Christmas 2016

Every year the weeks leading up to Christmas are tough.  Not sure why other than it is hard for kids at school and so they act out.  I was easily offended at work, stressed about buying the right gifts, sad about Joel being alone, Hannah not coming, Mom being alone.  I spent some excellent quality time with Cheist who once again met me where I was and found that neverending peace that passes understanding.  Cliches, but not.  Very very real for me personally.

The Lake Christmas was smaller due to the weather but special as usual.  It was Shari, Sam, larry and Joe of course, and Bonnie, Norman and cj along with Scott and I.  Shari and Jo loved the prints I got and framed for them, of Leah's. Got some. Quality time with Shari that seems so hard to have for whatever reason.  

A couple of days before Christmas, Shari brought Julie down overnight.  Got more quality time with Shari then Julie.  We had the most delicious meal at Longhorns, just Scott and Julie and I.  

Then Christmas Eve, Leah and Dave and baby Emmet came!  It was a small but very special Christmas as it was Emmet's first and maybe the last we will have them here as they want to build their own family traditions.  We had a Mexican meal and enjoyed plying with Emmet and sitting around.  

Christmas morning Leah and I had coffee and gave Emmet his first Clark traditional orange Danish rolls.  He loved them!  

We did the exchange of gifts  and everyone was thrilled with what they received a sw hat they gave.  I always worry then people are so happy.  Emmet loved his sticking stuffers and his first chucks as well as the giraff I got because his elephant didn't come yet.  

I had some sweet times with Emmet, playing and watching him try to crawl (he can scoot/army crawl.). He likes to stand up at the ottoman with little support and crawl up people.  He giggles when he makes eye contact and grabs at earrings.  He tilts his little head to look beyond at something g that interests him.  I got to rock him to sleep three times!  One afternoon, I took him to my room to see of he would nap with me.  He played with my eyelashes with his little fingers for ten minutes.  

Later that day, we did Skype Joel for two hours.  He did ok alone.   Mom didn't end up being alone after all.

Overall,  grist as 2016 was a. Huge success  and I loved it!

Thanksgiving

Such a great week and memories to hold onto!  Scott and I took Friday off work and drove to Denver.  We listened to a good book on tape, Ready Player One, and stopped at qdoba in Colby.  Joel was already at Hannah's apartment when we got there.  Kent was out of town.

We went out to eat at a lovely Chinese restaurant then went to the Gothic theater to see Seu Jorge, who does David Bowie music acoustically in Portuguese.  We all enjoyed it immensely.

We got up Saturday morning and ate sweet treats  and drank coffee then went for a long walk down Hannah's street to a park.  Scott and the kids had a snowball throwing contest.  There was now on the ground but it wasn't too cold.

We left Saturday afternoon  and drove back to Manhattan bringing Joel.  On Sunday, Scott and Joel and I walked the konza as is our tradition then the boys went to the kstate basketball game.

I worked on Monday, inservice day, and we hung out and just relaxed with our Joel.  I tried to make him homecooked meals every night.  

Leah and David and Emmet arrived Wednesday afternoon.  Leah had warned me that he is going through the stranger stage and not to take it personally if he didn't warm up quickly but he gave me four sweet mushy kisses in the first hour!  Hannah and Kent got here Wednesday night.

Thursday morning we got up and had breakfast and coffee and started cooking. Mom, Dave, and Lisa arrived and then Alexis, Jeff, and Jake!  

I kept dinner simple, the only new thing I made was Carmel Apple sangria.  Emmet got to eat his first table food!  Scott put the tv in the livingroom and we had Gilmore Girls in the new room and played with Emmet.  He's sitting up and still squeals spontaneously.  Every time the theme song came on, he turned to watch the tv.  Leah said she sings it to calm him down and it works!

 After everyone but us Clark/Gaeddert left, we all sat in the livingroom and had a really great conversation, coming up with deep questions to ask each other.  When Leah and David and Emmet left, everyone spontaneously sang "where you lead, I will follow, anywhere, that you want me to....."  

Friday julie came and also Larry and Jo.  

Saturday Joel, Kent, and Scott went to the kstate football game. Hannah and I hung out then went with friends. I got sad then when they came back and were packing, I cried.  Hannah may be able to come home for New Years but not Christmas. And Joel can't take the time off either.  I love having my babies home.

Cousins

This month my cousin Sue and then my cousin Deb came to Kansas.  It was so awesome to see them!  Sue and Deb and their siblings grew up in Seattle so we only saw them about every five years or so.  I was closest in age to Carol and remember a trip she made when I was 14 or so and we spent a lot of time together.  Sue was closest to my brother Dave growing up.  One summer, Sue and Deb went on a two week cross country camping trip,with us so I have lots of memories with them in our station wagon and at camp grounds.  Then in high school, Deb lived with us for a whole year!  Sue has made the trip back to see us several times now.  But this was the first time Ives even Deb in over 25 years!

It is amazing how family is family no matter how long it's been since you've seen them.  Deb and I stared at each other and declared we looked the same!  Deb and mom came to Manhattan with Dave and Lisa and they spent the night at the house so we had hours to catch up.  It was so fun!  We talked and talked and laughed and even shed some tears.  We ate and drank and shopped and talked some more.  

Now I can't wait to go to Seattle!  And we are going to do a round robin snail mail pen pal thing with my mom.  

Whirl Wind Weekend

I love love love having family home.  This weekend Hannah drove in from Denver and Leah and Dave and Emmet came too!  There were so many special memories and moments to hang onto.  We all went to Chipotle, walked the Konza, sat around the livingroom and played cards, all pretty standard for a Clark family hang out.  We also played with sweet Emmet.  Saturday afternoon, Scott and I spent some precious moments with Emmet on the back deck.  I was lying with my head on Scott's lap with Emmet on his tummy leaning against me so he could see both of us.  Scott was playing with his nose and he giggled and giggled.  I fed him rice cereal and got it everywhere!  He loves it!  At Ba'an Thai restaurant, Emmet got fussy so I took him outside.  He was fascinated by the cars.  It was dusk so they had lights on and were going down fort riley blvd with their tires thumping the cement.  He turned his head quickly repeatedly.   So fun.  Emmet is such a good baby.  He is so content and alert.  He makes eye contact and smiles or giggles.  He can sit up unsupported for a couple seconds, reaches grabs and brings toys to his mouth.  He can roll over.  He is 5 months.  Today Julie came up and Hannah stayed and we walked around the park then Skyped Joel.

Emmet 4 months

I spent today in Newton with Leah and Emmet and wanna hang onto the memory. Emmet is so interactive!  He loves to giggle and smile and hold onto fingers. He was distracted when he ate with me in the room so I went in the other room. Then he was quiet for awhile then I'd hear him giggle then Leah giggle. So sweet. Emmet screeches with happiness and sounds sort of like a teryldactil. He giggled when I kissed his neck. He giggles and kicks on his changing table. He is pretty content even when he's hot or riding in the car. He sucked his thumb on his own a few times. He grabbed Leah's face with both hands and kissed her three different times. 

Such Fun

Yesterday I was honored to do two things:  host a going away party for a Homestead graduate and go out with the girls to celebrate the birthday of a friend from TRU.

Heather is going back to Lexington.  It has been such an honor and a blessing to know her and to watch God work in her life.  She is truly transformed.  It is bittersweet to have the girls leave us.  It feels like a parent; you know this is the plan and you hope you've done enough to help them be successful out there.  You know you will see them again but it is so hard to watch them go.  Heather is ready.  She loves God with all her heart and she knows how to access Him.  She know He is all she needs.  She will be fine.  She's going to get a job dog grooming then get a place of her own and raise her son and be close to her college sons.  We will miss her so so much.  

Right after the party, I ran out to UMI steakhouse to meet Karlisha and the girls for dinner and drinks.  We laughed and laughed and laughed!  Then we picked up another friend and laughed some more on the way to the movie.  It was so special to be included and so much fun.