Unlikely, Indeed!

Christmas Eve has always been a special night. New outfits, carols by candlelight, anticipation for the morn. This year, however, challenged our ability to revel in all the joys Christmas brings. Papa wasn't home.

Christmas Eve came, and we all hustled and bustled amidst concern for Dad. Our church service was at 4pm, and it was going to take a Christmas Miracle to get the Barclay5 there in time. David and I toyed with the idea of not going at all. But he suggested we get ready and surprise Papa, bringing Christmas Eve Service to him, bedside at the hospital.

With renewed excitement, everyone cooperated, dressed and loaded into the car. We discussed our plan: the kids would go in the room first, we'd sing several Christmas carols and hymns (I have a book, thankfully), read the account from Luke, and close with Silent Night.

In my minds eye I knew my Dad would be thrilled. But I never anticipated the beauty that would transform a stark-white, lonely room into a Cathedral of sweet praise. We sang with such joy, my dad wept like I have never seen before. It was joy, and gratitude, and humbleness, and a holy peace all mixed together and flowing without restraint. What a gift for us all. Christmas came in an unlikely place.

We gathered ourselves, wiped tears, hugged, kissed and went on our merry way to dinner awaiting at Mimi's. I was quite shocked to realize as we opened the non-sound-proof door that an audience had gathered - Christmas had come for them, too, through unlikely (and somewhat out-of-tune) voices.

But isn't that just how Christmas is. Christ, God's son, came to us in human form in the most unlikely of places - a lowly manger. Christmas came, and still comes, no matter where we find ourselves. Sometimes, we just have to look!

Papa came home this evening! Our post-Christmas gift - and my number 152.

I'll Have a Blue Christmas..

without my Dad home. Sadly, Papa had to go back to the hospital this afternoon. Possibly an infection, his sugar levels are HIGH, and a list of other issues. Please pray, if you can.

Mimi insists that the show must go on. So, to that end, we will all have dinner Christmas Eve and take turns visiting our guy.

My dad is such a sport. On the phone with my mom, asking how daddy is doing, his response, "I feel good!"

Just love him so!

Reasons to Smile...

Maeve and Myles had a Snow Day, reason enough. We live real close to my in-laws so Maeve was able to do some baking with her Grandma. What precious memories these will be for my girl.



Recently, Maeve saw The Nutcracker Ballet starring my niece, Morgan. Well it has been none-stop-nutcracker-love ever since. Eamon is the honorary audience for all show times.

Myles is not exempt from the performances. It is not clear what role he was assigned by the boss. But the boy has heart - look at that passion.

All that fun aside, the real reason for our smiles is that Papa has come home from an almost 2 week hospital visit. Myles was so excited he said, "Mom, quick call Papa on the cell-o-phone (is that not the cutest, ever!), tell him to come right over to see our tree!"

We will let Papa rest for now, but ah - it is so nice to have my daddy home! Now Christmas can come.

Home for Christmas - my number 151!

Click!

Even a snow storm couldn't keep the Barclays from therapy! I remembered the camera and here is my best effort, in between cheers, of capturing the Mister doing his new thing - standing.

Indeed a miracle!

Getting ready...

And, "1, 2, 3"...Up you go!

Checking out the new view.


That's our boy!



Yeah, we are all so proud!

Even Eamon is feeling the pride, and joy -such joy, but there is a delay with the camera so I missed his most jubilant of smiles.

Ah, worth the trek with 3 kids in the snow. Eamon standing - I really like the sound of that. Number 150 on my gift list, for sure!

This Day Last Year...

Eamon came home from a three week stay in the hospital. He had been admitted because of a respiratory virus that reached a critical point. Eamon was released on oxygen with hopes of weaning, eventually.

I read this quote from Albert Einstein on another blog:

There are only two ways to live your life.

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though Everything is a Miracle.

We choose the latter. We choose it every day, sometimes several times a day. There are days when the miracles are obvious, and days when it requires a bit of searching. But they are all miracles nonetheless.

Eamon is 22+months when he wasn't promised one single breath. He is laughing and reaching. Eamon's muscles are strengthening. He can now bring arms to a flex-muscle position and those little leggers are being lifted. This for a boy they thought had a degenerative muscle condition. All miracles.


David had a vision of Eamon standing by Christmas. Even I raised an eyebrow at the reality of such a position in the immediate future.

Eamon has extremely low muscle tone. He is not yet sitting, or even holding his head. Several weeks ago, Eamon was fitted with braces meant to keep his feet at a 90* angle eventually allowing for some weight-bearing on his chubby little legs.

So Friday at therapy, sweet Ms.Lisa and Ms.Tracy (PT & OT) thought to position Eamon so that he could be brought up to a stand. Mind you, he has never had any weight on those legs. With an exuberant, rocking motion and a "1,2,3" up Eamon came. I was watching from the sidelines and could clearly see a muscle contract in his thigh - there is a muscle under that chub! Eamon also pushed against the ground, STOOD for a second (or two), then landed with a great laugh in Ms. Tracy's lap.

We cheered. And after the shock subsided tried again, and again.

I can not explain the beauty of seeing the prince upright. He looked like such a big boy.

Standing by Christmas - what a miracle.

(I will be sure to take the camera aong on Friday. But truthfully, I am so thrilled to watch him - I forget to click:).

One Size Does Not Fit All

I tried to squeeze my post-Thanksgiving/pre-Christmas bloated hands into adorable pink gloves that claimed to be a fit for all. Note the word squeezed. The gloves did not fit. Rarely can one-size-fit-all.

Last week, I had a surprise visit from a friend I haven't seen in apparently 3 years. She wanted to know all about Eamon, an abridged report of all we have experienced in the Prince's 22+ months. The sprint down memory lane forced me to retell the story and be reminded, again, that clearly God knows that one-size is not the right fit. His grace, which incidentally is the theme of our Eamon adventure, is customized. Perfectly molded for each circumstance and new each day. It never loses staying power. It is completely divine. A miracle.

So many are hurting. Cancer looms, death knocks, sickness robs, betrayal stings, finances scare. Sincere pray waiting to be answered. And yet, it is. Grace. Allowing human hearts to rise above what would otherwise destroy. Hearts able to be at peace and experience joy in its simplest, most profound form. That is Grace. Strength that defies - Grace. Vision that can see "plan B" might just be the real plan. Being in the eye of the storm - Grace.

So when asked, "How do you do it - be Eamon's mom?" The answer is I don't, it is all Grace. I couldn't read an other's script. This grace is customized for my "broken road".

Customized-Grace, my number 149!

Glimpses...

from around our house, and reasons to be thankful this season.

Breakfast, Barclay-style, sunglasses and suited up for a pirate adventure because that's just the way we roll. (Number 141)

The reality of trying to get your children to pose.

(Number 142)

Love of another kind!

(Number 143)

My very own Pilgrims.

(Number 144)

Maeve rehearsing Psalm 100.

(Number 145)

The most wonderful time of year. Not really a tree farm, but M&M thought as long as the trees were up on the stand, we were cutting it down. Works for us!

(Number 146)

That face, love it!

(Number 147)

Eamon, laughing all the way, ha-ha-ha!

(Number 148)

Eamon's shirt, I Believe, true in so many ways.

We believe in the sweet wonder of Christmas.

We believe that Eamon is our gift in any season.

We believe that God has a plan for the prince.

We believe in the power of prayer.

We believe Eamon will continue to strengthen.

We believe that God is good, regardless.