Thank You!

Let me catch you up on the holidays...

Visiting Houston was great, though I wish we could have more of everyone. We flew back to NC on my birthday and had quite the experience! Sakura was sick, totally stuffy and draining and choking on her own snot so much that she'd trip her gag reflex and throw up. This started a few days before we left and I was hoping it'd be done in time to go home. Nope. Sigh. We loaded her up on meds and prayers and hit the airport, only to find my flight delayed. So I missed my connecting flight. Actually, about the time my first flight finally got in to Atlanta, my connecting flight was getting ready to land in NC. Frustrating! The next flight - 4.5 hours later! Another huge layover in Atlanta. Only I hadn't planned on this one, so I had a very heavy carry-on with no wheels. It was a long 4 hours. And Sakura would not sleep. She finally falls asleep only to wake up choking because the medicine is getting ready to wear off, but it's not soon enough that I can feel safe about giving her more. Just then it is announced that our flight is now boarding and Sakura starts to vomit. Over and over and over. I grab a cup of soda someone left lying around and use it to collect what mess I can. I'm using baby wipes like crazy to try and keep on top of things. I pull out some clean clothes (thanks Mom B) and am trying to change her, keep her from getting more puke on anything, and fervently praying she will stop. They anounce last call and page passenger Burton for the flight. I'm about 10 feet away and trying to get their attention, but I don't have enough hands. Thankfully she stops puking, she's fairly clean and a nice man traveling with his kids tells me to run to my flight, he'll clean up the rest. If I had missed that flight, I would not have been home for Christmas. So glad for the kindness of strangers! So that was how I spent my b-day. But, when I got in, Chad took me straight to the hotel across from our apartment, where I got to spend the night worry-free in luxury. That more than made up for things. It's certainly a b-day I won't forget.

On to Christmas! Sakura sure got a lot of great gifts! We did too! Thanks everyone! I think Sakura has played with all her toys - she wacked Jay with her nun-chucks, paraded around in her dress-up shoes, pushed her stroller and carried her baby, looked at her big blue story-book, worn her new clothes, played with Elmo and lots of other fun stuff. We did take Elmo back though - couldn't stand up on his own. We so appreciate all the thoughtful gifts from everyone. We love you!