Christmas...not over yet!

Well, we are home for about 18 hours before we start traveling again! Just enough time to do 4 loads of laundry, unpack and repack, get Nora her 2nd dose of the flu shot (apparently when you are a baby they give it to you in two doses...not inconvenient or anything), go by the bank, and post on blogger.

The first part of our Christmas vacation is over. We spent the first few days with Matthew's family in Oklahoma. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were not exactly what I imagined Nora's first Christmas would be like. She was sick both days...throwing up and running a fever of 101. It was sad and she was pitiful! I felt so bad for her and wished I could take the sickness from her. Because she was so sick, I did not even think about taking pictures those two days. I did get a few cute ones of her before the bug hit her though. I'm glad to say she has been fever free for 12 hours!

Our plans were altered a bit when a dear friend passed away on Christmas Eve. Marilyn Fowler died after fighting a battle with leukemia. The cancer is not what caused her death, but complications afterwards. She was a loved woman in the town of Searcy. She was the innkeeper for Heritage Inn at Harding. The loss was especially difficult for Matthew because he lived with the Fowler's for 3 years. Mrs. Fowler was, in a lot of ways, like a 2nd mother to him. Proverbs 31 was read at her memorial service and it was completely fitting. Matthew told me that he could not imagine a more fitting eulogy for her. In everything she did, she did it for the Lord and she is now rejoicing in her reward. Please pray for the Fowler family as they adjust to life without Mrs. Fowler. Her husband, Al, has been with her for over 40 years (they were married for 40). Her daughter, Alicia, was her best friend. They talked everyday and are so much alike. Mr. Fowler and Alicia were in the room when she passed away. She also has a son, Ryan, he is Matthew's age. Please pray for all three of them (and Alicia's husband and her two children). We were blessed that she was able to come and see Nora right after she was born. That will always be a precious memory for us.

When Mrs. Fowler passed away, we immediately changed our plans. We were supposed to leave for Texas yesterday to see my family. But, we are now leaving tomorrow and coming back on Monday. We ended up leaving Matthew's mom's house early Christmas day and traveling to Searcy to be there for the visitation and funeral. We were able to see his grandparents though...that was a treat. Grandma crocheted Nora an adorable hat. I am going to have to go buy an outfit to go with it...the girl only has pink in her closet. (You can tell by the dark circles and puffy eyes that she is getting over her sickness.)So, I'm off to bed to rest up for part two of our Christmas celebration. We are going to be missing our New Year's festivities here in Arkansas, but I think we have decided that a quiet evening at my mom's house is just what we need. So, until 2007, Happy New Year!