7 Quick Takes Friday

First off, prayers for Jen.

If you haven’t heard, Jen Fulwiler, creater of 7 Quick Takes, blogger extrordinare, very nice person, and mom of five (with one on the way), was recently hospitalized with a pulmonary embolism in both lungs (blood clots). She has a clotting disorder which she has to treat with very pricey injections when she is pregnant. She was hospitalized for a few days, and it was a bit touch and go, but she has been sent home with meds to treat the PE’s, and instructions for treatment for the remainder of the pregnancy (I think she is due in March or April).

Please pray she continues to heal and makes a full recovery, and for her lovely young family who needs her very much.

Now on to more happy events.

I hoped so hard for a white Christmas, and we got one! In fact, it was so white that Atticus’ whole family was snowed in at our house for two days. Maggie also got to experience playing in the snow for the first time, since last winter we never had enough at once to really play in.

She loves her snowpants and asks to wear them around the house now.

Of course Santa came to our house, and Maggie was pretty impressed.

The tricycle was from Santa and the hat and gloves a present from her Auntie Gloria.

Then, inside a big box there was lots of magic to be found:

A Belle dress (always Belle), purse, necklaces and bracelets (or as she calls them, Jewels), and wand from Great-grandpa and Great-grandma.

Then on the 28th, it was Maggie’s birthday. Our little love is now 2 years old. I can hardly believe how much she has changed and grown. She fills our hearts and our home with so much joy.

We took her to the Children’s Museum where her Aunt and Uncle met us for some carusel riding and hot weels car racing. A lot of fun was had!

I had such a hard time getting her to stand still long enough to get a good picture; too much fun! This was in line for the carusel.

After the museum it was pizza at our favorite local place and a dessert of ice cream (her favorite).

For her birthday Maggie got some lovely things, including a Toy Story Mr. Potato Head set from Grandma and a Little People Disney Princess singing castle from Mom and Dad.

I have spent a lot of time organizing, moving and sorting toys to make room for the new ones! Next year I will sort and move the old before Christmas!

Then, our Anniversary extravaganza weekend! On Sunday, we went to the Colts vs. Texans game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Please excuse my lumpy cheek, I was battling a tooth infection which swelled my face up the whole weekend!

It was cold outside by 70 degrees in the stadium. Best of all, in addition to the Colts winning, our coach, Chuck Pagano, came back to his position for the first time in three months, since being diagnosed with cancer. He is now in remission. It was such a fun day!

On the 31st, we continued the celebration by going to see Les Miserables. I had seen the broadway production as a high school senior (ie 11 years ago), and Atticus was only vaguely familiar with the story. I had heard quite a few people say how good it was.

Oh my.

After we walked out of the theater (which was silent the entire 2 hours and 45 minutes), I said to Atticus, “So, what did you think?” and he, who is a very tough movie critic, said, “The word movie doesn’t do that justice. That was a piece of art.”

Yep, as always, Atticus sums it up perfectly in less words than I do.

Later that night it was off to a local steakhouse Harry and Izzy’s, to celebrate New Year’s Eve and our anniversary. Excellent food, excellent wine, and free dessert. Who can ask for anything more?

Lastly, yesterday, January 3rd, was our 4th wedding anniversary! We spent it with Atticus going to work, me getting my blood work done, organizing toys, and then going to work at Wei.ght Watc.hers. When I got home, he had made a delicious dinner that was waiting for us while putting Maggie to bed.

As soon as we sat down to eat, she started to cry, and cry, and cry, then yell Daddy, until he went in to her. So, our actual anniversary ended with me eating alone while watching Investigation Discovery and updating Facebook. Life with toddlers, take 12,658.

It somehow seems appropriate that sometimes the big days are just ordinary days. Because that’s where our relationships grow and mature, and where we build the story of our lives. On ordinary days when we work, and the toddler cries, and life just is. It’s beautiful too.

In other words, I have been too busy enjoying life to post much the last few weeks!

Happy weekend friends!