December 14

Brady turned 15 today. Already!

We celebrated by doing whatever he wanted to do, which included church, followed by lunch at CPK (a frequent birthday pick for residents of the Wight House), a viewing of the Niner game, cake and presents with Abby joining us via Google Meets, and dinner (with just Adam and I, since Isaac forgot to request the day off work and was unable to trade his shift) at Mexico Lindo. We finished off the food parade (which is an added benefit of weekend birthdays -- an extra meal out) with peppermint ice cream cones at The Dairy. And of course, he enjoyed the requisite joking and laughing with his bigger bro sprinkled all throughout the hours. 

He seemed to have a good day; he said he had when I asked him as he headed up to bed with his laptop and phone in tow. And I hope that's true, because birthdays should always be good days. 

As I've noted before, Brady came along just when I needed him. Or maybe I should say that God sent him because He knew I'd need him. And I did indeed need him. Feeling him shift in my belly during those early months following the horror of Logan's diagnosis kept me moving forward even when I felt like I couldn't possibly survive another day. So yes, I'm grateful for the gift that Brady was 15 years ago; for the ways I was able to care for him and sustain him and be his lifeline when I felt like I could do so little for his biggest brother.

And I'm grateful now for the gift that he's continued to be over the years that have passed since then. He's whip-smart and regularly makes us laugh with his quick wit and perfectly-timed comebacks. He's also focused and dedicated and driven to succeed, and I know that he has the capacity to achieve amazing things, whether they be in the classroom or on the baseball diamond or somewhere else entirely. He may not be the first of my kiddos to offer up a big hug (because that distinction one hundred percent belongs to Isaac), but I love how he shares about his day without prompting and tells me if something's on his mind in a way that says "I'm looking for advice, even though I'm not directly asking for it." And then he actually listens to what I have to say.

He's a good kid, and I've always been blessed to be his mom. Happy 15th birthday, Brady. I love you! 

December 13

It's a quiet evening at our house, which followed on the heels of a quiet day that saw Adam and I decorate the Christmas tree while the boys played a video game in the living room. (Which was, for the record, totally fine by me. If they want to add ornaments later on, we have plenty.)

At the moment, we (minus Isaac, who is at work; apparently a lot of people like to get ice cream when it's 40-some degrees outside) plus Chub and Bearbs are watching a random college football game in the light of said-decorated Christmas tree.

And I'm reflecting, if ever so casually, on how it's possible that my baby will be 15 tomorrow. Already. (And trying not to cough too much, since my head cold has relocated to my chest.)

So for the blessings of quiet days and birthdays and Christmas trees and time, I am grateful. (Even if I'm not quite sure how I feel about birthdays.)

December 12

Last week I offhandedly asked Nikki if she and her mom had gone to tea recently. Although I'd been a few times in the past before it changed ownership --most notably for my 40th birthday-- she and her mom used to go fairly often, so with Christmas coming, it seemed like a logical question. The reply was no, but she remedied that by making a reservation for us for this morning.

And voila! Just a week later, here we are enjoying our Christmas tea.

And enjoy the experience I did. I really liked each of the teas we tried out --six in all, including cookie-something or other, cherry pie, gingerbread, candy cane, creme brulee, and sugar plum fairy-- and the food was very good, from the scones to the cucumber sandwiches to the chocolate macaroon. 

And, of course, the company was top notch, too. I've known Nikki's mom Pam for several years now so it's always fun to sit and catch up with what's been going on in her life. 

I know I say it often, but real friendship is a blessing, so I am thankful for Nikki and for the way she's become like a sister to me over time. And I'm thankful for good tea, too!

December 11

Isaac brought home a cold a few days ago, and despite my best evasive tactics, it got me last night.

So today consisted --in no particular order-- of  drinking tea with honey, using up handfuls of tissues, and nodding off in a family room chair.

So today's entry is about the basics: honey, tea, tissues, and my electric blanket. For those things, I am thankful.

December 10

I'm not sure that I knew what I was in for when I became a parent 21 and some change years ago, but I'm pretty sure I never imagined myself writing "another day, another spontaneous wrestling match in front of the Christmas tree." But here I am, writing just that.

And chuckling over it.

I love Isaac and Brady's relationship. I really, truly do. I love how they (endlessly) razz each other. I love how just before they started to wrestle this afternoon, they played a few rounds of Smash (or whatever the game is actually called) while listening to music a little too loud and laughing a lot. 

And I love how they care about each other, even when they're very obviously on one another's nerves. Brotherhood is a beautiful thing, and I am blessed to be able to watch their brotherhood continue to grow in all of its glorious weirdness.

December 9

It was a busy evening in our charming little downtown area, but after we finally snagged a parking spot along a side street, Adam and I made our way to one of our favorite eateries, where we enjoyed a pleasant dinner together.

And then after we'd swapped tales of our respective days and used bread to mop us the last smackerels of our lasagna and rigatoni, we once again zipped up our vests and braved the chilly night air to head back to the car.

Along the way, I decided we should stop and take a photo with the town Christmas tree in all of its glowy glory, so here we are. 

I don't ruminate on it often, but it's a blessing to live in a nice town. It's not perfect because nothing is, but I believe that most of the people here are good folks who care about others. So for that, I am thankful.

December 8

Today was a little busier than usual, as I picked Adam up from his office in the South Bay early this evening so I could join him and his team for dinner.

Now it's several hours post-meal and I'm back at home, sitting alone in the family room while this year's beautiful live tree sparkles over in the corner. (And no, the picture in the wall isn't usually right there, hence the apparently awkward positioning. It was displaced by the tree.)

I do love the glitter of lights and the twinkle of tinsel that comes with this time of year. And I also love the quiet reflectiveness that looking at the lights can --for some reason I can't quite put my finger on-- usher in for me. So for those blessings, I am thankful.

December 7

We went up to Adam's parents' house after church today to help decorate their Christmas tree.

It was a good time, beginning with the Bills/Bengals game on TV over cheese/crackers/veggies for lunch, continuing with a quick celebration of Brady's upcoming 15th (whaaaat?!) birthday, and finishing with the official decorating of the enormous tree.

And afterward, as we were preparing to head home, Brady and then Isaac thought it would be fun to climb up on the wall back behind the house. And I thought the sight of them in the fog (because man, it was foggy in Lafayette) in their grey pants and shirts contrasted with the bright string of lights along the roofline made for a cool image. (And lest I should forget some day, they decided that it would be a good idea to do the 6-7 hand motion, too.)

So for the blessing of family and for the gift of preparing for Christmas, I am thankful.

December 6

I channeled my inner elf this morning and got to work putting out more Christmas decorations. And between decking the halls and adorning my vintage ceramic tree with colorful pegs, I went online, made our Christmas cards, and then drove down to CVS to pick them up. I even addressed a few and took them out to the mailbox. 

I wouldn't go so far as to call it a herculean effort, but it felt really good to continue to prepare for the upcoming holiday. It felt good to set up the colorful lights and to scroll through my phone in search of the perfect images for our card. And it felt good to write mini updates on the back of said-card.

It felt good to get things done. And it felt even better to think more about the real reason for the season, which is the birth of our Savior.

So for all of those very good things and for the excitement of preparing for a big event, I am grateful.

December 5

I had a great time downtown with Nikki this morning.

We started off at Peet's for some coffee and tasty treats (because their baked goods and sandwiches are so good. All love to the Mother Ship but Peet's has ya beat in this area).

Then we ventured to the nail salon for pedicures. (We both opted for seasonal sparkly red! My toes have never looked so jolly.)

And of course, there was lots of chatting and sharing life. I love this girl so much and am so grateful for her continued presence in my life. She is a true gift from God.

December 4

When Isaac trudged up the steps from the garage this afternoon, he was carrying a McDonalds bag. I looked at him quizzically as he pulled out a packet of fries and 20 Chicken McNuggets. He grinned and, as he settled into his place at the table to chow down, explained that it was his "celebration meal."

And celebrate he should, because this morning he received his first college acceptance: Biola University in Southern California.

Isaac did a lot of work to figure out where he wanted to continue his education. He created and then whittled down his list of choices to a trio: just Biola, Azusa Pacific University, and Abby's school, Wheaton College. Adam and I tried more than once to convince him to apply to more schools, but he was set on just the three.

And although he deliberately chose to pursue only three options, he worried that he wouldn't get in anywhere. In fact, just last night he laid down on the rug near me in the family room and asked the same question he's asked numerous times over the past few months: what if I don't get into any colleges? And I replied with the same assurance I gave Abby four years ago: you will not be rejected from the school God wants you to attend.

So here we are: one app submitted, one acceptance in his back pocket. He still needs to finish the other two apps. I have no idea how those will pan out for him, but I'm thankful that he can relax now with the  knowledge that there's at least one school that wants him to be part of their student body next year. 

December 3

I was really tired early this evening (thank you, aging process) so I laid across my bed and listened to the boys play Mario Kart in the living room.

They laughed (and yelled at times) and listened to music and compared their Pandora music stats from the year (which, as an aside, were quite amusing to me: they're both big country music fans, Isaac is partial to Morgan Wallen, and based on his play history Brady's 'music age' is 37).

And then after we finished dinner, they laid on the kitchen floor. I don't really know what the plan was, but they wound up scooting all around the island. (It was weird.)

It's a blessing to continue watching their friendship grow.

December 2

The sky was ablaze with pinks and reds and oranges as I drove Brady home from baseball practice early this evening.

The color was so vibrant that even he --my kiddo who doesn't typically involve himself much with the small details-- noticed and commented on it as I turned the car onto our street.

Natural beauty --the kind of that only God can create and put on display-- is a blessing to all who get to see it. And I am thankful that I saw it today.

December 1

About a week ago, I off-handedly mentioned to Brady that I planned to make a "pasta bake" for dinner. I didn't specify when I planned to do so, but he's persistent when he's interested in tasting something, so he asked for it. Every single day.

Since it was chilly outside today --according to our little hallway monitor that displays the temperature, it never got above 50 and there was a biting quality to the air-- I decided that tonight was the night.

It's just penne pasta, mild Italian sausage, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan, and it's not my prettiest dish of all time, but it sure was tasty. And the boys thanked me for making it.

So for the dual blessings of trying something different and feeding my kiddos something they gobbled up, I'm thankful, because it wasn't long ago that picky eaters made cooking a challenge.