it's an adventure!

"I've never spent Christmas in a hospital before. This will be adventure."

Sometimes we have no choice in what happens to us and we must make the most of it.
I stayed with D from the moment we left home on Wednesday morning to go to the ER until the night of Christmas Eve. It was decided that the little ones needed me home on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning and Tom should stay with D for one night.
I'm still not convinced it was the right thing to do. Not only did I come home to a messy, dirty house, but I missed D and was concerned about him getting what he needed. In fact, I was not home yet when my son called my cell phone from the hospital room telling me of a problem he was having. I reminded him that he had a nurse call button and he should tell her about any problems or questions he had. I still wonder what my husband was doing when D called.
I stayed up for hours cleaning the house. There was no way I was going to wake on Christmas morning to that mess! I finally closed my eyes a little after midnight, only to be awakened from a deep sleep at four-a.m. by a ringing phone. All I could see on the caller i.d. was 'hospital' and immediately thought there was a problem with D. Panicked, I attempted several times to call D's room, only to get a busy signal each time. Finally, still in brain fog from being jarred awake, I reached for my cell phone and found a voice mail.
The call was not from my son. It was from a different hospital, calling me for a NILMDTS shoot- at FOUR A.M.! I returned the call, explained to her why I couldn't be there, refrained from screaming at her for not waiting until 6, and attempted to go back to sleep. It took me more than an hour.
My poor children waited  until nine o'clock. for me to wake again.


But I did wake, and five of my children excitedly showed me the contents of their stockings. (well, four excitedly showed me their stockings; one dozed on the sofa behind them. College students don't show much excitement in the morning- not even Christmas morning)
We sang 'Happy Birthday' to Baby Jesus, watched as the youngest placed 'Him' in the manger, and opened a few presents.

There were several hand-made gifts this year, and a few bought at re-sale or antique stores. The children spent the money received from an aunt and uncle on gifts for each other. All were happy and very satisfied.

I was anxious, however, to get to my son in the hospital.

St. Nicholas visits hospitals too. 

Our first Christmas in a  Hospital. It was an adventure.
and not one we need to repeat.