Two Years

Wow - I can't believe it's been almost two years since I've made an entry in the blog. Life has been far too busy to catch up on it all, but it's a good time to start again becuase the month of February has been a turning point for us these past few years.

One year ago February 4th I put Alex on a plane to visit his dad, and I haven't seen him since. His nerves were too much for him, and he leapt out of the car almost as soon as he got there. I think he's still somewhere in L.A., but I wish so very much that he would contact me. I need to learn more about his type of mental illness, I think. The two years of struggle with it while he was here taught me a lot, but not enough to make living with his loss fully comprehensible. Which isn't to say we aren't all functioning - you have to be able to compartmentalize it, or it would paralize you - but I'd sure as hell like to find more peace with it.

It is the thing that makes me most leery about this move to Florida. I know it is not likely that he would make his way all the way across the country to this house, but an irrational part of me feels that if we move we've lost him forever with no hope of recovery. The rational part tells me to buck up and realize that he'll either email my oldest address or call my cell phone if he wants to get in touch with me again, if there's even enough left of him to think to get in touch - but the rational part of me can be a real bitch sometimes, so I don't alway listen.

Anyway, at least I've started posting again. Next time, perhaps, I'll have photos of kids and sunshine and tales of new adventures in warm and sunny places - but for now, I'm content that my fingers have walked across the keyboard in proper sequence. And I'm just so very tired of packing - this can give me a break from the packing!

Catching Up

Evidently I haven't updated the blog since October. Hmm. I'm never going to remember all of the events, but I have a bunch of pictures that I can narrate. Apologies in advance for such a long post!

Sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving, we made squash soup. I love cooking with the kids!

On his good days, Alex spends a lot of time with the Littles.

Thanksgiving at Lynn's: the boys and their electronics.

The girls beading in Nicole's room.
Mom and Lynn

The "kid's" table - they outnumber us.

10 in all

The adult table - only 7 of us!

Adam's dad came to my rescue and made the pole for the tinsel tree.

Adam was going to let the branches sit in the box for another year!

No live trees this year so the kids can breathe better.

We murdered a pumpkin very late in the season to make pumpkin seeds.

I let the kids do all the gloopy parts!

Carrie decorated the tree in her room all by herself. She was very proud of it.

The silver tree in all its decorated glory.

2nd annual Italian Cucina

I didn't get many pictures this year, but the company and the food were just as amazing as last year!

My 5 on Christmas Eve

The girls in soft focus

The boys

Carrie fell asleep on the stairs waiting for everyone.

Passing out the presents

Fig laying underneath one of the white trees upstairs.

The Crabtree/Bowman kids plus Uncle Lo

For Grandma Yvonne - all the grands.

Nicole plays with Grandma's Snuggie.

How Grandma intends to spend the rest of the winter.

The Todd/Norris/Crabtree kids

Alex opened his presents at night instead of waiting for the morning.

The first of the ever-so-popular popcorn boxes!

They're everywhere!

Alex had a good time with his gifts. He was excited for his new-to-him-again PS2 and vintage games - Alex doesn't like the new game systems as well, so he asked for some retro stuff this year.

Very cool handmade turntable cufflinks from his Dad

After Santa came, before the Littles woke up

We forgot to let the kids open their new Christmas jammies the night before.

I think this is the first year we ever neglected that tradition.

Another one! Those cheap little stocking stuffers were a HUGE hit. We use them all the time.

The - drumroll, please - DS!!!!!!!!!!!

And then Heath disappeared for the rest of the day. . .

Sock monkey hat

Secret Santa gifts were also a big hit. The kids love picking out and giving gifts to each other and everyone else. We got a big laugh over Alex's "Grandpa" pen. . .

I love it when Ari smiles.

Carrie and Quin put their Christmas money from Grandma and Grandpa together to buy their horse. They are having a great time riding it around the house.

After Christmas, we went to Wild Lights at the Zoo - it was too cold to stop for pictures, but my little hambones stopped for one. Carrie was too cold to stand still for the picture.

Sorry there's so little detail - but I needed to get some pictures posted for the Grandparents in Tennessee!

I look at Quin today, and she's already changed from these pictures!