Chef Elf

It appears as if we'll be making a gingerbread house again soon, this time a festive one that goes with the Christmas holidays (versus the October one we did two months ago).  No matter, as both are tremendous amounts of fun to do together.  Jingle Bell brought this kit, and it looks like he was ready to do some more cooking too by all appearances.

Tonight, we watched "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and we made those cookies.  There's always so much to do in this Christmas season, isn't there?  Between Nutcracker performances and Nativity Festivals, there's a lot to choose from, and the December calendar can get pretty crowded, pretty fast.  We seriously sit there early in November and pencil in when to do this or that, because there are so many options.  We don't necessarily make it to everything, but that's okay - we just like to know what we can do if we're up for it.  Tonight, it was best to stay home and watch Christmas specials - that's another thing that you need to do this time of year!

Of course, there's school too.  And Christmas plays.  It's a most wonderful time of year.

At least, for us it is.  This is quite a turn in the conversation here, but that's the phrase that really fits:  "quite a turn."  Uncle Dave's condition is deteriorating rapidly.  It's odd how quickly a person can go from healthy to extreme danger.  Systems shut down, and willpower begins to fade.  Uncle Dave is fading, and it is a complicated thing.  His family is hanging in the balance, and no doubt this Christmas is the most challenging one for them yet.  The financial miracles that have taken place have been immensely helpful, of course.  But the source of the problem persists:  cancer.  We just trust God, who knows what He is doing obviously, even when we don't.  We could never possibly understand the Big Plan, and there are pains along the way.  Mommy had cancer too, and with God's help, she beat it.  She beat it while thinking of the hope of adopting Madison some day.  She beat it while dreaming of walking with her little girl.  Yet Dave is not beating it, and things are looking bleak.  We don't talk to Madison much about this, but obviously she'll be a small part of that story soon enough.