Thanksgiving-Yippee

It is THANKSGIVING! I love baking, eating, serving it, even sorta cleaning it up! I was setting out the dishes stuff goes into tomorrow. I always do this to make sure nothing it "bowless or spoonless". It was then I remembered "salt and pepper". OH SALT AND PEPPER!! It means I can pull out the beautiful Lenox salt and pepper shakers that Warrens mom got for me about 33 years ago. I LOVE these. They make me smile each time I look at them.  Even if we are eating off paper plates or Corelle ware,  we have LENOX salt and pepper shakers!  They come out at Thanksgiving and go away after Easter.  My way of justifying getting 5 months of use out of them. Technically (in a man world) they are Christmas trees. BUT they have gold and brown sparkles, which are fall colors. And the day AFTER Thanksgiving they are totally "legal". So what is ONE day! The other thing is there are also pastel sparkles, which are of course, EASTER colors.

We were sitting around the table several years ago and Jana picked them up and said "when you die, I WANT these!" SO I picked them up and wrote Jana on the bottom of each one. This also makes me laugh. When they are stored away up high in their "off" months, I often climb up and look at them. I remember my special mother in law, who is not here helping me make gravy any more. She had the gift of giving. I miss her lots. She is up with  the Lord of Heaven and Earth, rocking our Carter.

I am so thankful. I have so much. Kids and Grandkids close by. Wonderful family and friends.

"I Will Rise" by Chris Tomln. 

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead 


And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb" 

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

Chris Tomlin, I will rise

I don't know how to add video, but you can find the music here.

"Surviving the Holidays"

It's not something I will "get over".  It's something we are all living: missing Carter.

Cohen's first visit to Grammas house was this week. I put up the bed, put up a Christmas tree, had on the Christmas music. It was baking day, so the house was full of cookies. Cohen came, and well the bed would not stay up, and I could not get the lights on the tree to work. All that is pretty normal, here. But the music, cookies, Cohen and Jana and Gramma 2 were here. Then it started SNOWING! It was perfect! Almost. That started a week of  grieving Carter so much. I picked up the pumpkin we had put on his grave. Got his teddy bear, to wash. It was all frozen in snow. I just lost it. I don't want to but bears on his grave, I don't want to put a tiny tree there. I want him! I want him in his first Christmas booties! Or both wearing their Gonzaga Bulldogs T shirts! Here beside his brother. I want to make HIM a blanket! I want Jana to have both her boys. I know he is with Jesus. That IS the reason for the season! Jesus was born at Christmas so that we might LIVE! Carter can be with Him forever. But the pain is so overwhelming at times.

We are making blankets for other babies, sewing and baking. It is almost Christmas. I had not given much thought to that, till Jana brought home a flyer for  Griefshare, "surviving the holidays". Will I survive? I am old enough to know to take the help that is offered, cry with a friend, cry with my husband, cry with my family. Turn to the lord. He knows all our sorrows and he does care. Maybe someday I can write about how I survived the holidays!! Right now I am  just living the holidays.

Then Cohen got to visit again last night, Grampa got the bed fixed, the lights on the tree to work and he got to sleep in my arms thru the football game! So much love. He even gave me lots of smiles! This journey  is so up and down, so happy and sad. Full of thankfulness and miracles!

NICU Care Packages, from Jana's blog

This is a post from Jana's blog. SUCH a great idea. Just email me if you can help in any way. Carol
NICU Care Packages

I know it's getting to that busy time of year where everybody has way too much to do. I also know what it's like to have a baby in the NICU and I know some of you do too. Sitting in the hospital day after day is tiring and stressful and can be lonely. I want to do something to help other NICU moms and maybe just brighten their day a little. I know how hard it is to have a baby in the hospital on a regular day but I can't imagine how hard it must be during the holidays. I LOVE Christmas and anything I would like to be able to maybe make someone else's a little better. We have been given so much love and support and I would love to be able to pass that on to someone else.

So, I am putting together some little care packages to drop off at the NICU for other moms (or dads :)
I'm thinking:

Little lotions
Chapstick
Candy
Granola Bars/Snacks/Gum
Emergen-C (Since it's cold season!)
Maybe a little notebook for keeping notes about baby
Vitamin Water
Hot Chocolate or Tea
Hand Sanitizer
Baby Hats and maybe little Christmas blankets (if I get around to knitting/sewing them)

 I'm going to try and start getting things together now because I know once Thanksgiving hits everything gets super busy. We have another appointment at Children's in December so I am thinking I will drop them off then. Anybody want to help? Have any other ideas of things to add? Let me know :)

*Updated to add:

If you knit, here is a website that has patterns for preemie hats

If you crochet, here is more patterns for preemie hats

I also thought it would be fun to put some of the stuff in the stockings. I'm telling you, I love Christmas so this is all really fun for me :) Here is the pattern I might use, again depending on how much time I have. If you sew, it is here or here's just an outline.