Thanksgiving

We took off for Tennessee (8 hour drive) right after school got out - and I do mean right after.  I was standing at the door leading out of the school - with Phil and the boys waiting in the parking lot - so as soon as the bell rang I could leave.  Now, you may ask "Really?  You couldn't leave even a minute early?"  And the answer would be "No - not even a minute."  But that is a story for another time...

We had a very nice drive although Ethan had a cough and slept (who am I kidding - everyone slept except Phil, the driver) the whole way.  We arrived at Grandma's about 1:30 in the morning.  The "girls" (i.e. the dogs) were very happy to see us.

We had two beautiful days.  Sami and the family came over on Wednesday and Thursday.  She showered me with honey and vanilla to take home :-)  It was good to sit and visit (and eat) and enjoy each other's company.   

The cousins had a fun time playing, even though Ethan was not feeling up to par.  This is the only time he played until this last Thursday.  I didn't know it at the time, but he was getting croup.  He spent the whole vacation after this incident laying down feeling miserable and running a fever.



 
Mom and I made some truffles to give as gifts.  It took a good part of the day, but there is a learning curve, ya know.

As usual, vacation went by much too quickly.  This last week flew by and now here we are back to Monday - the first Monday in December.  But we had a much needed vacation - Phil actually sat down and watched a ball game and an Alaskan reality show. 

Ethan has been very excited to set up the Christmas decorations, so we did that yesterday.  Then he couldn't go to sleep because he said he was waiting for Santa.  Nature won out but this morning he woke up and told me he heard "jingle bells."   It will be a long 24 days of excitement at the McGrath house.

We have a lot to be thankful for, but most of all for our family.  We are blessed on both sides to have wonderful grandmas, grandpas, moms, dad, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins.  We couldn't want anything more.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Journeyman

Lisa, our new office manager, took pictures of Ethan at the bike shop.

 Doesn't he look handsome?


**WARNING**Political Rant ahead.........

 Even though I am angry that Obama is still in office and running small businesses to the ground, I can't give up the shop yet.  Not when the real reason we bought it was for the boys.   I won't get on my political pedestal, but it is small businesses that make this economy run and when you cut our knees out from under us, we have no choice.  We are real people, with real families, and have to make smart decisions in order to survive.  I get a bit miffed when ........ Deep breath......calm.......life is good.........oh, look, the trees are turning gorgeous colors.  The world is still a beautiful place........deep breath........breath in.......breath out............

12

Friday was the day Ethan was born - he is now 12 years old!  Someday I may really post about the feelings we had all those years ago, but suffice it to say I can't believe twelve years have passed.  In some ways it is too short and in some ways it has been a very long twelve years.  Twelve years and we are still struggling with the same issues - hearing, speech, fine and gross motor.  He is making some improvements, but they are small steps.

Ethan uses writing a lot more to communicate.  It is not unusual for him to have a piece of paper, pencil and an envelope.  His aide is the recipient of many of his letters, but he also likes to make a list of things he would like to eat if he is lucky enough to go to Taco Bell.  Last Saturday, after working for about 90 minutes at the Bike Shop (he had to sort all of the hangers and put the size tags back in the storage box, then hang up the hangers) - I took him to Taco Bell and I let him order himself.  He loved it.

Even though he is 12, he still has the imagination of a toddler.  And I think he will always, always believe in Santa (which is not a bad thing :-)


Tonight he had a headache and he put ice into a baggie, then into another baggie, so he must have been given an icepack at school one day because I don't put icepacks together.  He even wrapped it in a towel.  The nurse at school must make a big impression on him :-)


He has also moved up a level at Church.  He will be spending more time with his big brother at Church in the Young Men's program and Youth Sunday School.  Grandma and his Aunt gave him a sturdy bag for his new scriptures and it is big enough for his snack and water bottle (priorities, you know). 


He is riding the bus from the middle school to the elementary school where I work (it is about a 5 minute direct drive) - and he is at the point now where I don't have to meet him outside, he can walk inside and find me by himself.  Baby steps to (relative) independence.

We are lucky to have him in our family.  I can't imagine our life without him.

 Happy Birthday, Ethan!!