Christmas has always been a special time for our family just like I am sure it is for most. We have only spent Christmas away from home on two occasions. The first time Brian was only 4 and we went to Crested Butte (25 years ago). At that time it was a small and rustic ski village. Skiing and Brian's Snow School is a whole different story. lol After driving thru a blizzard (out of Denver) with chains we had to stay Christmas Eve in the only 6 room motel somewhere between Denver and Gunnison. We were happy just to have a place to rest our tired bodies. The next morning it was a beautiful light snow and Tom and I quickly set out several of Brians xmas gifts in the motel room. When he woke he was so surprised that Santa was able to find us in the middle of nowhere. I was just happy we had found a room. The second time we went to Mother and PaPa's. It was great with sisters, nieces, and nephews but there is something to me about being at your own home for Christmas.
This year, I anxiously awaited the boys arrival at the front door on Christmas Eve. It does not matter how old your children are they are always your babies. They arrived early and it was the beginning of an absolutely perfect holiday. I always prepare a special Xmas Eve Dinner and this year it was Bouillabase with mussels, claims, lobster and shrimp. It was cold out and this warm bowl of fresh seafood was a treat. The boys and I went to Mass at 10pm and returned home to have snacks, visit, laugh and hug. We turned in around midnight anxious to awake on Christmas morning like a bunch of little kids.
This Christmas, unlike most Christmas', no one really had anything on their Christmas list. (Of course I was not going to let my boys go without a pile of gifts under the tree.) They said they already had everything they needed. What? I understood this as I had several "Origins" products on my list and I requested to hear my son play music. My list was covered. Not only did I receive my requested products from Dave but Brian called several friends together in Austin, put a microphone in his living room and they created my own personal holiday CD. I could not believe these friends/musicians/singers would participate in such a wonderful gesture of love. I must have listened to the cd at least a dozen times while crying happy tears. Happy Tears because I had my health, my boys and incredible music that will always be ours.
2010 was a good year despite a few hiccups along the way. With a happy heart, I am really looking forward to a full and blessed 2011. We have so much to look forward to. This should be Dave's last year at the University. Brian and I are planning a trip to New York. Tom continues to build IDR so that one day very soon we will be retiring in the Hill Country.
I hope 2011 finds you and your family blessed with good health, lots of love and laughter.
Peace Be With You and Your Family,
D
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thursday, December 16, 2010
My Christmas List
In June I woke with a terrible pain beneath my sternum radiating to my back. Hmmm havent had that before. Tom drove me to our primary care physician and after 2 nitroglycerin pills (they thought it was a heart attack), a ride by ambulance to the hospital and a week stay at Baylor Medical it was determined it was a dissection of the superior messenteric artery. Whats that? A branch that comes off the aorta and feeds the stomach and intestines. A Romanian Robo Cop/Vascular/Cardio Surgeon is called in to place a stent in the artery in order to hold the artery open. Not happening as the artery is in such a position that it could cut off the blood flow to the liver so a balloon procedure was performed instead. Wow I feel great! However, 3 or 4 months passed and I began to go back down hill. So, Tuesday, 12/14, we checked back into Baylor with a second attempt at the stent. In the blue light special procedures room I see my Romanian Robo Surgeon who exclaims..."I'm Back!". Two and a half hours later and I'm in recovery looking at two large men (Robo Surgeon and Tom) grinning from ear to ear. Tom was calling Dr. Savcenko his hero and my Romanian Robo Surgeon was all grins as he too recognized he had just completed a delicate but successful surgery.
I am so glad Tom and the doc insisted I have the procedure now and not wait until after the holidays. It has only been two days since the procedure and I feel GREAT! Blood Pressure 106/66! Doesnt get any better than that.
My Christmas list this year.....
My sons
My hubby
My $18,000 stent
Thank you Santa!
Love
D
I am so glad Tom and the doc insisted I have the procedure now and not wait until after the holidays. It has only been two days since the procedure and I feel GREAT! Blood Pressure 106/66! Doesnt get any better than that.
My Christmas list this year.....
My sons
My hubby
My $18,000 stent
Thank you Santa!
Love
D
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Little Pink Church
This morning I celebrated the 3rd Sunday of Advent as we count down the birth of Baby Jesus by the Virgin Mary. Mother Mary, My Mother and Tom's Mother serve (and continue to serve) major roles in who I am.
I was baptized Catholic. On Sunday mornings my father would drive my mother, my two sisters and myself to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Corpus Christi, Tx. We would dress in our Sunday best including hat or scarf (as our heads were to be covered). This is an elective ritual now though many of the older women still wear lace scarves. I remember one particular time mother took us to the store so each of her girls could pick out a new hat. We were young but even then thought we were in the know of fashion. I remember I selected a light brown tweed Audrey Hephburn style topper. I really loved that hat.
Anyway, Daddy would drop us off and the four stair-stepped ladies in the family would proceed into Church as 3 ducklings following their mother. That was the beginning of my Catholic upbringing. Our Lady of Perpetual Help was also known as "The Pink Church". It was painted pink and I just loved it. The building was small but I had no idea at the time as it seemed larger than life. OLPH also had carnivals and mexican dinners that I loved. Frankie, Tammy and I would run around outside and had a wonderful time. It bears repeating that I just loved all of the activity I had with my mother and my sisters at the Pink Church.
Years later, friends and family celebrated with Tom and I as we were married at St. Pius X Catholic Church by Monsignor Adams. A stoic man who automatically received your respect. Monsignor and St. Pius served a major role in the order of our family. Our oldest son, Brian, was baptized eight years later at St Pius. I can still see his precious little face as we held him in our arms. (I also remember I wore a light brown velvet dress). Toms fathers funeral rites were celebrated at St. Pius. Monsignor passed away several years ago and I am not sure if he realized to what degree he affected our family celebrations...marriage, baptism and funeral rite (also acknowledged as a celebration).
Eight years after Brian was born we had our youngest son, David. David was baptized in Seneca, Kansas. Toms Mother moved back to her hometown of Seneca after his father passed. So, we traveled to Kansas to have David baptized by Father Broderick at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Father Broderick was not related but I always thought that was so cool to have our precious son baptized by a priest of the same name.
Faith has always been important to me. However, at some point I began to read and study other forms of religion (including my own style) outside of the Catholic Church. As the boys became older I never pushed our sons to one religion but encouraged them to explore and find the belief that works for them. I could not ask for more compassionate, loving and morally right children. This is all I can ask of them at this time.
Toms Mother (whom I am sure will be recognized as St Rita one day) has prayed relentlessly for Tom and I to get back to "the" Church. Earlier this year, months before I became ill, I felt the overwhelming desire to establish my bond with the Catholic Church. With little effort, I found my new place of worship and the most wonderful priest. I will stop short of saying he is the best priest I know since we do have a priest in the family. lol. I would say Father Jim is in his 70's and has quite a sense of humor. I adore his lessons, quick wit and stories of growing up in Independence, Missouri. That too is odd as Tom's father was raised in the same area.
In the Catholic Church one must go to confession, if at all possible, before receiving communion. Tom teased me by asking how late the priests would be at Church knowing I had years to make up. lol. The last laugh was on Tom. Confession behind me, I received holy communion by Father Jim at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. I have not seen a more beautiful church. I believe it could easily be sitting inside the City of Rome if Rome had the open land Texas does. lol. However, its beauty is just a plus. It is not pink but it is my new home.
D
I was baptized Catholic. On Sunday mornings my father would drive my mother, my two sisters and myself to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Corpus Christi, Tx. We would dress in our Sunday best including hat or scarf (as our heads were to be covered). This is an elective ritual now though many of the older women still wear lace scarves. I remember one particular time mother took us to the store so each of her girls could pick out a new hat. We were young but even then thought we were in the know of fashion. I remember I selected a light brown tweed Audrey Hephburn style topper. I really loved that hat.
Anyway, Daddy would drop us off and the four stair-stepped ladies in the family would proceed into Church as 3 ducklings following their mother. That was the beginning of my Catholic upbringing. Our Lady of Perpetual Help was also known as "The Pink Church". It was painted pink and I just loved it. The building was small but I had no idea at the time as it seemed larger than life. OLPH also had carnivals and mexican dinners that I loved. Frankie, Tammy and I would run around outside and had a wonderful time. It bears repeating that I just loved all of the activity I had with my mother and my sisters at the Pink Church.
Years later, friends and family celebrated with Tom and I as we were married at St. Pius X Catholic Church by Monsignor Adams. A stoic man who automatically received your respect. Monsignor and St. Pius served a major role in the order of our family. Our oldest son, Brian, was baptized eight years later at St Pius. I can still see his precious little face as we held him in our arms. (I also remember I wore a light brown velvet dress). Toms fathers funeral rites were celebrated at St. Pius. Monsignor passed away several years ago and I am not sure if he realized to what degree he affected our family celebrations...marriage, baptism and funeral rite (also acknowledged as a celebration).
Eight years after Brian was born we had our youngest son, David. David was baptized in Seneca, Kansas. Toms Mother moved back to her hometown of Seneca after his father passed. So, we traveled to Kansas to have David baptized by Father Broderick at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Father Broderick was not related but I always thought that was so cool to have our precious son baptized by a priest of the same name.
Faith has always been important to me. However, at some point I began to read and study other forms of religion (including my own style) outside of the Catholic Church. As the boys became older I never pushed our sons to one religion but encouraged them to explore and find the belief that works for them. I could not ask for more compassionate, loving and morally right children. This is all I can ask of them at this time.
Toms Mother (whom I am sure will be recognized as St Rita one day) has prayed relentlessly for Tom and I to get back to "the" Church. Earlier this year, months before I became ill, I felt the overwhelming desire to establish my bond with the Catholic Church. With little effort, I found my new place of worship and the most wonderful priest. I will stop short of saying he is the best priest I know since we do have a priest in the family. lol. I would say Father Jim is in his 70's and has quite a sense of humor. I adore his lessons, quick wit and stories of growing up in Independence, Missouri. That too is odd as Tom's father was raised in the same area.
In the Catholic Church one must go to confession, if at all possible, before receiving communion. Tom teased me by asking how late the priests would be at Church knowing I had years to make up. lol. The last laugh was on Tom. Confession behind me, I received holy communion by Father Jim at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. I have not seen a more beautiful church. I believe it could easily be sitting inside the City of Rome if Rome had the open land Texas does. lol. However, its beauty is just a plus. It is not pink but it is my new home.
D
Friday, December 3, 2010
COOKIES....
As Cookie Monster would say....Me Love Cooookies! I have inherited the love of baking from my mother. The holidays are here and so I begin the endless and joyful task of baking cookies for family and friends. This year my inspiration is Tom's 93 year old mother known to us as Granma or just "Mom". I decided I wanted to bake and send her a box of cookies each week thru the holidays. So, I made my list of cookies for this year and the first was to be "Snickerdoodles". Mom was raised on a farm outside of a small town in Kansas. Weather permitting, she along with all of her brothers and sisters would walk to school. Great Granma would give them each a "Walk to School" cookie. These "Walk to School" cookies were actually "Snickerdoodles". The sugary treats helped them pass the time as they walked the 3+ miles to school.
Yesterday, I took a container of Snickerdoodles (Walk to School) cookies to Father Jim at our Parish. He welcomed me in his office and quickly opened the container to see what treat was inside. Father Jim is in his 70's and quite full of life, quick witted and a wonderful priest. He saw the treats and said, "Oh! Sugar Cookies!. I love Sugar Cookies and I won a Red Ribbon when I was a child in 4H in Independence, Missouri." This story led to others about his day as a young lad growing up near the St Frances River and the perfect swimming hole for he and all his young friends. When I left he gave me a big hug and said he had not thought of his Red Ribbon in years.
Last night, after dinner, my sweet husband brings me a holiday napkin with 4 snickerdoodles and presents them to me as if a gift I have been yearning for. (He is the most thoughtful man in the universe.) However, I told him there is no way I am going to eat four cookies but within a few minutes I had downed those "Walk to School/Snickerdoodle/Red Ribbon Sugar Cookies" like there was no tomorrow. We both looked at each other and laughed out loud. Makes me laugh even this morning. Who knew a Cookie was going to bring back memories, stories and laughs.
I hope you have a cookie day. xoxoxo D
Yesterday, I took a container of Snickerdoodles (Walk to School) cookies to Father Jim at our Parish. He welcomed me in his office and quickly opened the container to see what treat was inside. Father Jim is in his 70's and quite full of life, quick witted and a wonderful priest. He saw the treats and said, "Oh! Sugar Cookies!. I love Sugar Cookies and I won a Red Ribbon when I was a child in 4H in Independence, Missouri." This story led to others about his day as a young lad growing up near the St Frances River and the perfect swimming hole for he and all his young friends. When I left he gave me a big hug and said he had not thought of his Red Ribbon in years.
Last night, after dinner, my sweet husband brings me a holiday napkin with 4 snickerdoodles and presents them to me as if a gift I have been yearning for. (He is the most thoughtful man in the universe.) However, I told him there is no way I am going to eat four cookies but within a few minutes I had downed those "Walk to School/Snickerdoodle/Red Ribbon Sugar Cookies" like there was no tomorrow. We both looked at each other and laughed out loud. Makes me laugh even this morning. Who knew a Cookie was going to bring back memories, stories and laughs.
I hope you have a cookie day. xoxoxo D
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Let the Days with D Begin!
They say life is a journey and I can attest to that. I have so many adventures, memories, happy and sad times flooding my mind that I feel I must put them down before I am too old to remember them. Days with D will be a recollection (my recollection..lol) of all of these things and more.
I am a mother, wife, daughter, grandma, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. All of these roles are by which the means of my stories begin. Criticize me not for incorrect punctuation or possible misspelled words as I will write from the heart and not as my High School English teacher.
So, good morning on the 1st day of December. The sun is out and it looks like today will be a good one...yes today is gonna be a good day (as sang by the black eyed peas). Its a catchy tune and one I will probably hum to myself the rest of the day.
I am a mother, wife, daughter, grandma, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. All of these roles are by which the means of my stories begin. Criticize me not for incorrect punctuation or possible misspelled words as I will write from the heart and not as my High School English teacher.
So, good morning on the 1st day of December. The sun is out and it looks like today will be a good one...yes today is gonna be a good day (as sang by the black eyed peas). Its a catchy tune and one I will probably hum to myself the rest of the day.
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