Saturday, December 27, 2008

They grow up so fast ...

Can you believe how much our kids have grown? We tell people all the time, we have a small (Parker doesn't like it when we say small, so now we say 'petite') 5 year old and a HUGE 2 year old. There is only about 4 pounds difference in their weight, although Parker is quite a bit taller, you can not really see it in this picture.

Grant's personality as really started to shine, he is fairly laid back unless he is hungry. He can have a conversation with us when he wants to. He loves to debate "My ...." with us, my Parter, my Mommy, my Daddy and he will even say my Grant. It's quite entertaining to him. He is learning to use his manners quite nicely: peas, than-too, I sorwee and he says 'ahhh' when he hugs his sister.

Parker continues to amaze us as well. She is such a bright girl, learning to read at school and practicing at home. She loves to sing and dance as well. Just today, she was singing with the music in the store, just having the best time.

I hope that each and every one of you had a wonderful Christmas. We certainly enjoyed ours. I am looking forward to be off work for the next week and spending time with the kids as well as doing some much needed house keeping.

Have a very happy and safe New Year in case I do not blog before then. If you know me personally, you can usually find me on FaceBook. Yes, I am addicted like many of you.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Someone is missing ...

Merry Christmas everyone (for those of you still following my sporadic blogging)!

We have been very busy at our house getting ready for the holidays. I was sick for 6 weeks (all of November and part of December) with bronchitis and ultimately pneumonia again. I am feeling good as new now.

These are the first everything without my Dad. As happy as I am, I feel this huge hole in my heart for him. No one to argue politics with, no holiday phone calls and the stark realization he will never ever call me again for these days and our birthdays. His birthday is 12/14 and mine is 12/19. We had a running joke that I was supposed to be his present the year I was born but true to me, I was late.

As I was driving this morning I heard a song on the radio, Someone is Missing at Christmas by Anne Cochran. Of course, I cried as I drove to work. I found the lyrics to the song and wanted to share them with you.

Someone Is Missing at Christmas ~ lyrics

Someone is missing at Christmas
Someone I loved all my life
Someone I played with and laughed all night long
Someone I think of when I hear that song

Someone is missing at Christmas
Someone has left me alone
Someone so close even though we’re apart
Someone who’d finished the sentence I’d start

Someone whose love is my favorite gift
Someone whose presence is my Christmas wish
Someone who always was here
Someone is missing this year

Candlelit snapshots of Christmases gone by
You in your favorite chair
Memories like snowflakes melt in my eyes
I look and you’re not sitting there

Someone whose love is my favorite gift
Someone whose presence is my Christmas wish
Someone is missing at Christmas
Wait… someone is touching my heart…

Someone has heard me and answered my call
Someone I love is not missing at all
Someone is with me at Christmas
Someone’s right here in my heart
Someone I love is with me this Christmas
And will be each Christmas to come!