Backtracking

Fueled by a vision of the twins’ happy faces on Christmas morning , I was the first one at the yard sale advertising a riding Thomas train. Weeks later I found a second train of the same brand with a caboose. I cleaned them, replaced the batteries and stored them until the big day. Later, I worried if they would fit in our house, and a measurement found just enough room. Christmas came and they loved the trains. However, I didn’t account for the extra room needed for collisions and derailments, nor did I realize just how loud two riding trains would be. After one day of this chaos, we replaced the riding trains with their new train tables, and the boys never said a word. Come springtime, they will be delighted to rediscover their riding trains outside.

Scattered Family

Uncle Steve, Aunt Erin and Cousin Levi came over tonight to celebrate Christmas. They had spent Christmas day in Indianapolis with the Jones family then traveled to Owensboro to join us. Unfortunately, Sandy couldn’t be with us. We had already planned months before to put her on a plane the day after Christmas to travel to Utah to see the Roe family and our new niece Chesney. We hope to drive out west this summer so the boys can meet and visit with our family out there. As the family grows and scatters, coordinating everyone’s travels and schedules is difficult. The best we can do is savor the times we find together.

Remembering Great Uncle Bubba

Pa’s older brother, Gene Ray Edds, passed away today after a lengthy cancer battle. He was 81. Pa began calling him Bubba, for brother, before he could say Gene Ray, and the nickname stuck.  To me, then later the boys, he was always Uncle Bubba. After their father and grandfathers, Uncle Bubba has been the most prominent male in the twin’s lives. We visited with him at least once every month. Rides in the country always helped the boys nap, and Gene Ray loved to join us and tell family stories. He referred to the boys as “the little boogers” and enjoyed teasing them. We last visited him at his home on Christmas Eve where he weakly asked each one what they wanted from Santa. Before we left, Aunt Peaches slipped us two packages containing Thomas trains. Heaven is fuller and happier today.

A special treat

As parents, we all want our Edds boys to grow up strong and healthy. Diet is very important to that goal. Uncle Steve and Aunt Erin have Cousin Levi on a gluten free diet and also limit his dairy intake. We avoid feeding the twins fried foods and have thus far prevented all candy from their intake. For their visit Tuesday, Aunt Erin volunteered to prepare a meal compliant to all the children’s dietary goals. She prepared homemade spaghetti and meatballs with a garden salad, and for desert she made a special choo choo train cake. Everything was made with healthy ingredients and tasted delicious. All three boys were excited by the train cake and everyone enjoyed the meal.

Our 7th Wedding Anniversary

After our engagement, my ailing 80 year old grandmother asked me if I was really getting married. I don’t think she thought I ever would, and she knew me pretty well. She knew I would never compromise on a mate and doubted I could ever find what I was looking for. Sandy too said one of her closest friends also confessed her surprise over our engagement believing Sandy would never marry for perhaps the same reasons. Well, here we are happy as can be seven years down the road. Much has changed, except for our love and devotion to one another. Our sons are our miracle gifts from God, the answer to so many prayers. We are so happy to have our faith, our family and our friends enrich our lives and marriage.

Thanks to Sandy Clause

Sandy makes Christmas work at our house. She plans and labors very hard to insure all details are accomplished with style and excellence. Her ambition often pushes her schedule to the brink and unplanned issues occasionally bust it wide open, like when business emergencies required her to work overtime on Thursday night until midnight and on Christmas Eve morning until noon. This was personal time she had planned for Christmas preparation. To get everything accomplished, we worked after the boys went to bed until 3:00 am Christmas morning. After a few hours sleep we woke with excited boys on Christmas morning. The family opened presents for a few hours and then we enjoyed the fine brunch Sandy prepared. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a well deserved afternoon nap and a little free time before reassembling for Sandy’s Christmas dinner. We then opened more presents until bedtime. It was an awesome day.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Just after waking on the big day, Benji and Trey Davey asked if Santa had come and brought presents. We waited until Pa and Granny arrived before going downstairs to investigate. It was difficult to determine who was more excited, the boys or the Grands. Mommy and Daddy were late night numb, but were soon revived by coffee. Under the tree the group found two riding trains, two tricycles, two train tables and a sled among the other beautifully wrapped gifts. At first the boys found the bounty of gifts was breathtaking and could only stand and gaze in amazement. Had they really been that good? Once they had processed this visual overload, they began to engage.