Hello cutie-kuties

Family pictures, Saturday, November 13, 2010
photos by Jayson Mansanerez

Thanks to JoJo for keeping us smiling during pictures

Thanks to Heather Ellison for Mary-Gail's hair clip

Thanks to Jessica Davis for Becca's hair clip

I needed something cold on my stomach after a long day of bending, sitting, standing, lifting (whoops) and climbing. So I grabbed a {large} bowl, scooped out some ice cream, and headed downstairs to unwind with Tony. The cold bowl felt good on my incisions, and of course, the ice cream felt good going down my throat into my stomach (I'll regret it later when I can get back to exercising...maybe not).

I gave my tired eyes a rest - I've read 4 books these past 2 weeks - and vegged in front of the TV. CBS was airing November Christmas and I immediately became hooked. Mid-way through the show I was bawling my eyes out, while Tony kept reminding me it was just a show. Not to me it wasn't.

The little girl reminded me so much of Becca, except that the little girl had cancer. The girl's mother asked, "Why couldn't it have been me?" (Why couldn't the mom have been sick instead?). Isn't that usually the way we think? Let no harm or foul come to my children, give it to me instead. And I was overcome with emotion, grateful that I had "C" and not Becca or Mary-Gail or Tony. What would I have done if the little girl in the show was Becca? Probably the same thing the father did - move up the holidays and make sure each day counted.

Becca's ears must have been on F I R E with how much I'd been thinking/crying over her, and shortly before the show was over, Becca stumbled her pretty-little sleepy eyes downstairs and on over to me. She climbed up into my lap and laid her little head on my chest, "Mommy, why are you crying?" "I'm just so happy to be your mommy." And I am.