A little flu bug came to visit us earlier this week…Olivia and I both had it for about 36 hours from Tuesday afternoon until our fevers broke late Wednesday night.  It left as fast as it came for which I was particularly grateful on Thanksgiving morning but it has been a while since I’ve felt that sick.  In fact, I thought maybe we would have to alter our Thanksgiving holiday plans as a result but once the fevers broke, Livy and I perked up and the family was able to get the car packed and on the road just a few hours later than originally planned…headed for the Bay Area.  This little family weekend getaway was originally planned as a football trip for Rolf, Max and Olivia to see the Stanford/Notre Dame game on Saturday but when we realized it landed on Thanksgiving weekend, we decided to make a family trip out of it and visit friends in the area too.  It’s nice to get away and the Bay Area is about the longest distance Rudy will tolerate in his wheelchair and the big kids will tolerate crammed together in the backseat of the medical van!  🙂  Although there was nothing traditional about yesterday’s Thanksgiving Day, we managed to squeeze in a couple of thoughtful traditions…at Olivia’s leading, we went around the table and all shared the things we’re most thankful for while we ate at a Hometown Buffet off the freeway in Salinas and we had a family toast with Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider once we arrived at our destination.  🙂  Good Times!

While I was in bed from Tuesday to Thursday morning, I was so grateful for the kids…Livy, who was battling her own 102 temp and lethargy, didn’t complain and took care of herself, Rudy entertained himself (aka “enjoyed having free range of the house and emptying every accessible cabinet”) and Max & Wilson made themselves available to help while Rolf was at work (which included taking care of Rudy’s feeds, meds, baths AND more than one technicolor diaper blow-out – THANKS WILSON!).  When it was clear Livy and I wouldn’t be going to the big feast at the Rescue Mission on Wednesday (very disappointing!!), Wilson was happy to drive himself and Max to the event and they even filled in for me by providing musical entertainment in the courtyard while the guests waited to be served!  So grateful!!!

They make a difference in people’s lives…they make a difference in my life…they make a huge difference in Rudy’s life.  I hope they understand their significance someday.  I have pictures of Rudy interacting with each of the kids at various times this past year and I tell the big kids that if they ever doubt in life that they are adored, they should just take a look at these pictures…

Olivia was at a friend’s bday party last weekend and a friend of ours sat next to her at lunch and asked “What’s great about being a Geyling?”.  Olivia thought for a moment and said “We laugh a lot.”.  I heard similar sentiments from the others yesterday as we all shared what we’re thankful for!  How grateful I am that of all the things that go on in our household from the silly to the scary, “laughter” rises to the top.   May it always be so!  ‘Praying laughter is filling your home this holiday weekend as well.  As always, we are grateful for you!!  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holy cow, it was just Halloween, I blinked and now we’re less than a week away from Thanksgiving!!!!  I’m super excited for the holidays but I fear the next month is going to FLY by, once again, much too fast.  🙂  As always, my goal is to savor every moment of the holiday season…the harried, the quiet and the festive!!!  But I’m getting ahead of myself, there has been much to savor this month already.

It was a bit of a blur but Rolf and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary on the 7th.  As it turned out, Stanford was playing Oregon in Palo Alto that day so Rolf and a friend stole away for a long day trip up north to see the game.  Rolf and I managed a quick breakfast date on the beach before they left and we’re looking forward to a little overnight getaway after the holidays when things calm down a bit.  😉

Bright and early on Veteran’s Day,  Olivia, I and her entire 6th grade class/teachers/chaperones boarded a couple of Air Buses and headed down to Long Beach to catch the boat to Catalina Island on our way to CIMI (Catalina Island Marine Institute).  CIMI is a special rite of passage for our 6th graders every year…a three day camp experience filled with hands on education in oceanography, marine biology and ocean fun!  Rolf had the privilege of going with Max and this year it was my turn!  I admit I was quite nervous leaving Rudy…it was a huge effort to leave town…but I’m so glad I went.  It was an amazing experience to share with Olivia and her classmates and I welcomed going to a completely different world for a couple of days.  We went day and night snorkeling, kayaking to a world-famous kelp forest, tide-pooling in the camp’s beautiful cove and had lots of “classroom” time petting sharks and learning about fish, plankton & algae.  As much as I loved growing up in the Midwest, I kept telling the kids how lucky they are to live in a place with access to such beauty….they just looked at me like I was crazy (ha, ha)…they’ll get it someday.  🙂  I thought about Rudy A TON while we were on the island…about how much he would love to do the things we were doing and it made me even more grateful for Camp del Corazon (camp for heart kids) as it is also located on Catalina Island!!!!  Camp del Corazon purposes to give heart kids a “normal” summer camp experience in a safe, medically monitored  environment!  I sure can’t wait until Rudy is old enough to go (summer of 2015)…he’s going to have a blast!!!  🙂

Oma and Opa flew in from Alabama while Livy and I were still on the island but we all finished out the second half of their visit together and had a great time…lots of walks around the cul-de-sac with Rudy and lots of schnitzel! Yum!!!

I’m looking forward to the Thanksgiving Feast at the Rescue Mission next week…it’s always such a privilege to celebrate with the SBRM residents and homeless guests!  As we begin our Thanksgiving preparations and look ahead to Christmas, I pray we’ll have many moments to stop and savor all that is good and rich…we have so much for which to be thankful!  🙂  Happy Day Day Everybody!!!

Celebrating 21 years – November 7, 2013