Christmas 2009

This year was our first Christmas in our new home. You would think that I would have gone all out with the Christmas decorations in celebration, but alas, being pregnant and returning from Utah just a few days before Christmas ... well ... my Christmas tree made it up on Christmas Eve, just hours before my parents and little brothers arrived from New York.

As we had purchased ourselves a brand-new king-sized bed for "Christmas" this year, we simply did stockings on Christmas morning. My parents gave us a cordless drill which we were VERY grateful for, and used immediately to install our over-the-stove microwave. Here's to years and years of home fix-it projects! We spent Christmas day at my brother's house with our whole family. It was really nice to just hang out and be with the fam. That night however, my eyes started getting really really itchy and when I woke up on Saturday morning, much to my chagrin, I realized that I had brought more back than just luggage from Utah. Pink eye! The first pink eye of my life. And let me tell you, pink eye is NO FUN. Ben got it too, but he seemed to get it worse than I did. Although my eyes hurt and were red and itchy, Ben's eyes actually swelled to the point where I wasn't sure if I was married to Ben or Quasimoto! The worst part of the whole thing was that Sunday was supposed to be our Christmas choir program at church, and I'm the choir director! After receiving a priesthood blessing and after much prayer, I felt it would be okay to go and lead the choir program. I have to say, it turned out pretty well, considering 1/5 of my men's section (Ben) was not there. Monday we both went to the doctor and got medicine for our poor eyes. We're both recovered from the pink eye now, although not before managing to pass it along to my niece. I just pray that's as far as it goes, although the thing is horribly contagious! With parenthood just around the corner, I doubt I'll be able to avoid it permanently.

My parents stayed through January 2nd, and despite being sick for part of the time they were here, it was such a blessing to have them. I know it's a long drive for them (16 hours), but I'm so grateful that my brother and I live in the same area so we get to see my parents more often. I was so spoiled being able to take so much time off work leading up to and over the holidays!