Well it's a good thing none of you are around, because Kurt and I are a couple of party poopers this year. He may stay up and further his guitar hero "career mode" but I hope to be soundly asleep by 9:00. I feel quite yucky, and given that Madelyn's internal clock doesn't know that she's supposed to sleep in on New Year's Day, I'm going to try to get as much sleep as I can. Woohoo. Happy New Year :)
I don't have much energy to write much about our last couple of weeks, but we have had loads of fun. Christmas was wonderful with a visit to Santa (there was NO sitting on his lap AT ALL), opening gifts, playing with new toys, and lots of time with our families (Madelyn was a major Papa's/Grampa's girl this Christmas...very cute). Then a couple of days after Christmas, Kurt and I took Madelyn to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) for the first time. They have a whole floor devoted just to toddlers with a water area, sand pit, nature exploration center, art room, etc. and she loved it. We used some of our Christmas money to buy a membership (thanks, family!) because having a nice long list of rainy-day activities is no joke here in the Pacific Northwest!
For those of you living in the midwest or the east coast or the mountains, snow is no big deal. It snows several feet every year and you just deal with it and life goes on (I know--I grew up in Chicago). Your schools are in session, NBC actually airs regularly scheduled daytime television, and going to the grocery store isn't considered an "adventure." For those of us here in "the valley" in the Pacific Northwest, snow is a big deal. We're used to it on the mountain and you gear up when you're heading up to ski or snowboard, but when snow falls on our front yards, we kind of don't know what to do with ourselves. There are only a handful of snowplows in the city of Portland, so even a few inches can (and does) shut down the whole city. Plus our snow is almost always teetering on sleet or freezing rain, so the thin layer of ice below the snow is legitimately dangerous. So, our schools have not been in session for over a week, NBC has aired nothing but coverage of "Arctic Blast 2008" for the last seven days, and you stock your car for a trip to the grocery store "just in case."
But here's the great thing about snow being an anomoly: we never get over how beautiful it is. The whole world just seems quiet and peaceful, and we have watched with genuine amazement and delight as the big fat flakes have fallen and fallen. We have 8-10 inches out there right now, and the forecast doesn't show signs of letting up or warming up anytime soon. Portland may actually have a white Christmas this year, which is just fine with the Olmsted's. We're loving every minute of it :)
So sorry for the lack of posts these last couple of weeks! We have indeed been quite busy, but all with fun, memorable events. I'll attempt to catch you up:
To begin, I turned 30 on December 12. I wish I could turn 30 every year! My husband--ever the thoughtful, detail-oriented gent that he is--orchestrated an entire weekend of festivities involving a quiet morning at home with Maddie, our first night away from Maddie at a very swanky new hotel downtown Portland, a lovely dinner out, shopping!, and a surprise party at my parents' house when we arrived to pick up Maddie with our families and closest friends. It just kept going and going! I felt like a queen all weekend, and even though I was anxious to leave Madelyn for the first time, it was genuinely relaxing and refreshing to just be a woman and a wife for 24 full hours (and that full night's sleep wasn't too bad either). Many thanks to Kurt for his planning and attentiveness. I'm glad I have a full year to plan for his 30th! I have a lot to measure up to! And many thanks, too, to my parents who, as usual, went above and beyond and cheerfully sacrificed a night's sleep to host Madelyn's first sleepover. I am blessed beyond measure to have all this love in my life.
On December 6, we went to a housewarming party for some friends of ours, Simon and Steph. They recently moved with their three kids from "the city" to Scappoose, Oregon--a tiny little town about 30 miles outside of Portland. Poking fun at themselves for opting for such a rural location, they decided to have a "redneck" party. Not the most PC party we've ever been to, but oh my was it fun. There was a costume contest, and for reasons that will be obvious when you see the photo below, Kurt won.
And then today, evidently because he has developed a penchant for fine fashion, Kurt walked out the door to work looking like this:
adidas organized an "ugly sweater contest" for anyone who wanted to participate. It cost $5 to enter, and the winner got to choose a charity to which to donate all of the proceeds. Once again, Kurt won. I think it was the fact that the little polar bears are wearing pearl necklaces with bells on them that make a sprightly little jingle every time he skips (which he did frequently thoughout the day, I'm told).
Here's a fun photo of Madelyn for good measure. She had just woken up from a 3 1/2 hour nap. 3 1/2 hours! This from the child who voluntarily gave up her morning nap about three weeks ago and hasn't slept longer than two hours since then.
Kim had a work function tonight and I got to stay home with Maddie. We had a great time playing, eating, dancing, etc. The night quickly digressed from one on one time to cell on cell time. Maddie has been racking up minutes on Kim's old, out-of-commission cellphone and I finally caught her in the middle of a solid conversation with yours truly. I think you'll be able to tell who did most of the talking.
Her little babbles make us smile and laugh. She's just such a social being and it's great to see her grow. It's crazy to think that a year ago she wasn't even sitting up on her own.
Now she's running around babbling up a storm. What a sweet girl!
"O Holy Night" has been my favorite Christmas carol for years. I never tire of the music, and the lyrics never lose their poignancy. This song, arguably more than any other ever written, so perfectly and poetically proclaims the gospel--and I love that it unabashedly makes its way into every home, regardless of faith system, for one month every year. Every word was so carefully chosen to aptly describe the depravity and weariness of the world before Christ entered it and the hope, joy, and worth after his birth. The third verse is my favorite. The social worker in me so powerfully resonates with the promise that "in His name, all oppression shall cease." I long for that day, when love and peace infuse every living cell on this earth. Listen to Josh sing it as he so beautifully does, and may the message bring meaning to your Christmas season as it does to mine each year.
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
'Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O, hear the angels' voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Behold your King.
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
Well it's a good thing none of you are around, because Kurt and I are a couple of party poopers this year. He may stay up and further his guitar hero "career mode" but I hope to be soundly asleep by 9:00. I feel quite yucky, and given that Madelyn's internal clock doesn't know that she's supposed to sleep in on New Year's Day, I'm going to try to get as much sleep as I can. Woohoo. Happy New Year :)
