The Big Park

Many many moons ago when I was but a wee girl, we would either go to the "little park" or the "big park." Not only was the difference obvious in their descriptions, but it also came with the knowledge that if we were going to the "little park" we would get to ride our big wheels there. Mine was a Strawberry Shortcake big wheel. Sometimes when we wanted to be extra cool, we would take the back off the bike and lean way back and ride it that way. But that was only when we wanted to be extra cool because everyone knows it's just plain 'ole cool to ride a big wheel. However, if we were going to the "big park" we didn't ride our big wheels because we had to cross a major road. The consolation in that was that there were way more slides and swings and merry-go-rounds and .... on and on.

Saturday the weather here in Florida was gorgeous! A nice 70 degrees! Compare that to the 2 feet of snow on the ground in New Jersey along with the news of 2 more feet next week - I heart Florida weather! Anyway, I decided that we would take Elianna to the "big park" to experience the wonder of parks I had as a child. Sadly, the park is not really anything like it used to be in the yesteryear. All the metal slides have been replaced with the nice yellow plastic ones. And the merry-go-round? Gone! Dangerous child playing equipment that merry-go-round is I suppose. Eric and Sydney met Mom, Elianna and I there and in light of the new-fangled slides, we had fun!

Randomness

We have been busy here in Florida; however, I won't bore you with uninteresting facts about catheters and uncaring nurses. In light of all that, I have nothing to post except pictures which are probably better than seeing blah, blah, blah. So, without further ado, I present to you Miss Elianna P-berger!

Where did my baby go? She looks so grown up sitting on the stool eating her PB'nJ.

When not sitting on the stool eating, she loves to sit on the bottom step and hop up and down because it squeaks.

Wearing Grammy's slippers

Little Helper

Elianna has been a great help to Mom and I. She helps us ....

sweep the floors ...

cook ....

and in general keeps us entertained!

New Baby Girl

My friend Vicki had her baby while I was here in Florida! I was super excited to be able to go see her less than 24 hours after she was born. New babies are the best! Her name is MaKenzie Kate. She was born January 18 and weighed 8 pounds 1.3 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long.

Miss MaKenzie Kate

Vicki and MaKenzie

Jeramie and Big Brother Zachary

Congratulations Jeramie and Vicki! I'm so glad she came a few days early so I could see her!

Basketball Monday

Monday "Unca" Eric had a basketball game in a church league. It was fun to watch him play again - brought back memories of him playing high school basketball. His team did not win Monday but they did give them a run for their money up until the end when everyone starting running out of air and energy. Elianna made some friends while we were there. She is not afraid of too many people which is a good thing but could be a bad thing some day. The lighting was terrible in there (or it could just be I don't know anything about photography) so please excuse the picture quality.

Retro Wear

Mom pulled the most amazing things out of her hope chest - outfits that my Grandmother made for me when I was a little girl. They are too small for Elianna to wear as dresses but are too adorable for me to put away with the hopes of having another little girl. So, Elianna is wearing them as shirts and she looks so cute! I love having her wear something that I wore as a little girl - and even more special is the fact that GG made them!

Hidden Pictures

A couple days ago, I decided to download some Christmas pictures from my camera to Mom's computer. Apparently, there are some pictures that do not regularly show up on the card but are hidden somewhere on it. They were fun to find!

I believe this was a self portrait. It was taken at our old house so this picture is definitely over 3 years old.

This picture and the one below are already on the blog but too funny to not put back on. This was 3 years ago when everyone was there for Victoria's funeral.

I thought this was such a cute picture of mom!

How do you like this one? My Chris took this one while I waited for my epidural before Victoria was born. Lovely huh?

And then I found this one of the Little Man way back when he was little. How calm and peaceful he looks. Now, boy has some energy! He never stands still - just bounces and jumps all around.

I think we were at some graduation or something in this picture. Doesn't the guy in the blue look like Morgan Freeman? It wasn't but it sure could have been his twin.


And now.... I have saved the best for last. This is a man who plays Bluegrass-y songs at the Columbus Farmers Market. I snuck this picture of him.

Have a good day Ya'll!

VMP

Three years ago on a Thursday at 11:49 in the morning, a beautiful little girl named Victoria Michelle was born into Heaven. It seems like an eternity ago on the one hand and on the other it seems like just the other day. All of the emotions and pain and reality is so clear in my mind. I can remember every detail of that day. To finding out she had no heartbeat to sitting in the doctor's office waiting for my Chris to come back so we could go to the hospital. I remember Dr. Fischer and the sweet ultrasound tech. From the waiting for the medicine to start working to waking Chris up telling him I was going to be sick. The wonderful epidural that I got to the poor resident doctor who was there to help deliver.

I remember holding my little girl in my arms thinking that although some may view her as disfigured or unattractive but to my Chris and I, she was the most beautiful little girl! Although tears are shed so often and especially on her birthday, I am so thankful that she is in Heaven free from pain and waiting for us. We miss you baby girl and cannot wait to see you again! We love you!

This picture was hiding on my camera card. Here we are with Toree (you can just see the tip top of her hat).

Florida

After Christmas, Elianna and I stayed in Florida to help Dad and Mom. May I just comment on the beautiful weather that has been going on down here. It is sure easy to get used to! Our winter coats remain hung up even when the Floridians bring theirs out.

Elianna has been a trooper about sleeping in a Pack-N-Play and not being at home. We Oovoo with my Chris and sometimes Harley every night. She gets so excited to see Chris and kisses the screen where he is and even tickles him. It has been a joy to watch her laugh and play with my Mom and make my Dad laugh with her silly antics!

I've been busy trying to help Mom maintain the house and keep everything in order. Between Dad and Elianna we get worn out but keep on remembering "the steadfast love of the Lord." Boy that phrase has been coming up alot in my personal Bible study making me realize I must need that reminder over and over again!

That all being said, I am so glad I have been able to stay here and help Mom. I may miss my Chris and Harley - notice I didn't mention missing the snow they have piling up there! I do look forward to getting back to my own computer, my own bed, my own shower, etc. However, I have been so blessed to see the outpouring of love shown towards my parents. It makes me want to get home and show the same love towards others who are sick or just in need of some encouragement.

Public Service Announcement

We will now return to our regularly scheduled posting.

Whew! We made it through the 25 days both on here with the Advent Calendar as well as on the 'Tis the Season blog with the 25 Days of Christmas Cookies. Boy it was a hard month of December eating cookies and cookies and more cookies. Truth be told though I made the cookies all Fall - there is no way we could have eaten them all in just the month of December! We did have probably a batch or two too many though and so it is back to the tough regime of counting calories and working out!

Since I'm being so truthful about the cookies, I have something else to tell you all. The cookie for Day 25?... I never actually made them. All other 24 cookies as well as some additional cookies that didn't make the cut, but I simply never got around to making that one. I hope it was a good one!

So what does the new year bring for us Promersbergers? We have no idea. Ok goodbye. Just kidding. We may not know what the new year will bring for us, but we know that God is faithful and will give us exactly what we need exactly when we need it. So who knows what you will read on here someday. For now, we are taking it one day at a time.

Advent Calendar (December 25, 2010)

Day 25 - Happy Birthday Jesus!

The multitude of things we would like to do for this day on our Advent Calendar will have to be postponed until next year. The airlines would not have approved our Advent Wreath nor our candles for the Happy Birthday cake we wanted to make. Next year Elianna will be able to understand better anyway so we will make a big deal of it then next year. But for now, we will discuss this year.

Because I forgot my camera at Eric & Syndey's house, Elianna couldn't look in her stocking until everyone got here and brought my camera. She got her favorite - snacks! That girl could snack all day if I let her! We figured what better stocking stuffer to give her than snacks along with a little baby doll which she has no interest in.

She received many gifts: Paddington Bear book & stuffed bear, monkey plate, books, a small sock monkey, dishes & pan for her kitchen, and doll. But probably the most special gift she received this year was a recordable book that Papa and Grammy gave her. Papa read the dedication page and then he and Grammy took turns reading the pages. It is a very special gift that I know I will treasure for years to come and hope to instill in Elianna that same treasure.

Chris and I got some cool gifts too: gift card, Tervis mugs, picture books and other things I can't remember right now.

We ate a big Christmas dinner at my parents house and then headed over to Chris' mom's house for dinner and to open presents there. (I added the presents we got there in the list above - in case anyone was wondering. If you weren't then please disregard this sentence and the one before this one. All other sentences theretofore and hereafter can be regarded.)

One of my personal highlights of the day was listening to C (he is 8) read the Christmas story from Luke 2. Not only did he do great on the big words (ie: Quirinius, lineage), but it was so sweet to hear him read the story of our Savior's birth.

"And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger..."

Luke 2:7a

Caleb reading the Christmas story from Luke 2

Elianna texting all her friends "Merry Christmas"

It was a FSU filled Christmas!

Dad and Mom recorded a storybook for all 3 grandchildren

Dad bought Mom a beautiful ring

After gifts, some got a make-over courtesy of K with her new "makeup"

And then it was off to stuff ourselves ...

... eat Christmas dinner

And for some, take a nap

Christmas at Chris' Mom's house