Christmas Day Visit

We always go to the cemetery as a family on Christmas Day. Sounds morbid, but it's not. It's actually the highlight of our Christmas celebration for Stephen and I. We bring the kids and take pictures. The Pederson family always meets us there. This year my parents, Maren, my uncle Gary, Aaron and Kristen and two of their kids, Eve and Gabriel met us there also. My Dad is there and he reads from 1 Thess. 4:13-18.

"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words."

Grace would have been 9 this Christmas. The first Christmas after she died, we went to the cemetery. Dad read scripture and we all cried. We cried a lot. I was pregnant with Isaiah and fear crept into my thinking again. I didn't want to go through another child's death. But now I have three healthy children. Last year, I saw a reflection of myself 8 years ago. We went to the cemetery and there was a couple celebrating Christmas with their family at the graveside of their child. It was so sad...it was so me 8 years ago. But now my children run through the cemetery and play hop scotch on the headstones. They talk about death like it's a natural thing. They blow the pinwheels in the ground and try to pick out the best teddy bear...they let me know which kid got the best flowers that year. They have life and they aren't afraid to show it!

Yes, it's sad to think of what life would have been like if Grace hadn't died. But I probably wouldn't have Twerp #1 if she had lived. Nor Twerps #2 and 3. My family would be different...I would be different. I'm a better mom and wife because she died. My values have changed and the things that I view important have changed. Christmas is better because she died. Jesus was born for her and for me. Grace has life because of His death and resurrection.

Ask our children who had the best Christmas this year...they'll say that Grace did. She gets to celebrate Christmas with the Birthday Boy Himself! The first Christmas without her she celebrated with her Savior, Great-Grandpa Pederson and her Grandpa Margala. A few years later she was joined by her Great-Grandma Pederson and then her Great-Grandpa Margala. In the blink of an eye, she will celebrate with her Great Grandma Eikum and Great Grandpa Eikum...her Grandpa Pederson and then her Grandma Pederson. In many years (I hope) I will finally get to celebrate the birth of my Savior with her too.

Going to the cemetery is not a sad occasion for me anymore. Sure, it makes me a little teary every once in a while, but I am filled with JOY every time I go there. Watching the kids run around, laugh, chase each other and play reinforces the attitude that I should have about my life and my family.

OH...and there's always the chance that you'll catch your 4 1/2 year old trying to be an angel. That makes it all worthwhile! (See picture below). Merry Christmas. Hold your family close and treasure the time you get to spend with them. I love you!

Michal

House Cleaning

I woke up this morning and looked at the dog hair slowly wafting over the wood floor. I looked at cookie crumbs and dried mac n' cheese on the table. I saw socks that the dog had dragged from the laundry pile on the floor in the TV room. Our house was a mess and adding another kid this afternoon was going to put in in the pig-sty category. So I told the Twerps that in order to pick up their cousin from Grammy's house to stay the night, the house would have to be clean.

Note: Twerp #1 LOVES having his cousin over. They are the same age by a month and play so well together...they have ever since they could crawl.

I had barely gotten the words "the house would have to be clean" out of my mouth before Twerp #1 was cleaning. He cleaned the bedroom. Then he went in the TV room and picked up that just before he picked up the living room. He put toys away, socks in the laundry basket, blankets back inside the coffee table, and anything else he saw. He set up the wood nativity on the fireplace. Then he started unloading the dishwasher. Then he rinsed the breakfast dishes from the counter and the kitchen table and put those in the empty dishwasher. Then (now this is something not even his father does) he washed down the kitchen counter tops. Twerp #2 meanwhile put the shoes away and started to wash the kitchen table and chairs. This is one of her favorite chores. Twerp #1 proceeded to get out the big vacuum and start vacuuming the wood floors and Twerp #2 got out the small vacuum and started to vacuum up the crumbs under the kitchen table. Between the two of them, there shouldn't be that much to vacuum later!

I took my shower and got dressed and am just sitting her watching all this unfold. I think we'll have to have Eve over every day!

Merry Christmas!

PS. I bet you're wondering what Twerp #3 did. Nothing. He sat on the couch watching TV the entire time. Actually, he got out some toys to play in his room and left them on the floor...which bugged Twerp #1 because he'd already cleaned up that room. So...Twerp #1 had to go back into the bedroom and put that toy away again. Yeah, I've got a lazy Twerp #3. Something else to work on...

Rehab...

I was talking to a girlfriend of mine today and she's exhausted. I'm exhausted too! Being that we both live near Hollywood, we're going to take our cues from all those famous people and check ourselves into rehab for exhaustion. Doesn't it sound just perfect? Sleep for 8 hours - no interruptions. Have meals made for you and then cleaned up after you. Get your bed made for you in the morning just to peel back the covers at 2:00 for an afternoon nap...again, no interruptions. Have a quiet meal for dinner...no one whining about the choice of food that is on their plates...green foods might even be in abundance! It would be glorious. Yeah, I need to go to rehab for exhaustion. I believe it's called The SPA! (Stephen, if you're reading this, it's not too late to get another gift certificate!)

I think I'll just go to my room and dream for a little while!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

It's been a long time since I've written a post...but things have been crazy! I had to explain to Stephen that we lost a week's time this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas in comparison to last year. I haven't gotten my Christmas cards out yet...and won't be able to until after Christmas. So...some of you might receive this twice, but this is the only way I can get out any Christmas greeting until next week. I was "dared" by a friend to write a "non-glowing" Christmas letter so here it is!







Well, it’s the week between Christmas and New Years and I have yet to send out my Christmas card. Better late than never...right? Isn’t that the motto of a mom with three children? So...I thought that instead of telling you how wonderful and perfect our children are, I would tell you how wonderful and perfect the parents are. Let me show you examples of the wonderful parenting style that Stephen and I have adopted by giving you some examples in our children...because we all know that our children behave how the parents behave, right?

Twerp #3 (4 1/2) started school this year. It is his first year of preschool because we didn’t get the whole “potty training” thing down until a couple months shy of his 4th birthday. One hot fall afternoon, the kids were playing out on the playground. One little girl in his class was “hot and sweaty” and Twerp #3 proceeded to cool her off by pouring a pitcher of water over her head. One day he was pushed from behind while standing in line to go to chapel. So...as the line leader...he turned around and pushed the little boy who first pushed him. That little boy fell backwards and like a line of dominoes, all the children in the class fell on their bottoms. What have Stephen and I been teaching him? We’ve taught him to look out for others when they’re not feeling well and to try to make them feel better. We’ve also taught him to treat others as he’s been treated.

Twerp #2 ( 5 1/2) is in Kindergarten. She LOVES school and can’t wait to go to school each day from 11:10—2:30. Twerp #2 loves to sing. She loves it so much that she sings while she’s working on her class work. Lately she’s been singing Away in the Manger for all to hear. One little boy said, “Twerp #2, could you please stop singing, you’re annoying me.” Twerp #2 turned around and said, “I’m singing a nice song and it’s not annoying and I won’t stop singing. You’ll just have to go to another room.” (I was the parent helper in class that day.) During her parent/teacher conference, Mrs. Call told Stephen and I that Twerp #2 talks a lot in class and interrupts others work. What have Stephen and I been teaching her? We’ve taught her to enjoy the arts and to not worry about what others think of her. We’ve also taught her to make friends.

Twerp #1 (7 1/2) is in 2nd grade. He is really enjoying this year and is in a class that does lots of science and writing. At his parent/teacher conference, we learned that he’s been talking a lot in class and he loses a lot of classroom tickets each week—he only keeps enough to be the one to get out first at the end of the week. We also learned that his handwriting is not very good...atrocious to some. We need to work on his printing so that it’s easier to read—something Stephen could work on too! What have Stephen and I been teaching him? We’ve taught him that school is the place to make some of your best friends and that communication is important in a good friendship. We’ve also taught him that computers are commonplace and that if Daddy could get by with his printing, then Twerp #1 can get by until he starts bringing a laptop to school.

So...how are Stephen and I doing? Think we need a parenting class? Maybe. But, we’re all alive. The Friday before Christmas was crazy. We had three class parties. I had to bring food items to each party. I also had to wrap 5 teacher gifts, write on 6 teacher cards, make sure that the kids each had their gifts in their bags, food in their bags, I had to bring two brunch casseroles to our last MOPS meeting, 20 muffins to MOPS and somehow take a shower. At this point, I’m really looking forward to Jr. High when the kids don’t have all these parties and gifts to bring.

God has been good to our family this year. We are all healthy, happy and enjoy our family life a lot. We are involved in MOPS, cub scouts, park dates, dates with the kids, dates as a couple, baking together, reading books together, playing lots of board games and having fun. I love staying home with the kids. I love making a home for Stephen. Stephen, by the way, started a new job after 12 years at his last company and is loving it. Our adoption is still going and we hope that we’ll be able to travel in just over a year to pick up our daughter. Please keep her in your prayers.

Merry Christmas to you all! Happy New Year! Love, The Margala Family.

Milestones

It's odd that some milestones I expect. I expected my children to walk. I expected them to use a fork, learn to wash their own hands, use a napkin...well, some things we're still working on in the Margala household...but there are milestones that I KNOW are coming.

There are others that I never thought of. Like doing laundry this afternoon. I've always folded the kids pants together (so there is one long leg) and then in half. They have been folded like this for a long time. They have been able to be placed in the drawer like this and they fit...many pairs across the width of the drawer.

Today, we hit a milestone. Currently, I have to fold Twerp #1's pants in half and then in half again. Two folds. sigh. When did I get a boy that needs two folds to fit the pants in the drawer? He's growing up. His teeth are coming in and soon he won't look like a gopher anymore. sigh. I'm getting old.