Today

I'm a little loopy today; I can't decide if it's because Kai kept us up coughing all night or if I'm coming down with his cold. Either way, I'll make this short. Well, maybe not short so much as lots of pictures and very little writing.

Kai's worse and we're exhausted.

On the plus side, we got the house cleaned and the rest of the Christmas lights and decorations put up.

This is the first year that I've decorated the kitchen cabinets and I'm very proud of myself.

These are living room shots and my mother-in-law's nativity set.

Brian got some good shots at Graeme's basketball game.

I have to admit that I'm struggling to find things to be grateful for today. When I'm tired, I just don't deal well with anything. However, since I started looking for things to be grateful for I've been much happier. Things don't look so bad when I seriously count my blessings. So here goes; today I'm most grateful for:

Clocks. When we're up all night with one of the kids, it's nice to be able to look at the clock and be reassured that time is indeed passing and that morning will come. Eventually. It always brings to mind a line from a Michael McClean song: "There's no telling how much the sunrise means to the one who had a terrible night"

Brian's willingness to help with the kids day and night. He's a good partner and there have been many times that I wouldn't have made it through if he weren't helping.

Cheap gas. I actually paid $1.34 per gallon on Friday. Yippee!

Central heating. Even though we turn the furnace down at night, inside the house is still 30 or 40 degrees warmer than outside and, frankly, getting up with a sick child at night would be much more difficult without that extra warmth.

My sewing machine. I'm not sure what we would give for Christmas this year if I didn't have it. And, Chloe's dress is all done! (More on that later!)