Friday, December 23, 2011

In Which We'll Be Home For Christmas

Connor had six seizures today, which wasn't exactly encouraging.  He spent most of the day sleeping or snuggling with one of us.  It's hard to see him so exhausted. 

He's got an appointment with neurology next week, and we'll see if they want to adjust his medications in any way.  Connor had such a hard year health-wise, and I'm hoping that maybe next year will be a little better for him.  Right now there's not a whole lot more we can do for him when he gets in a seizure cycle like this other than keep him comfortable and let him know that we're there for him.  It's extremely frustrating as a parent that I can't just wave a magic wand and fix this. 

So we'll be spending Christmas quietly at home this year.  Normally we travel to Texas for Christmas, but this year we'd decided to stay here because we're saving up for our eventual trip to Thailand for our adoption.  I think it's probably best that we've stayed here this year, though; Connor would have a very difficult time with travel right now.  He's never had a seizure on a plane, and I think we'd like to keep that track record for as long as we can. 

It looks like Christmas in our house; the presents are piled high up under the tree, our stockings hang from the mantle and our entryway table is covered with cards from family and friends wishing us well in the holiday season.  Still it feels a little lonely to me. 

In the nearly eleven years that Jeremy and I have been in a relationship, this will make only the third year that we haven't traveled to be with our large extended family for Christmas.  I grew up with Christmas time as an impromptu family reunion every year; my parents' house overflowed with relatives and Christmas morning was a noisy, joyous affair where we had so many people crammed in the living room to open presents that the children ended up sitting on the floor.  While I love living up here in the Pacific Northwest, I find myself keenly missing that sort of hustle and bustle right now. 

Still there's something nice about having a laid-back, quiet Christmas.  Certainly that's what's best for the little guy right now.  And maybe next year we'll be able to get down that way.  Or alternatively, we'll manage to convince all of our relatives to move up here from Texas.  I'm pretty sure the house next door will be up for sale soon.

I'll just wait until July and start constantly talking about our 70 degree summer weather.  Pretty sure that'll do the trick.

~Jess

3 comments:

Julia O'C said...

Lonely Christmas happens here as well. I'll be surrounded by my husband's family and keenly missing my own. Oh, well. I hope that your Christmas is lovely anyway,and that Connor especially has a peaceful day.

I like the idea of you convincing everyone to join you up there for Christmas sometime! Maybe you could start campaigning now for that to happen next year. I'd love to read the blog posts about that!!

littleterr said...

We are certainly missing you as well, Miss Jess. It just won't seem quite right to not have you, Jeremy, & Connor as part of the Christmas morning hubbub. You are ahead of me in the wrapping area. Somehow packages keep arriving from the Northwest. I have considered just sticking a bow on the box or manila envelope, but the mom in me won't allow that. Of course,the procrastinator in me also allowed me to leave most of our own presents still to be wrapped today. Love you, Miss Jess, and remain proud of you as always. Merry Christmas with hugs & kisses all around.

littleterr said...

We are certainly missing you as well, Miss Jess. It just won't seem quite right to not have you, Jeremy, & Connor as part of the Christmas morning hubbub. You are ahead of me in the wrapping area. Somehow packages keep arriving from the Northwest. I have considered just sticking a bow on the box or manila envelope, but the mom in me won't allow that. Of course,the procrastinator in me also allowed me to leave most of our own presents still to be wrapped today. Love you, Miss Jess, and remain proud of you as always. Merry Christmas with hugs & kisses all around.

 
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