My phone rang. It was past 9:00 pm, a little strange for someone to be calling me at this hour on a Monday night. It was my dad.

"Have you heard about your grandmother yet?"

Oh great. I was preparing myself for another she-caught-her-microwave-on-fire story. (She's 87 and lives alone, four houses down from my parents. Her eyesight, memory, hearing, etc. are failing her, so the accident stories I get become increasingly worse.)

"Did she catch her house on fire?" I asked reluctantly.

"No, she's in the hospital." My heart sank. It was just an upper-respiratory infection, but when you're in your late 80s it is a lot harder to fight when your body is already failing. Her white blood cell count was 25,000. In addition, she was severely dehydrated and they were pumping her full of IV fluids. According to my mom, she'd been sleeping constantly for the last few weeks and refused/forgot to eat or drink.

I managed to get to the hospital last night after my husband finished work and the kids were in bed. The room was silent and dimly lit. I slipped in quietly. My grandmother was fitfully asleep, pulling her blankets closer to her chin to keep warmer. Her cheeks were more sunken than I remembered. She looked so frail and thin. I gently kissed her warm forehead. Her eyes flew open and she let out a happy little "Oh!"

For the next thirty minutes, she delighted in looking at pictures my children had colored for her, flowers and a scented candle I had brought, and we looked at videos and photos of the kids on my phone. The nurse came in to check her blood pressure and temperature. My grandmother wanted to show her (and everyone else who came in the room that night) pictures of "her babies." She chattered on excitedly for a while about my three kids and how she was getting another great-grandbaby this Spring.

As the night progressed, she became less coherent and didn't talk as much because it hurt for her to breathe and talk. I continued to talk to her, telling her about our plans for our next home and some of the features that I wanted, one of which was a large covered patio in the back yard for cookouts.

"Oh, I hope I'm around for that," she whispered, "but if not, I'll be watching from Heaven and enjoying it with you."

My throat tightened. "You'll be there," I assured her. As it got closer to 11:00, I pulled my chair closer to her bed and sat quietly, waiting for my mom to arrive. I watched her slow, shallow breathing. It was hard to believe that she was travelling around Israel just seven short years ago.

Thankful For....

I don't normally do the "I'm thankful for" posts on Facebook, not because I'm ungrateful.... I'm just really inconsistent. However, I did want to try this year, so I've got 18 days to catch up on now...

#1) Derek. Intentionally or not, he has always been what I needed and exactly when I needed him. I would not be who I am today without this man. He never backs down and never gives up... which can be infuriating at times, but God knew I needed someone who was more stubborn than me. I love how he gives everything 110%. I'm so thankful he is committed to being a good father to our children and incredibly thankful he's stuck by me all these years... even at times when I wasn't being very loveable.

#2) Caden. You made me a mom and gave me a backbone. I had no idea how much I could love someone until you came along.  You have such a sensitive heart and I love that about you. You may cry a lot more than the average boy, but I've never seen a little boy who loves babies and animals as much as you do. You have a rare nurturing personality and I hope you continue to keep it. You have remarkable communication skills and empathy towards others. You're a natural leader. I often refer to you as my "sheep dog." You're always herding your younger siblings and trying to keep them out of trouble. I love to watch you build and create things. All we have to do is hand you some blocks and wooden tracks and you create elaborate "cities" complete with buildings and roads. I can't wait to see how you apply this talent as you grow older.

#3) Riley. I have to admit I wasn't thrilled at first when I discovered I was pregnant with you. Your brother was only 9 months and I was terrified of going through childbirth again and having kids so close together. You helped me get over that fear. You were my easiest pregnancy, labor, and delivery. You were my easiest and happiest baby. Your first nickname was "Smiley Riley." As a toddler (and now almost 3-year-old) you have kept us on our toes because you are always getting into things you shouldn't, but your happy nature and dimpled smile make you irresistible. I am impressed by your natural inclination towards electronics and things with wires, buttons, etc. I have a feeling you'll be just like your daddy. You're already like a tiny carbon-copy of him.

#4) Maddie. My precious little rosebud. I never thought we'd get a little girl. When we went in for a sonogram I was already resigned to a third boy, but when the doctor said you were a girl I was incredulous. It didn't really sink in until they laid you in my arms... perfect, with a little button nose, rosy cheeks, and thick dark hair. You grow more beautiful every day. You make everyone smile with your sweet, friendly personality and gorgeous blue eyes. Watching your personality develop is so much fun... and you certainly have plenty of it. You're already bossing your brothers around and make sure you're the loudest thing in the room. Daddy and I love how cuddly and loving you are.

#5) Dave has always been my big brother hero. Most teenage brothers wouldn't pay much attention to their little sisters (and brothers), but some of my best childhood memories involved him. He's the most generous person I know and he's always there when I need help (and even when I don't think I need it). He's going to be such an awesome dad and I can't wait to see his little girl grow up with such an awesome daddy.

#6) Jer. Ever since we were little, he's been my partner in crime and my best friend. Even though we're busy adults now, we can still hang out and watch movies or laugh at really stupid inside jokes that no one else gets. Jeremy still possess the ability to make me laugh harder than anyone. Can't wait to see what the future holds for him and I'm so proud of the man he's become.

#7) Lindsay. You were my first sister-in-law, and I have to say I was really excited that we'd be family. You were so accepting of me when I joined your family, even though the circumstances weren't perfect. I don't know if I've ever told you how much I appreciate that.

#8) Yoli. You are the most perfect fit for Dave and our family. You add a calm balance to our crazy and slightly dysfunctional circus. I love being able to go have fun with you and talk to you about anything. And I love that you are also a Hello Kitty fan... sounds silly, I know, but it's fun to have a sister-in-law to go gaga over HK stuff with me.

#9) My mama. We haven't always seen eye-to-eye or gotten along, but I love how our relationship is now. You're there for me 24/7 when I need help or advice and I appreciate you a lot more now that I have kids of my own. I feel like I understand you a lot better now.

#10) Daddy. I have to say I also understand you better now that I've got my own kids. You worked so hard to provide for us when we were little and I am so grateful for that. You are the most patient and long-suffering person I have ever known. In my entire 26 years of existence, I have only ever heard you raise your voice once (I totally deserved it, too).

Ok, someone's trying to kill the cat. I'll have to come back and finish later.

ThanksGIVING

It's my favorite time of year. From October-December, I get three separate holidays to enjoy with my family. Pumpkins, costumes, a foodie's dream feast, presents, music, lit trees. Best of all, we get a break from the Texas heat and get to wear sweaters, scarves & boots!

As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach us, I can't help but plan menus and presents. We're finally getting to a point in our lives where finances are starting to ease up and I can breathe easier around the holidays. For years we've had a meager Christmas budget. I have to confess this depressed me. It seemed no matter how hard we worked, we just couldn't get ahead. (Having three kids back-to-back drains more than just your energy.)

A friend of mine told me about how she saves up money every year to go out to dinner and bless their server with an extra-large tip during the Christmas season. That really made me think. Here I was all excited to get the kids bigger and better presents this year, and I hadn't thought much about teaching them why we celebrate this holiday season. We may feel like we've finally "arrived," but now my goal is NOT to go crazy. We'll get the kids a few presents each and probably make presents for our grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc. to keep it simple. I really want to teach our kids from a young age to give. Caden, our oldest, is getting old enough now to really learn about giving and helping others. What I really want to do with him is set aside some money to bless another family and have him help me shop for them.

A lot of people give to charities over the holidays or participate in "Operation Christmas Child" and the like, but I like to give on a more personal level. When I was a kid, my family didn't have a lot. There were many times when we survived on the charity of others, and more than one Christmas was had because someone else blessed us. I'd like to do the same. At this point, I don't know how much we can do, or even who the Lord will lay on our hearts, but I'm hoping that we can bless someone else like I was once (or twice, or more).