Monday, December 31, 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (and Continued Blessed Christmas!)

People look at my husband so strangely when he continues to wish people a Merry or Blessed Christmas. Christmas day is over, but the Christmas holiday continues. We leave our tree up, along with ALL the decorations until Christmas is truly over, January 6. You know the song "The 12 days of Christmas" well...it is true, Christmas lasts from December 25-January 6, when we celebrate Epiphany. Epiphany is the celebration of the Wise Men finding Jesus. This is the first account of Jesus being worshiped by non-Jewish people...so really, it's OUR Christmas! I think we might even have a gift left for each of the kids to open on Epiphany....we'll have to wait and see! :-)

Anyway...this post wasn't intended to be about the continuation of Christmas, or Epiphany...so let's move on.

Christmas has been wonderful for my family this year. Of course the celebration of Jesus' birth is always wonderful, but this year was even better than usual. If you read my last post, you will know that we have had a Christmas miracle in our family. My father has grown so much stronger...he walked! He uses parallel bars, his PT stabilizes his legs and hold onto his belt, and mom follows with his wheelchair just in case he can't continue (I was so glad she was there one time when I was watching and his knees buckled...if she hadn't been there with the chair he would have gone all the way to the floor, but as it is he just landed safely in his chair, PRAISE GOD!) He works very hard each day with many hours of therapy in and out of the pool. In groups and on his own. He is exhausted to the end of the day and week. I took some pictures of him working and I'll try to get them posted soon.

I also want to do a post to tell you about our wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but right now I'm exhausted!! It's 10:55, and I think we will ring in this New Year at 11:00, so me and the kiddos can head to bed!!!!

Good night all, and we'll see you NEXT year! :) Blessings on 2008!

4 comments:

Rebecca said...

Welcome home!

Gotta say~so glad you have given me a GOOD reason to keep my tree up. I haven't wanted to take it down but didn't have a reason other than it is perty. Now I can justify my actions with a GOOD reason! I like the idea of celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas too. I always thought it was leading UP until Christmas but apparently not... actually, you may be interested in this. I don't remember if you homeschool or not, but even if you don't, it might be fun to do with the children... basically, someone made a biblical corralation to the secular 12 Days of Christmas. You should check it out! You can simply chat with them about it, or go all out and make a lapbook! Either way, whether it was meant to be that way or not, it is a good thing to think about!

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas.php

PS. You don't have to buy the book or information. That is just the book on the song, if you scroll down, you will read what I am referring to.

One Partridge~ Christ
2 Turtle Doves~ the old and New testament
3 French Hens~Gifts of the Maggi or Faith, Hope, and Love

etc. etc. Really cool. Check it out!

PSSST~ HAPPY NEW YEAR Andie! So glad to have met you this year!

Andie said...

Yes, Rebecca, I have heard of the hidden meaning behind the twelve days of Chrismtas...I'm not sure if it was truly written with those meanings or if they were added later, it doesn't really matter!! :o)
I think I'll write those down and try to do a "homeschool" unit with each day next year at Christmas so i can do all 12 days on their proper days. No, I don't homeschool...though I would love to. It takes an enormous amout of organization and support from lots of places. First of all, I'm not all that organized (you should see my house!!), and I dont' think I would have the support I would need. Right now we live in a small town with a WONDERFUL school system, so I feel comfortable sending my children there. If that ever changed, I would homeschool them in a heartbeat! I did teach before I had children, and LOVED it! Each day I take them to school, I want to stay. I miss teaching in the school setting very much. I love having my children home, but I am also looking forward to teaching again someday...wether that be here at home with my own children, or in a school...whatever God brings me at the proper time. In the meantime I sing all my old teaching songs with my kids and have fun teaching them. Ok...guess I could have made a post all in this! :-)
Blessings-Andie

Rebecca said...

Great! I hope I didn't sound like "If you don't homeschool-shame on you!" because I am not that way at all.

I read quite a few blogs and there are many homeschoolers and a few non-homeschoolers so sometimes it is hard to keep track! I thought, if you didn't homeschool, you might disqualify the info. since it was from a homeschool site so I added the disclaimer.

I think I am going to do it next year to. Never did get around to it this year. There is SO much I never do get around to! :-)

Andie said...

I totally didn't take offence, just explaining why I do what I do. :-) Thanks for the info, it's always great to have more resurces to help teach your children the faith!
Blessings-Andie