Hello, there!

Merry Christmas, everyone!
I realize that it's been weeks since my last post and I do apologize to those who have come to my little space in the World Wide Web and found nothing to read.
It's not that I haven't had anything to blog about. It's that I've had too MUCH to blog about!! It's been SO busy around here. But if you read my Advent post, you already knew that. Anyway, Christmas day has come and gone and we are now celebrating the 12 days of Christmas. Things are quieting down and kids are happily playing with new Christmas toys. i thought I'd take a minute to blog but thought, "There's so much I want to say! How do I share it all? Do I go back and do all the posts I've been wanting to do? No, that would take too long. How about one long post catching everyone up?" So, that's what I'm going to do. Don't worry, it's not going to be too long because the kids are going to wake up any minute and want breakfast. So, let's see....we had some wonderful Advent celebrations. The fiesta for our Lady of Guadalupe was really fun and the kids enjoyed having their cousins here for that. We ended up missing Mass because both boys were running fevers. Turns out they both had double ear infections. (All better now, BTW) Little Miss Chatterbox lost her first tooth! Awww, I really wanted to write about this one. She's my first born after all, and the memories of her getting her first tooth are clear as day. Grammy and Grandpa were babysitting for me so I could go watch Mike play softball. I usually brought her but Grammy and Grandpa wanted some time alone with her since we had previously moved 45 minutes away rather than being right down the street like before. When I came home Grandpa had a surprise for me. He found a tooth! In Little Miss Chatterbox's mouth! I couldn't believe it. I had been waiting for a tooth (ya'know how with the first born you wait eagerly for every. little. thing. Haha) and now it was really there. I was very excited and then when i walked down the hallway to go to the bathroom and different emotion struck me. All of a sudden I found myself crying. I was sad that she had a tooth because that meant my baby was growing up. (haha!) I laugh about it now. To think that she was "growing up"! But it was the first time that I really understood that she would not be under my wing forever. That time would one day take her away from me. So when she actually lost her first tooth, much of the same emotion hit me. My little girl is growing up. And there's nothing I can do about it. She's lost another one too. Two teeth down, many to go.
I'm 14 weeks!! Today!! Still sick, but I wasn't expecting it to be gone exactly when I hit 14 weeks. I should start feeling better some time this week though. Yes! I made it! I also got to hear the baby's heartbeat 2 weeks ago. That never gets old. This may be my fourth child, but it's still amazing to hear the heartbeat for the first time. It's the baby's first way of communicating. Letting me know that he or she is there and doing well. What a blessing. Still no name for this little one.... but lots of options. Luckily we still have plenty of time.
Speaking of babies, would you please pray for a dear friend of mine? She went in yesterday to have her fifth baby which happens to also be her fifth girl. Yes, all girls. :) And they're sweet as can be. We met when her 2ND was just a baby and it's been a joy to watch them grow and to meet the new ones along the way. My children love them and her and her husband are the godparents of Mr. Tickle. Anyway, she is VERY high risk and there is a great chance that she will not make it through this delivery. Many fervent prayers would be greatly appreciated.
Well, I hear little feet upstairs. Time for breakfast! I didn't have a chance to add everything I wanted, but at least I caught you all up! Enjoy your week and in case I don't get back here til next week, Happy New Year and Happy Feast Day to Our lady, the Mother of God! (By the way, the term "Mother of God" bothers many protestants and the like. So I want to point something out. By saying that Mary is the Mother of God, we are in no way stating that she was here before God or that she created God or whatever they think. That's pure silliness. We're just saying that she is the Mother of Jesus, who is God and therefore she is the Mother of God. Just takes common sense, you see)