Friday the 13th of December.

I think with the new rules in place, there shouldn't be a terrible Friday night rush this evening.  I want the kids to go with me to see mom, so hopefully, they have gotten their school work under control and no one will have to ground themselves here less than 2 weeks before Christmas.  My oldest son has 1 more full week of school before Christmas, so they do too. 

I'm hanging in here, I guess.  As one would expect, I am struggling with some feelings of depression a little bit and some feelings of being overwhelmed with all we need to do for mom, whether to keep her where she is or to move her and the paperwork involved in trying to get VA benefits for her.  I'm still struggling with arthritis pain issues and can't straighten out my left arm and sometime I might need to go to the doctor for that. I don't know if it is from falling down the stairs 3 weeks ago or from 20 years of typing, but I suspect the latter and I really don't have time to rest, ice and elevate my arm right now.  It made it kind of painful holding the babies in the NICU last night where I volunteer but I persevered and went to hold them anyway and as usual, it made me feel better.  I'm not like some of the volunteers, checking my phone every few minutes while holding little ones.  I don't take it.  I simply go and fully participate in what I am doing.  Last night for a while I was sitting and holding a little guy while next to another one's isolette.  The baby in my arms was comforted by just being held and I found that I could also comfort the other one by just talking to him.  It was very cute how he would stop fussing and listen.  I don't know if he could see me or not but volunteering is the best, I know that.

Anyway, I'm trying to keep my chin up and hang in there.  I'm old enough to know that this kind of season eventually passes.  I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  I am happy about the presents we get to bestow on our kids and others and happy about time we get to spend together as a family this holiday season.  I'm looking forward to playing the new board games, going to Christmas Eve service at church and seeing family members I don't get to see very often.  My son is coming home and that's always good.