Christmas Time

Well, it's official, my Christmas party is over and I am still alive! Woohoo! It was actually a great success, everything went really well. You just never know! I tried my best to be organized and prepared and then the day comes and it is a CRAZY whirlwind! Plus I was doing things differently than their ward had done before, so I wasn't sure how it would go over, but I have gotten really great feedback, so I am exteremly happy with the outcome. Completely exhausted, but happy! The whole thing was way more work than I think anyone will ever realize, but I had SO much help from the Lord. This whole experience was such a testimony to me that when the Lord asks us to do domething and we seek to do it with his spirit and with a desire to serve in our hearts, he will provide a way. So many things worked out just right and I know that the Lord had a hand in all the people who were my personal blessings by their willingness to step in and help, and just the way that things all came together. We have a great ward and I am so grateful for the oppertunity to serve them and to get to see them serve each other. I am definetly looking forward to having a break though!

Here are some pics as we put up decor, I wish that I had gotten a picture with all the christmas lights on, it made everything look so much prettier, but as the day wore on I had NO time to take pictures, but you'll get the idea :)

This past monday I went to the Dr again of course, and he said that everything looked great and that I am good to go into labor even though it is still early, they wouldn't stop me at this point. Which of course completely freaked me out because I have NOTHING ready for this baby. I have been in denial about how soon this is coming. I think that I still have a solid 2 weeks before it's "any day now", but still that isn't much time. So this week Matt and I are digging out the old car seat, getting out old boxes of Lily's stuff to go through and having to think about nursing gear, getting pads etc, talking about washing everything and seeing what all we need to buy, there are a few things from Lily that no longer work or aren't in good shape, and of course diapers and all that. It is crazy to think it is so soon. We need to get a little dresser so we will have room to put this little girls stuff etc! It is just a little overwhelming. I have been putting everything off until after the party, because my mind has just been TOO full and the stress level overwhelming, and now I am realizing that I am less than 2 weeks out from being "full term" and that Christmas is in 2 weeks and I have bought NOTHING for Christmas and prepared nothing for this new sweet little girl! We did put our Christmas tree up yesterday, because I was feeling guilty. I knew that Lily would love putting up the Christmas stuff, even though we are keeping it pretty minimal this year, but I haven't had time and then I haven't felt up to it.

Why haven't I felt up to it? Funny you should ask, Monday after the Dr on my way home, my stomach started really hurting. And yep, it was the stomach flu. I literally had to leave Lily in the car in the garage while I ran in and threw up. I then proceeded to spend more than half the day in the bathroom. When Matt called to say he was leaving work, he asked "how was your day?" I told him, "I think I have the stomach flu", "that sucks" was his reply. That night he spent the whole night in the bathroom, and has to call in sick tue and wed. We were both completely miserable. And today we are finally feeling better and although all we want to do is veg out and recover from the Christmas party and being sick, we are being good little adults and doing responsible things, like Christmas shopping and digging out baby stuff, housework, etc.

Lily this week has been left to entertain herself for periods of time while her parents were incapacitated, luckily she didn't get sick. She has done some pretty mischievous stuff while unattended, none of it I was up to documenting, but here she is being a good little helper, she loves helping with housework and I heard that Santa is bringing her her own little broom and dust pan (mostly because she is lethal with the long handle that flails around as she "helps" with the normal sized broom!). Please ignore my laundry in the back and also the "cheese" smile that is unavoidable now a days.