A Christmas to Remember

Our first Christmas in our house was definitely one we'll never forget. It was not at all picture perfect, but God gave us great JOY in the midst of it all and we have the memory to look back on and laugh at. Here is the long-winded version: It all started with last weekend when we went to the church choir's musical. The boys (Jonathan and Joshua) sang in it and after their part, they left with the rest of the kids to wait until the program was over. During the program, someone came and got James. This has happened before, James getting pulled out of a service to help with some medical issue someone was having. I assumed that was it. Later he returned and Josh was with him. I figured that was just a coincidence that he brought Josh back with him to watch the rest of the program. I did think it a little strange that Josh brought a bowl of popcorn or something with him (I couldn't see in the bowl). "Couldn't he just go without that?" I thought. I found out later that he had thrown up and that is why they came and got James. That was what the bowl was for. He threw up again a couple more times later that night. No one else got sick and that was it (so we thought). James felt nauseous a couple days later, but he never threw up. On Wednesday I had 14 kids (from two families besides our own) I was caring for and half way through the day Jesse threw up. I was hoping and praying no one else would get it (one of the families did end up getting it Christmas night, sorry Charlotte).

It seemed we were all okay and we went to church on Christmas Eve, all doing pretty well. On the drive home I started to feel bad and a hour or two later I threw up. I laid on the couch and watched "A Christmas Carol" in and out of sleep. Then I went to bed and left James to put everything under the tree and stuff the stockings. He came to bed quite late. I was grateful that he wasn't sick.

During the night I awoke to Jonathan throwing up. Poor guy had his new retainer in (he got his extender out this past Tuesday). I went back to sleep, eventually. Then I was up again and couldn't sleep. Jonathan was throwing up again. I got up and him and I watched a Christmas Eve sermon on t.v. Then we went back to bed about 3:30 a.m. Later I awoke to someone running to the bathroom; it was Jay. He started throwing up. I went back to sleep and James and I were awake at 4:30 and laid in bed talking for a while. Then we decided to get up a bit after 5:00. All the kids were up by 7:00 and ready to start opening gifts. We had a few things to do first, including bathe Rachel, Jesse and Josiah, put baby Jesus in the manger, read our advent book and James and Josh ate the traditional cinnamon rolls (the rest of us weren't up to eating). Rachel and Jesse had thrown up in their beds during the night and we never heard a thing. We thought Josiah had gotten thrown up on by Jay, but we later found out that he had thrown up himself.

We finally started opening gifts. We were soon interrupted by Rachel throwing up. We'd get that cleaned up and taken care of and start on the presents again. A few minutes later Jay ran to the bathroom to vomit. We had bowls everywhere. It took us quite a while to get through all the gifts. It is a good thing we told James' parents not to come. It would have taken us a long time to open all their gifts. That worked out better for them since Betty was up until 5:00 a.m. wrapping all the gifts.

By the afternoon we were all feeling better and the vomiting had stopped. I didn't cook anything, since only James and Josh were eating. It turned out to be a very relaxing day. I even got a two and a half hour nap in the afternoon.

Saturday afternoon we ate our dinner we had planned for Christmas Day. James' parents came over and brought their 10 big bags of gifts. They always bless us with a multitude of gifts, although they have scaled back the last couple years (but not in clothes it seems). Another relaxing, but more wonderful day. I absolutely loved having Christmas fall on a Friday. I've come to the conclusion that we should celebrate Christmas on the Friday closest to December 25th every year. It is not like Jesus was born on the 25th anyways. Probably the rest of the country won't go for it. Usually James goes back to work the day after Christmas, so this was quite a treat, especially since we were sick on Christmas.

We were supposed to have James' whole family over on Saturday and we postponed that until New Year's Day. That made the whole weekend stress free. New Year's Eve we are planning (Lord willing) to have a party with friends from our Sunday School class and then the family over on Friday. It should be fun. What a wonderful holiday we have had so far! How very blessed we are. I am trying to fully enjoy these great times with our children. I know they'll be all grown before I know it.

After church on Christmas Eve

Jesse fell asleep on Mommy, who was not feeling great at this moment

Our tree with all the gifts (we scaled back this year too)

Jedaiah was spared from the illness. God's grace to so good.

Josiah wasn't feeling well, but we didn't know it. He carried a bowl for a few minutes, but said he didn't feel like throwing up. I thought he just wanted to be like the other kids. I figured he'd be getting sick sometime soon. He didn't eat anything all day, except some candy. At night James went down to put him in bed and found where he had thrown up. James was pretty tired of cleaning up puked on beds by that point. James asked Josiah about it and he said he had thrown up, but had forgotten about it.
Jay with his bowl
Jonathan before we started opening gifts, he had fallen asleep

Rachel getting ready to throw up. I don't think she really did at this time.

Jesse didn't open his gifts until later. He ate a few tootsie pops and then fell asleep on the floor. Poor guy, he was not feeling well at all.
You can see it on the kids faces. They don't feel good. This wagon was for Rachel, Jesse and Jedaiah

Now onto Saturday's fun festivites

All the gifts from MawMaw and PawPaw

Rachel with some of her gifts

One of Jonathan's favorite gifts. His big gift is a shared gift with Josh and Josiah: a drum set which is on order

Jedaiah with his gifts behind him

Josh with his loot

Jay got this "Green Machine" riding toy. It is soooo cool. I've enjoyed riding it myself. The weight limit is 180 pounds.

Jesse got a trampoline. You can see him jumping on it at dropshots.

Making Gingerbread Houses

Our dear friends the Whitbys gave the kids a gingerbread house village. They each made their own little house, it worked out great. I didn't even supervise it because they couldn't wait to do it the morning after they received it. They put them together while I was on the treadmill. They were pretty proud of their creations. They ate them all up a day or two later.

Second Annual Christmas Program in the Bockhorst Household

In mid December we held our Christmas program and the Hayes girls joined us. The kids put together a play all by themselves. They sang songs and recited poems throughout the play between scenes. We had an even bigger audience than last year. It was a lot of fun and the kids had a great time.

The kids sang songs that they had been practicing to sing with other children at church.

Jonathan played a Christmas song that he wrote last Christmas and discovered this year. You can hear it on a video at dropshots.

Some of those in attendance.

Jedaiah Turns Three Months Old

Jedaiah is three months old today. It seems so long ago when he was born; so much has changed and happened since then. He is doing great. We all love are sweet baby and are so blessed to have him in our family.

An Afternoon of Hard Wook

At the end of November we spent an afternoon clearing some fallen trees in our woods. All the kids helped while the two youngest ones napped. The boys enjoyed using the ax and driving the skid loader (Uncle Mike's). I even learned to drive it and it was pretty fun. Jonathan taught me to drive it (that sounds backward). The afternoon brought back fond memories of when I was a kid, helping to clear wood. All in all it was a fun family project. There is much more that can be done and James is hoping to get his own chain saw for Christmas.

James' second time ever using this power tool.

The boys have to take turns using the axes.

Rachel helps load up the skid loader.

Josiah liked using this ax which was just his size.

Rachel loved riding in the skid loader, especially with her Daddy.

Time is Flying By...

Where did November go? I can't believe I haven't posted since October. Most of the time I nurse when I'm at the computer and it is hard to type with only one hand. That's why I haven't posted, besides being very busy with other things. We had a nice Thanksgiving with James' family and we were all healthy this year, unlike last year (we-should-have-skipped-turkey). God has been keeping us healthy, I know He has been answering those prayers. It is a miracle that we've only had little colds. Jedaiah has one now, but his body seems to be fighting it off well. James and I also got our first colds since the baby has been born. Jedaiah will be three months this week. He is sleeping well through the night, YEAH! He's smiling and cooing. It is fun to sit and talk with him. We have little chats usually after I finish nursing him.
I am loving the Christmas season. We have enjoyed celebrating our Savior's birth. Tonight we have our second annual Christmas program. The Hayes girls are putting on a little production with our boys, so we'll have lots of people to watch in the audience (parents, grandparents, etc). We have been busy cleaning up the house today. Jonathan is doing a great job cleaning and motivating others to do the same. I am so grateful for all his help, I couldn't do it well without him.
Josh isn't so motivated. I keep finding him sitting around while the rest of us work, very frustrating. They are taking a movie break while I nurse right now.
I have some pictures to post, but I'll have to do that when things calm down a bit. Things are crazy busy right now. This week we are doing school three days and then two days the next two weeks. Should be a fun couple of weeks!