A merry little Christmas

Christmas came and went all too quickly this year, in my opinion. I felt like I was playing catch-up all of December, especially after our unplanned trip to CO (which I would not have missed for anything), and trying so hard to get everything done... and then whoosh, all of a sudden everything WAS done and Christmas was done! And I can't help but feel like maybe I missed something, maybe it wasn't exactly what I hoped for. It was Rosalie's first Christmas. Our first Christmas as a family of five! Did I make it special enough? Did I soak it all up like I needed to? Will I truly remember and cherish the things that made it wonderful?

Well, it may not have been EXACTLY what I had in mind, and I'm sure that there are plenty of things I could have done differently, but one thing for sure is that I most definitely WILL remember and cherish it. It was simple, low-key, and merry in just the right kind of way.

On Christmas Eve we had a lovely little gathering here at our house with our family on Jeremy's side. It had been a while since we'd all been together, and it was so wonderful to see them all and just hang out while we ate large amounts of food and opened quite a few gifts. I simply love having our home filled with family!

Jeremy's mom (Grandma NetNet) and her husband Randy


Thomas and Caitlyn looking all cute, Brent hiding quite conveniently behind his knees, Steph giving Cale a rather quizzical look as he comically attempts to undo the ridiculous packaging on Emma's doll. I love this picture. :)


Rosalie and Brent. what a great pair.


On Christmas morning we always go to church, so we wait and do presents once we get home. However, we did manage to squeeze in time to open our stockings, all of us in our pj's. Even Rosalie got excited about the stockings, and she quickly fell in love with her new little dolly.


Unfortunately, pictures of our kids opening stockings and presents are sadly lacking from this year. But I did take a few videos here and there. This one is from right after we did stockings. Nothing too groundbreaking, but at least my girls are cute and you get a glimpse of Jeremy's bright blue Wii pj's. Whee! :)

Christmas Morning 2009 from Talia Bridgman on Vimeo.

After stockings we all got dressed up in our Christmas finery (per Emma and Annabelle's request), and Daddy took some pictures while Mommy rushed around trying to finish getting herself ready.

I literally squealed when I put this hat on Rosalie. Can you see why??


Cheeeeeeeeeeese. (but they sure do look pretty)


We enjoyed a joyous service with our church family, and by this time Emma and Annabelle were absolutely DYING to get to the presents. But first, I made us all take some more pictures while we were still dressed up. Mostly, because I wanted to give up being cute for the rest of the day, since we were going to be home, and change into my yoga pants and a sweatshirt. (which is exactly what I did.)

My loves. So much wonderful in one picture!




A rare picture of me with all THREE of my girls!


A bit of silliness. Always a good thing!


And that is pretty much how we spent the rest of our Christmas-- being lazy and relaxed, simply enjoying our time at home. Opening presents, having a few family members drop by to our delight, watching movies, playing with new games and toys, coloring, napping, spending time on the phone with all of our family in Colorado (whom we missed oh-so-VERY-much), and eating more than our fair share of fudge and other goodies. It was lovely.

Emma was thrilled with her new Polly Pockets and paper dolls, and Annabelle received a plethora of Tinkerbell things which made her little self quite happy. And Rosalie crawled in and out among all the wrapping and new things most determinedly and curiously, creating trouble as well as smiles from the rest of us. And that night as we got ready to tuck them into bed, we talked about the very best present of all: that of Jesus, God's Son. I am so glad that they can begin to understand this wonderful truth.

It is so comforting to know that no matter what each Christmas may bring, or with whom we may or may not get to spend it, it is still always about the JOY of that truth. JOY is always present and alive. JOY to the world, the Lord is come!!



JOY. An abundance of it!

Paper snowflakes.

This morning, since today is the one day this week where we didn't have to be somewhere, I decided to put off cleaning the house or finishing up presents (or showering) in favor of something much more delightful and very appropo for the first day of winter: making paper snowflakes.

Once Rosalie was down for her nap, I got out the paper and scissors and sat down on the living room floor with Emma and Annabelle, who were all a-bounce with excitement and glee. I had been promising them this activity for quite some time, and they just couldn't wait to get started.

After I folded up the paper properly, both girls eagerly began cutting. Annabelle soon deserted the idea of snowflakes when she realized that there was a certain way it had to be done. "No, mommy, I'm not going to make snowflakes," she told me calmly as she looked up at me for moment. "I'm going to make a skirt. A ruffly skirt." And so she did. The skirt was soon followed by a cut-out of a sleigh with a door-- or at least that's what she told me it was. Whatever it was, she was quite pleased with her own little creations, even if they weren't snowflakes.

Not Emma, though. We set out to make snowflakes, and she was going to make snowflakes! She sat quietly, working her scissors as best she could, her tongue sticking out just slightly as she concentrated. As I worked on my own cutting, I noticed that her face had begun to fall. Gone was the excitement and glee, and instead she looked worried. Soon she sighed and slumped her shoulders. When I asked her what was bothering her, she replied "This is NOT pretty. It doesn't look like a snowflake at all!!"
I couldn't help but smile slightly, but I quickly told her it would be all right. "Just wait until you're done... then you get to unfold it, and it will be so pretty! You'll see, I promise."

Soon, she was indeed finished with her cutting, and she slowly unfolded it, watching her paper carefully as if she didn't quite believe me. And then, she saw her completed snowflake, each little cut-out perfectly and amazingly intricate and symmetrical, and her face lit up. "Look!! It really is a snowflake!! I love it! I want to make some more!!"



I handed her some more paper, and again, she set to work intently cutting. And yet again, soon, her little face began to look worried. "This doesn't look at all like the other one! It's not the same, and it won't work..."
More reassurance from me, a few more cuts, a new snowflake to unfold, and for the second time I watched her face beam with joy. "This one's even prettier! It looks like a different snowflake! I want to make even MORE."

And so, for the third time, I handed her a piece of folded paper and she began to cut. But this time, as I watched her, there was no sad look of disappointment creeping across her face. Instead, as she cut out little triangles and made dents and gashes here and there, she bounced up and down, a smile on her face. "I can't WAIT to see what this snowflake will look like, Mommy. I can't WAIT to unfold it and see!" She finally understood, finally realized what I was telling her all along, and she knew that she didn't have to worry about the way it would turn out. She knew what was waiting for her to see at the end.


How often, in our own lives, do we question and worry about the way things are right now? Isn't it SO easy to wonder how in the world the things we're dealing with will ever come out right-- or how they could ever be a part of something perfect and lovely?

Take, for example, the fact that tomorrow, a mere three days before Christmas, my mom starts chemotherapy for the cancer that is currently residing in her brain. I think I can safely say that NO ONE in my family envisioned this for our Christmas. No one expected it, or wanted it for this person that we love so much. It's cancer-- it's ugly, and scary, and sad.
And sometimes, it's hard to trust and believe that this truly will work out exactly the way it's supposed to, that it truly is a perfect part of God's plan for her and all of us.

Here's the beauty of it, though: we CAN believe that it will work out, thanks to our heavenly Father. We CAN believe that somehow this is for a reason. No matter what.

We all, every single one of us, have trials and sufferings, hard things that come upon us in life and surprise us, things that make us sad or scared, worried and unsure of what the future might hold. When we're in the midst of those things, we can't know how these circumstances of our life will fit together in the end. We can't know what the outcome will be when it all unfolds.

But, we can trust in this:
In the end, it will be beautiful.



"Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning." ~psalm 30:5

Update.

Hello, friends. Just popping in to give you the latest update-- so much has happened since the last time I posted. It's been a whirlwind of a week. I'm sorry that I haven't been better about updating... We of course by this time have new information concerning my mom, but it's just been SO busy. And I think I've been processing it all, taking the time to think and pray about it all and just take it all in. Taking the time to rejoice in the positive little things and, sometimes, cry about the scary and hard things. Like I said, it's been a total whirlwind. Less than two weeks ago (wow, really?? It seems ages) I had not an inkling of any of this and now our whole lives, our whole perspectives, have shifted and changed rather drastically. I know this is even more the case for my mom, dad, sisters, and little brother, since they are right there in the thick of it. Me, I'm here, many miles away and busy with my "normal" life because that's really all I can do. Even normal life is not the same now though... anyone who's ever had a dear one with a serious illness must know exactly what I mean. It's hard sometimes.

Anyway, allow me to fill you in. As you already know, my mom had her biopsy last Tuesday night. Jeremy and I were so thankful to be able to be there-- it made it so much easier, and we were able to actually enjoy the time before she went in, just spending time as a family, being our normal goofy selves. She then spent most of Wednesday in the ICU, simply because the hospital was so full that they didn't have a room to move her to, but she was really doing quite well and the biopsy went great. We had to head home again on Thursday, and on Friday my mom got to go home, just short of a week spent in the hospital. Since then she's been doing pretty well, feeling ok and just taking it easy. She's learning her limitations, which I'm sure is frustrating sometimes, but she is blessed with wonderful caregivers in my dad and sisters.

Friday was also the day we got the results of the biopsy back. I should tell you, we've been all over the place with what they thought the tumor might be, first one thing and then another, and we'd been told it probably was NOT certain things too. I guess it just goes to show that you never know for sure until those results actually come in. The results told us that it was a lymphoma-- cancer. My mom has cancer. It's honestly quite surreal to type that...

BUT-- but, while that is most certainly not good news, there are some positives, the first one being that we actually know about it and can now treat it. The doctor is very optimistic, and says the prognosis is good. She and my dad are meeting with the oncologist today to discuss treatments and lay out a plan, so I'm anxiously awaiting to hear the outcome of that meeting and what lies ahead. Whatever it may be, I breathe a huge sigh of thankfulness and relief in knowing and trusting beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lord already knows every outcome and that He will sustain and strengthen my mom every minute of every day.

I won't lie, this has been hard. Really hard. But it's strengthening all of us and refining our faith, bringing us closer together... and even amidst tears, sadness, fear, and whatever other emotion may come (there's a whole plethora of those, believe me), it's still possible to give thanks to our God for so many things.

My sister Lydia was the one who brought my mom home on Friday, since my dad was taking care of prescriptions and such, and she and mom happened to hear this song while in the car after leaving the hospital. She shared it with me, and I was amazed at how perfect it was. I love what my mom put on her facebook after listening to it, and I couldn't say it better myself: "The sweet silver lining is the promises of God to work all things together for our good." Yes!! Amen.


Please continue to keep praying-- it means so much to us all. This could be a long, hard road-- we don't know. We're taking it a step at a time, celebrating the little victories when they come along (Mom, you know what I'm talking about, I won't share them here ;)), and simply trusting. Tomorrow morning Mom has to have further testing done, to make sure there are no lymphomas anywhere else, so she'll be getting a PET scan, a bone marrow biopsy, and a spinal tap. NOT a fun day. I hate to think of it... :( Extra prayer for quick procedures, skillful hands on those administering the tests, a special measure of grace and comfort for my mom, and hopefully small amounts of pain.

I'll leave you with some pictures of our last-minute trip to Denver last week. Because everyone loves pictures! Whee!! (Side note: these are not in chronological order. Also, the lighting in hospital rooms is not conducive to attractive pictures. Hence the black and white on many of these. hehe)

Dad and I on Wednesday, in Mom's swanky new room.


Mom received some lovely flowers on Tuesday before her biopsy. Of course, we had to banish them to the nurses' station since they bothered her allergies.... but not before we took a picture of them. The title of this shot is "Girl in a Garden". ;)


Mom was also blessed with a bundle of all sorts of goodies-- just look at all that loot! I especially love the hat and scarf, which are handmade by a woman in South Africa.


This was LATE Tuesday night, back at the house finally, after the biopsy. I think this picture perfectly sums up how we all felt at that moment. Mostly, just SO TIRED.


Of course we enjoyed our sister time, even if it was under not-so-perfect circumstances. Love these girls, don't know what I would do without them.


Speaking of sisters, this one looks awfully confused. Or angry. But doesn't she look cute in that hat?


My older brother Tyra was able to fly in from Chicago to be there, and he quickly became our resident researcher and obssessive question-asker. He's a good one. And this is one of the only shots I got of Josiah, because the hospital kicked him out later that day. He's under 18. Boo.

I snapped this while driving to the hospital in the late afternoon. I love the Denver skyline.


This picture melts my heart and makes me want to cry all at the same time. (Doesn't my mom look gorgeous? I could never look that good if I'd been in the hospital for days.)


And this one, well, this one makes me wish I was by her side again to spend time with her and be there for her. Love you, Mama-la.

our hearts are trusting in the Lord

If you are my friend on facebook, you most likely already know that on Saturday my mom was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Well, we don't know too much more than that so far even yet, as the results of her MRI are not yet known, but we're still just praying and hoping with all our hearts that it is benign and easily removed.

In the meanwhile, she is most likely going to be having surgery tomorrow (tuesday) sometime, so Jeremy and I are flying out this afternoon from Bakersfield so that we can be there no matter what happens. We leave for the airport at 2:30, and this all came to pass only about an hour ago, so as you can imagine I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off and trying desperately to get everything ready in time. The kids will be staying here with Jeremy's mom, who has been simply amazing and was able to take some time off work to be with them.

I don't have time to go into the whirlwind of emotions and the thoughts that have gone through all our heads since finding out this news of my very own mother, but it has been hard. I cannot wait to be there with my family and hug them one and all.

Even in the midst of it all, I am thankful. Thankful for the amazing support and love that my mom and dad and all of us have been shown in this all, thankful for the MANY many prayers that have been lifted up on her behalf, thankful for the WONDERFUL people we are all blessed with in our life, including all of you. And most of all I am thankful that we can trust in our gracious God for EVERYTHING that we need, even in a dark time, and for the fact that He already knows every outcome and always cares for His loved ones, no matter what. Thankful for the peace that passes all understanding, and for His perfect will, for His comfort and His grace when we need it most.

After hearing the news I opened my Bible at random and this was literally the first passage my eyes saw:
"Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious and full of compassion, and righteous... surely the righteous will never be shaken; They will be in everlasting remembrance. he will not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he will not be afraid." from Psalm 112:4,6-8

Amazing. I am thankful for THAT.

I'll keep you all posted as much as I can... meanwhile, keep us all, especially my mom, in your thoughts and prayers. It means SO much.

Love.

A Tale That Was Never Told (but totally should have been)

I found this half-finished blog post sitting in my drafts from a year ago, and I thought "why not... it's never too late to blog about something!" Right??? :) So, here, FINALLY, is the story of our adventures in Disneyland, October 2008!

Once upon a time, there were two beautiful princesses named Emma and Annabelle.

One day, two people (let's call them King Daddy and Queen Mommy) took these beautiful princesses on a journey into a magical land.

As they zoomed above the ground in a speedy white carriage into this land their joy and excitement was exceedingly great.



Upon entering the wonderful kingdom for which they were destined, King Daddy and Queen Mommy took them straight-away to the royal courts. After a while of waiting in a throng of other expectant princesses...


...they were admitted entrance and royally greeted with song and dance.



To their great delight, they were able to meet with several other princesses whom they loved the best. It was a most exciting thing!






Upon bidding the other princesses adieu, and enjoying one last look at the royal courts...

...they began a new adventure into a watery and dark place, a place where pirates lived and danger lurked around every corner.

They did not enjoy that. Not even a little bit.

However, they soon recovered from their grave experience and were treated to lunch on the Bayou. As it turned out, Queen Mommy did not even get to finish her delicious Monte Christo sandwich because a certain little princess had simply had too much excitement and was at the end of all reason or cheerfulness. She fell asleep straightaway, which was just what she needed.


While Princess Annabelle slumbered peacefully, Princess Emma was taken on many adventures in Fantasyland by King Daddy or Queen Mommy. Her most favorite of all was the flying elephants. She could hardly believe that one could fly while riding an elephant! Thrilling!


She also enjoyed the giant spinning teacups with King Daddy.


After Princess Annabelle awoke from her slumbers, refreshed and eager for more fun, they all climbed into a teacup and spun around merrily.




By this time the day was wearing on, and it was time for Queen Mommy, who happened to be carrying yet another little princess around inside, to get off her feet and rest a bit. So King Daddy treated his two little girls to rather large lollipops, which caused great mirth and many giggles.





That night, they watched a stunning parade of lights, songs, dances, and characters well-beloved. It was amazing.



The next morning, after a much-needed night of restful sleep, they all ventured into a different land-- still just as magical, mind you, only a little less royal and a little more Californian. Almost immediately after entering this new place, who should the princesses spy, other than Minnie Mouse herself! They were overjoyed and ran to hug her enthusiastically.

There was so much to do and see, that one hardly knew where to begin. So, they ventured into bugland and rode on a caterpillar...

spun round and round in a ladybug...


watched a show at Playhouse Disney (which was MOST delightful for the little princesses), went hang-gliding over California, and finally ended up talking to a sea turtle named Crush. It is quite possible that King Daddy and Queen Mommy were even more entertained by this than the girls, as Crush had quite an interesting conversation with them both.

Again, it had been a long and exciting day, so our adventurers accquired some huge ice cream cones and settled into watch yet another parade.


As you can see, it was so fun and exciting that our royal family was sad to see it end.

But the next day held even more fun and adventures. Another trip on the speedy white carriage (which looked suspiciously like a monorail)...


...brought them all back into the magical kingdom for one last time.

Now, you may not know this, but sometimes princesses can also be fairies. As it turned out, Princess Emma and Princess Annabelle were quite lovely little fairies! Especially once they had accquired the necessary sparkles and beautiful markings on their pretty faces.






Now looking exactly like little fairies should, of course a meeting with Tinkerbell and her friends was in order. And after a veeeeeeery long wait in a line that was slower than one could have anticipated, they finally reached Pixie Hollow.




The princess-fairies then flitted over to meet some of their favorite furry friends. Fairies and woodland creatures have long been known to have a most amiable and joyful accquaintance, and this gathering was no exception.





Afterwards, they were delighted to learn that they had been invited to tea at Minnie's house in Toon-town, and were quite happy to oblige.



There was one very important person (mouse) that our princesses had not yet met on this journey of theirs. Some might even call him the king of all the land. Thus, Princess Emma and Princess Annabelle were overjoyed to learn that they had gained an audience with this very important person (mouse). Mickey was gracious and kind, although a little busy. So many visitors to attend!



The time in the magical kingdom was drawing to a close, and soon it would be time to return home to their own castle. But first, one last look at the beautiful castle which overlooked all the land.


Then, as night fell once more and our princesses grew weary and tired, King Daddy and Queen Mommy betook themself and their royal little charges to their own carriage, and began their journey homeward.

And Princess Emma and Princess Annabelle slept peacefully, with the glitter of fairy dust sparkling on their beautiful faces and sweet dreams of wonder and joy in a magical kingdom behind their sleeping eyes.



The End.