Back in England

Pheuw! What a whirlwind the past week has been. The warm kind of wind that you don't mind being in at all. I have so many stories to tell and no time to do it right now, but I'll make sure to sit down some time early next year to write. The trip across the Atlantic is a chapter of it's own, including an emergency landing in New Foundland and a spiritual  aha-moment for me, I'll make sure to tell you all about it later. 

It's been wonderful to spend Christmas with J-girl, Snorkel Kid, Froggy-boy and Sta-Bas. I loved seeing Diver Dudes eyes lit up when we first walked in the door and he was attacked by Froggy-boy with a big hug closely followed by Sta-Bas yelling "E-paaaa, E-paaaa!!" (StaBas is two and that's how grandpa is pronounced.) The week's been filled with frogs, insects and other creepy crawlies that Froggy-boy captured and showed us (he's seven, going on forty and a future biologist/zookeeper/snake-tamer), Star Wars toys in all thinkable sizes and shapes (Sta-Bas is obsessed, hence the name {Sta-Bas = Star Wars in Sta-Bas language}), doctors visits, contractions and wild baby moves with J-girl + bump and lots of dive related discussions between Diver Dude and Snorkel Kid (who is following in Diver Dudes footsteps as a Navy Diver), some chillaxing by the pool and a whole lot of wii sports. 

We also got to spend time with Diver Dudes MOTHER, Spoiled Brat (youngest brother), Hippie-Jew (step-dad), Marie Antoinette (sister, and that's her real name!!) and her two boys Billy-Bob and The Professor. Oh boy, do I have some good stories, they are one crazy family! 

Anyway, I better get back to preparing for the party tonight and taming the laundry monster, I really just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year! May 2010 be the year when all our dreams come true.

Christmas Travels

Bags are packed. Presents are wrapped. Pets are off to the neighbors. And passports are out on the kitchen table. We're ready to go. Tomorrow morning we'll leave this snow clad picturesque english country side to go to a cooler than normal big city in Florida. 

We're going to spend Christmas with Diver Dudes middle daughter J-girl and her family. It will be great to see them all and to spend some quality time with my two bonus-grandsons. I'm just not sure how I'll react when I see J-girls beautiful 8-month-pregnant belly. Hopefully I'll be just fine, but part of me fears that the emptiness of my own womb and our recent loss will hurt badly. I just have to remember to breathe and try to smile through the pain. I need to be strong for her. J-girls pregnancy wasn't planned and is very high-risk. She had complications after her youngest son was born two years ago and was told by her docs to not have more children. But she got pregnant on BCPs because of a stomach flu. She has kidney problems, there's been cysts on the baby and in her uterus, lots of bleeding, and she's been on and off bed rest throughout the pregnancy. Just last week she started having contractions and was told she would most likely have the baby before Christmas. It's a weird situation and a very modern family complication when bonus-mom and daughter were hoping to both be pregnant over the holidays. Unfortunately our hopes were short lived. Now all we can hope for is that J-girl stays pregnant and that the little guy continues to grow strong.

While we're in Florida we'll also spend time with Diver Dudes mom, brother, sister and nephews. All very special people and I'm sure we'll have some good stories with us going home.

Last night me and Diver Dude had our own little Christmas and opened presents by the fire place. Pressies, saffron buns with milk and Rudolf the Red Nosed Raindeer. It was great. The best part was when Diver Dude opened the model train I got him, his face lit up with childish joy and he dove down on the floor to put it together. Got me lots of brownie points in spite the fact that I broke our rule of no gifts to each other this year. Our combined Christmas-Anniversary-My-35th-Diver-Dudes-50th-super-duper-awesome-present happens to be a trip to Jamaica in January. But I couldn't help myself. And I'm kind of bad at following rules. Muahahahahahaaa.

Before I leave I just wanted to wish you all a Merry ChristKwanzHanukKalikiJul and Happy Holidays!