A Change in Perspective

Sometimes it takes a good scare to knock things into perspective. I'm guilty, like most, around the holidays to become so completely consumed by all the things that need to get done before Christmas Day that I forget what's truly important, what's right in front of me. I've got presents to wrap, shopping to finish, fudge to make, crafts to finish, boxes to ship, programs to attend, etc., etc. etc. I often find myself asking, "Have you taken 30 minutes to play with the girls this afternoon?"
I'm guiltily admitting it right here for all to read.

Wednesday night little Addison suffered a seizure. While Drew and Makenna were Christmas shopping, I was home alone with her, when she started to seize. I was scared to death at what was happening right in front of my eyes. I called 911. The lady on the other end calmly walked me through the To-Do's and Don't Do's. I think I was a shade short of hysterical if I'm remembering correctly. Within minutes the ambulance was here, along with the fire truck and a police car (and about a half dozen neighbors curiously watching from their porches). Just as we were leaving, the rest of my family drove up to see a parent's worst nightmare- a firetruck and the paramedics at your house. I won't go into the specifics of the rest of the night, other than to say my sweet little girl suffered from a febrile seizure. Her temperature was 104 when we got to the hospital (for the life of me I will never understand why the EMTs in the ambulance piled blanket after heated blanket over my naked girl in an already-sweltering ambulance, but that's just me).

Although deathly scary to witness, this type of seizure is not dangerous. I pray, though, I will never in my life have to sit there again and watch that happen to a child. Mine, or not, does not make a difference.

But as I said before, a good scare is sometimes necessary to knock things back into perspective. I'm grateful for this experience this Christmas season. Because as I was sitting there, holding my girl, wondering if this was it, all the rest faded into the background. I held her as she was shaking, stiff as a board, hiccuping for breath and I cried. All the presents, the engagements, the "necessary to-do's" became so very unnecessary. We've spent the last two days, wrapped up in what's truly important- family and our Savior. I've enjoyed holding my girls tight, telling them I love them and making sure they know I mean it. We've read piles of Christmas books. We've played with our Nativity . I've relished in spending more time than usual reading the Christmas Ensign, planning my lesson for Young Women this Sunday about making room for the Savior.

I love my two girls so immensely. I love my husband. I love the Gospel of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I just found this beautiful song and will use it for my Christmas lesson for Young Women this Sunday. Thought I would share it with you while you remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Winter Whirlwind

I've never felt it more than now, but does it seem that once September hits, everything speeds up and doesn't slow down until (fingers crossed) the New Year? From Fall Festivals to Barn Sales to Young Women's in Excellence to guests upon guests, to Halloween festivities to Thanksgiving preparation to decorating for Christmas to baking and baking, we've (read: I've) been busy.

And even though my Christmas shopping is done, my cards have all gone out, our house is dressed to the nines, I still feel like I haven't been able to slow down and take 2 minutes to update this blog with pictures, stories, etc. It may be in part because my sweet husband has been working his pants off for the past 3 weeks trying to get ready for his trial (which is finally starting on Monday, halle-freaking-lujah; oh, I'm not bitter). 16-hour workdays are starting to wear on the Mrs...just a little.

I have, however, found time to give way to my new-found addiction: Pinterest. CAN'T STOP MAKING THINGS. (More to follow)

So here goes- a few pictures, a few stories, and a few projects to catch me up before Christmas.


Family pictures at the Jefferson Memorial. Freezing. Addison refused to nap that day. Late start= light fading fast. But we did it with the fabulous Kings, who are always fun and managed to turn a potentially awful afternoon into another fun adventure.

Thanksgiving with Mom Mann. She came in for the whole week and we had fun hanging out, visiting Arlington National Cemetery (how have we lived in Virginia for 6 years and never stopped by?), which was amazing. She most graciously offered to make all the Thanksgiving pies, namely 2 pumpkin, 1 peach, and 1 apple. Delicioso. The Kings honored us with their presence that night as well, offering up the best dang banana dessert I've ever tasted (I don't even know what it was called and I especially don't like banana stuff, but this was KILLER).

This may be the absolute worst picture of me, but it was the only one we got, so there you go.

At Arlington Cemetery. We watched the changing of the guards with gobs of other people. After the ceremony ended and the new guard was on duty, everyone left but we stayed to take pictures. Lo and behold, Taps started playing, never having sounded more beautiful than it did then. We felt bad for the hundreds of people that left before the main event. I think they should put up some sign warning the spectators, "Don't leave until after the bugle boy plays".

Personally, I thought this was too cute of a shot not to get. Apparently the man behind us did not. He said (a little too loudly), "I guess some people are just too dumb to read the signs." So I laughed and took another picture.

Last weekend we got our Christmas tree put up. It may be the most beautiful tree (certainly the most delicious smelling) we've ever had in 10 Christmases together.
The girls most certainly loved decorating it, and we only lost a few ornaments to curious little fingers. See that tree skirt below? That's one of my Pinterest projects. It's a No-Sew Ruffle Tree Skirt. After only 4 hours of gluing in front of my TV, 6 yards of fabric, and 90% of my hands red and blistered from glue-gun burns, she's finished. And mighty proud of her I am.

I took the girls to see Santa early this year, being totally over the 3-hour wait we've encountered in years past the week before Christmas. This Santa is truly amazing at Tyson's Corner. There've been some articles written about him, so I'm grouping him in with our local celebrities. I went on December 2nd (way early) at 10:01, a minute past his grand entrance. And guess what? We waltzed right on up there like it was nobody's business, they sat right down on his lap and gave the old man their wish lists (apparently Makenna wants a dolly. They both look overjoyed, don't they? Solemnly overjoyed.).

I had a Groupon for the pictures, which we picked up after talking to Him, then went about our morning at the mall. On the way to the car, Makenna stops dead in her tracks and says, "Oh NO! I forgot to ask Santa my question! Can we go back, please?" Not wanting to disappoint, we sneak in the back and ask the nice elf if my darling 4-year-old can ask Mr. Claus just one tiny question, pretty please? So she marches on up there, sits on his lap for the second time in a day, and inquires, "Santa, why does your wife have to stay in the North Pole on Christmas Eve?" He told her she had special jobs to do while he was away and she had to make the hot cocoa. Mystery solved.

This is my girl, re-enacting her exciting morning's events. All her dollies are waiting in line to talk with Santa Claus (who is being played by Mr. Smurf). Her story was complete with the princesses pushing in line and Cinderella kindly reminding Belle "You need to wait in line until it's your turn."

And my last little Pinterest project, completed today:

Leg warmers for the girls with tie-ribbons. Tell me, WHAT did we do before Pinterest? There are so many adorable ideas...pace yourself Kara, pace yourself.

So that's it, my friends. Officially caught up until Christmas, my birthday (hint, hint, wink, wink), Mom coming on the 28th, and New Year's Festivities. Oh, how I love the holidays! Off to bake 4 more batches of fudge...