Christmas

Things have been quite wierd around the Watkins house for the past two months and probably going to get a lot more crazy for the next few months. I will explain more in a minute.

To touch on Christmas we had a really great Christmas. On Christmas Eve we focused a lot on Christ. We ate in the dark with no electricity and only candles because that is how Christ would have eaten. We also ate foods that would have come from the time of Christ. It always seems that Christ gets lost in all of the excitment of Santa so we try to make it more special for Christ on Christmas Eve.

The girls always get a pair of pajamas on Christmas Eve and this year they got another special gift from their sister, Hunter. It was a handmade blanket, by me of course. It came with a special letter written especially for them from her as well. Of course she couldn't write it so I asked Dixie to write for her. The letter was so special to the girls that I feel the need to not share it with you because it was meant just for them and I want to be able to keep it that way.

On Christmas morning the girls made a haul. They must have been really good girls this year because I don't think I have ever seen so many presents under our tree and all over the room. We had so much fun watching the girls unwrap their presents.

Then Jacob saved mine for last. He told me the night before to not wear socks because it was going to blow my socks off! I thought nothing can be that good. Needless to say I didn't wear any socks. When I opened the box I couldn't see anything in there and then I noticed a piece of paper that was rolled up and so I unrolled it. It took me a minute to figure out what the paper was. It was airline tickets to see my sister in Texas and I would be leaving that very night and would be gone for eight days. I was so overwhelmed and excited all at the same time, of course I started to cry.

Because Hunter had been so sick and I was the only one who knew how to take care of her and keep all of her medications on time and how to change out trach tubes and feeding tubes I was never able to go or visit anyone without her let alone get on a plain and fly across country to see anyone. I don't think I could have done it at that point even if there was someone who could care for her.

Dixie and I have become so close over the years. She has been a great source of strength through all of Hunter's issues. If I needed to talk or cry or just be she was there. She would let me talk or cry with me or just be with me and helped me through some pretty tough stuff.

He had given me a ticket last March and I was to leave at the end of the month. He had lined up nurses to come around the clock and help with Hunter. Hunter got sick the Monday before I was to leave. I was supposed to leave on Thursday and by Wednesday we were told that she was probably not going to make it so I had to cancel my ticket. I was so sad I couldn't go. (I never would have left her if she was in the hospital or home sick)

I was so nervous about leaving and Jacob was supposed to be flying out to Utah for an interview on that Sunday and what were we going to do with the girls? He said that he had already taken care of it and that our friend would be comming to stay with the girls. I felt so guilty for leaving but so excited at the same time.

My parents were visiting Dixie when I got there so I got to see them for a couple of days before they left for Arizona to see by brother, Shane. I have had so much fun since I have been here.

We took the boys to see Bedtime Stories and they loved it. We went shopping at a huge outlet mall, and bowling. We have taken them to the park. We have staid up late almost everynight. I laughed while they played on the Wii Fit. I actually laughed so hard my sides hurt the next morning. I went and had my hair done and am going today to get my nails done and have a little pampering.

I have had so much free time I don't know what to do with myself except for read and relax which I have done. I have also missed my family so much.

They have been having their own fun though. When Jacob got back from Salt Lake he took them to the zap zone which is a place where you play lazer tag and they went bowling and today they are out buying tons of junk food for tonight to bring in the new year. I can't wait to see them Saturday. Dixie's computer won't let me post pictures so I will put them on when I get home.