Performances

 Another few days flew by with few photos taken and the blog taking a backseat to other responsibilities.  Honestly, when Christmas shopping isn't done for anyone yet and Christmas is just over a week away - blogs and photos get put on hold.  I am still behind but I have at least gotten the grandparents gifts set.  I usually try to help them with their shopping to make their lives easier. I admit that I don't feel guilty like I used to when I would miss a day on the blog.  Now, I miss it but I don't feel guilty.  I like this opportunity to apply fresh perspective to my day.  This was an early morning photo from one of the days.  I love how the house is still dark, quiet, and calm but the morning light has begun to come in the windows.  I have my Christmas tree on a timer and have it turn on for a couple hours in the morning.  I love coming down with its light greeting me.  I have been getting up each morning to spend a little time on my own, in the quiet, reflecting and reading my Bible.  At first it was hard getting up.  Now, I look forward to it.   It does make it really hard to stay up and write these blogs though!  Rich and I both find that coffee in the big, now really beat up, brown chairs is our recharge place.  Adding the light of the Christmas tree to that luxury is just abundance.  

We continue to see light coming into our lives.  Monday is dance day and these two crazies get to take dance together.  Normally, Jess will pick them both up, they will play for awhile at her house, and then head off to dance.  K loves this tradition and she loves the weekly play date.  Since I was working from home and I knew they would just run off and play - I said yes to K's request to have the play date at our house.  I was rewarded for that yes with quite the performance. Oh my goodness - what a treat that festive performance and those giggles.  How does that not bring joy to a day?     

I want you to know I attempted to upload a video but it wouldn't let me.  It is a real shame.  K has a beautiful singing voice but she is pretty shy about sharing it - so she spent a lot of her time performing from behind the curtains - a regular Wizard of Oz.   Her friend, she is stage ready!  She came down bold and ready to dance and perform.  She also has a beautiful singing voice.  It makes me wonder if this is a video I will show someday at a show choir senior night. . . .remember when?!?!   These moments bring back great memories of acting out movies with LeAnna and creating full movies over at Tracy's house.  There were driveway dance recitals and plenty of singing performances.  Man, my neighborhood was really lucky to have us (sarcasm intended).   

Perhaps the funniest stories of the day - Rich has had a terrible trigger finger.  He has put off doing surgery for a long time.  It had gotten to the point it was causing him pain even doing simple tasks so it was time.  Here is a picture before surgery of him with his finger as straight as he could get it.  He has been suffering endless teasing - especially from E.  I think she will be a little sad that it got fixed.  

I always find it so fascinating that someone who has been so entrenched in the medical system since he was in 3rd grade gets super nervous for anything and everything that has to do with it.  Some of it completely irrational.  For example, he has poke his fingers for years and given himself shots.  Now, he sends a needle into his stomach or other sites for pump sites with nary a care.  Back when I used to give him his flu shots - he would always get super nervous.  He would state that needles made him nervous.  When I pointed out the above, his response?  Well, not those needles - other needles!  Oh gee, my mistake (insert eye roll here).   Today was no exception.  And a nervous Rich means a chatty Rich.   And a chatty Rich will always mean a goofy and funny Rich.  All I know is that when I arrived to pick him up, they said, you have to come back to see him.  I was a bit nervous because in this covid world, that was unexpected.  I found him antsy and nervous which even raised my concern.  As I sat down, the nurse came in and said, "well you have a stand up comedian here!"  I looked at Rich and said, "oh no, what have you been saying back there?"   He shrugged and said "I was nervous and I am pretty sure I talked nonstop."   The nurse was wrapping things up and he continued to make funny comments.  Then, the doctor stopped in.  I am a reader of nonverbals and I noted by the nurse's response that this stop wasn't typical.  He came straight over to me and began to give discharge instructions that led with, "An essential element for his healing process - well, do you have grapes at home?"  "Yes, we have grapes," I said while looking at him suspiciously.   "Oh good, you will need to feed him grapes and fan him with palm leaves every few hours.   A foot rub will go a long way and of course no chores or work of any kind."  Come to find out, he had listed off the things in the OR that he felt he should be entitled to since he had surgery today and that I kept calling it "minor surgery".   As he does, he convinced this surgoen to come in to list off all the ways he should be pampered.  And because Rich is a effortless leader of people, the surgeon played along with the plan.  There were reports that there was someone in the room named "Jeremy".   Apparently, Jeremy became the focus as Rich said things like "If I can point my finger straight after this, I am giving everyone in this room a big hug.  Except Jeremy, because he creeps me out."   I was also told he requested that Jeremy make a special stop to help him put on his shoes and socks.   (He didn't - which I say - good for you, Jeremy!)  Most of all, it was made clear to me that he was well received and they would be sorry to see him go.  All his stand up. . . .errrrr.... lying down comedy is over now as he is hurting.  I was finally able to get the right balance of pain meds that he is asleep.   Ibuprofen for the win this time.  

Finally - this homebody was bound and determined to get to Target tonight.  Normally, to extract him from home for any reason takes an act of Congress but to also have to sit through his sister's basketball practiice too?!?!  No way!  But his heart was set on Target and this was the way he was going to get there.  Here he sits waiting out the hour of K's basketball practice with me.  He is enjoying the new van's movie watching capacity and I am enjoying that the sound goes through those head phones!  When we arrived at Target, he knew exactly what he wanted to get.  He had prepared for the visit with conversations and thoughts ahead of time.  He never ceases to amaze me with his capacity to show up for others.  He is thoughtful and intentional in his gift giving and I was so proud to see him so motivated to participate in the giving side of Christmas.  

Even though we are walking through a trial right now and sometimes that feels heavy on our days - these moments of light shine even brighter for us.  In the performances of song, of comedy and of giving - I am reminded that there is always joy waiting for us to embrace it.  For me, that will be one of my greatest Christmas blessings.   

PS -tomorrow needs to be a lil B stalking day.   You can always tell who is around me the most by who get's their photo taken.  Lil B got to go shopping and out to supper with his Pawee.   What a treat that was!  I think he will happily give up photo on the blog to spend one on one time with Pawee any day.