very excited about my new babies and can not wait to come to see them closer up. she would like for me to give her one--afterall, i have 5 of them!

i am eireland's best friend. what an honor to hold!!! to be a very special person in the eyes of a 4 yr. old, to hold the esteemed position of best friend!!! it is amazing what i will do with and for that little girl :o) she touches my heart......she will get to help me decide where the new babies will live in their new home, and will get to lovingly hold them on special occasions, and later, when i am ready to give away my treasures and heirlooms, she will then be the new mama to the dionne quints.....

what a lovely day. spent with family and friends, all enjoying each other's company. making more memories--cherishing the time that we still have left with my mother-in-law, hearing the stories of the treasures that she had so carefully and lovingly chosen for each of us to recieve. i also got several hummel figurines that she had collected while in college at st. mary's of the woods from a nun that traveled to germany and bought them there....one of my daughter's also got one of a girl singing since randi enjoys singing. kevin recieved, among other things, his great-great grandmother's hymnal, it is from germany and really a treasure.....i was really proud of my kids who seemed to grasp the significance of the treasures of the legacies that were being handed down.....even the little ones were very excited to recieve a grown up gift of a treasure and a story instead of a toy....i was really proud of my family......but, at the end of the day, i was ready to go home......