jury duty, sick boy, and the lead up to Christmas

And of course this got away from me again. I was actually going to be on top of it and blog a while ago, but then for some reason I couldn't get in to my account for a couple of days.

Any way.

The escapades of Gid-zilla continue. hehe.

Helping me dust. He rubbed the post for a good minute. :)

One day it was a little too quiet. I found this:

so pleased.

A few minutes later I was back working on whatever it was I was doing. Gideon comes toddling in and gives me this: 

eek. dirt. in the living room.

"thank you buddy! Just what I wanted" :) Aaah!

We've gotten a few large packages for one reason or another. So we built Gideon a castle. 

:) I think next time I'll plan it out a bit better. But, he loved it.

Mom, Lena, and I got together one day to make Christmas cookies.  We mainly made the dipped kinds.

:) and this wasn't everything!

Gideon loves the piano.

 We have learned that no matter where we find things, however strange, we don't ask questions anymore. Shoes in the candle drawer,  toilet paper tube in a cup,  ice scraper in the living room, mixing spoon in the bathroom, silverware on the door mat, trash bags in the middle of the room...etc. 

shoes are just fun I guess

ah yes.

because boxes, no matter the size, are fun.

Children are weird. :) hehe.

December first, Nathan had his work Christmas party. They had it at the Pere Marquette, a super fancy old hotel in Peoria.  

I of course required a picture.

The first week in December I was scheduled for Jury duty.  I had been called last December, tried to get out of it, and was instead deferred until now. 

Monday, We had to be there at 8:30am.  They didn't start until 9:30 when they trained us and swore us all in. A large group got to go home and wait to be called in. I was not in that group. At 10:00 my group was assigned to a court room and then told to wait while the Judge met with all of the cases to see who was going to trial.  At noon, we were told to go for lunch until 1:00. The Judge didn't come back until 1:30.  Then they finally started jury selection.  I got selected for the jury. 
At 3:00 they finally started the trial. The defendant was arrested for driving on a revoked license.  My first thought was "oh how boring and straight forward." But, oh, I suppose I'm "one of those people."
hehe. It was so interesting. 
The State's Attorney was young, good looking, well put together, well spoken.  The defence attorney was old, greasy, portly, slopish, and so the opposite of charismatic. 
The State's Attorney's opening statement had a lot of personal stories about his kids or where he was from. My first thought was: "this guy is trying to win us over by making us connect with him. Won't work for me!"
The Police Officer who made the arrest was called up to testify and then a video of the arrest was shown.  Arg. Seriously. He was so unprofessional.   
In the video, when the officer arrived at the vehicle the man was already outside of his car.  The officer called the man (an African American man) "brother". So. disrespectful.  The man told him the car had broken down and the driver got a ride to go get something to fix it.  The officer didn't believe him. Started arguing with him, asking tons of questions (which the guys was doing a terrible job of answering), and ultimately arrested him.  And, that was all the proof either side had. 
After a half hour of deliberating the jury found him not guilty. 
It was about half and half at the beginning, but after some discussion, a few of us were able to convince the others that regardless of how likely he was guilty, there was just no proof that he had actually been driving the vehicle. 

Anyway, I had fun. :) Can't imagine how much fun it would be to be on an even more interesting case. I should have been a lawyer. 

Thankfully, other than going in one more morning, to be sent home, and calling in every night, that was it for the week. 


Tuesday, Mom, Jenny, and I met for a very quick and very cold Christmas tree picking up. 

Gideon and the girlies. :)

Gideon was asleep when I got home so...#stubbornwysswomen :) I put up my tree.

:)

Gideon played with the lights  when he woke up

The king on his throne.

Gift wrapping is interesting this year.

Thursday, for some reason I forgot what day of the week it was and missed hanging out with Kendra. Sigh. Sad day. Nathan and I then also forgot that it was his siblings Christmas program.  Thankfully, Glen texted me to ask if we were coming. So, we got ready last minute and rushed over.  The older grades sang the Hallelujah Chorus and did a pretty good job. I was impressed.

Gideon started getting sick on Friday. 'Tis the season.

Saturday, Nathan and I worked around the house and held our poor sick boy.  He was in a good enough mood that we dropped him off at the farm and went to Champaign for the evening with Matt and Lena.

We met Ned at Blackdog BBQ.  It was good stuff. 

We then went to Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God concert.  AP is a folksy Christian singer (and a really good author). He has a way with words and his songs tend to be really deep and meaningful.  It was the first concert I've ever been to but I would assume that it was much different than most Christian concerts. Nothing like Andrew quieting the crowd by having the audience sing "It is Well With My Soul." :) 

The band members were all ridiculously talented. Besides being able to sing, some of them played multiple instruments-guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, dobro, banjo, hammered dulcimer, cello, piano...- it was so cool. They had a guest upright bass player who was incredible. 

Anyway, I had fun and it was a wonderful way to start the Christmas season. 

Gideon was asleep when we got back to pick him up.

aww:)

reminded me of this picture from when I was about his age:

 My mom took these pictures of the evening:

hehehehe

:)

Sunday, Gideon got sicker, so I stayed home with him.

poor little boy!

He slept in my arms all day on Monday. I called the doctor and got him in on Tuesday. 

he did not like being at the doctors

And...he was diagnosed with pneumonia. sigh. But, after a few doses of Amoxacillin, he's pretty much back to normal. Though, he still has an awful cough. He gags him self and pukes all over me. It's not fun.

 I've managed to get some presents wrapped and under the tree.

:)

 Little buddy boy likes his freedom.  He escapes putting clothes on after his baths. 

sitting in front of the space heater.

Yesterday, I went out to the Braker's. Audrey taught me how she makes cinnamon rolls.  I've made cinnamon rolls before. But, she made me feel like I'm an absolute novice. Her's are so uniform and nice. And she doesn't even use a recipe!

Today has been quiet. I've been working on getting the house in order.  The storm of cousins and Christmases begins tonight. :)

In Christ
~Michelle

It is an excellent thing

"It is an excellent thing thanking the Lord. 

Singing Praises unto thy name most exalted."

These past few weeks there has been so much to rejoice about and be thankful for. 

Two weekends ago, we spent the weekend in Leo for my cousin Kray's baptism.   Nathan and I went out in the afternoon on Friday so that we could spend more time with family.  We stayed at Abby and Tyler's both nights.  Kacie taught us a new board game.

Scythe

Gideon playing with Parker

He thought Roxy was pretty cool

oh dear, I think we have a drummer

The rest of the family started descending Saturday afternoon. It became a mad house.

Pictures don't do it justice.

 The testimonies went well. Kray did good. He was so sweet.  I couldn't help thinking that every girl in the room was swooning. hehe. 

Post-testimonies everyone went back to Rita and Lorens to hang out eat any food that was left from supper. But, there was even more food. :) 

more games

:) I love crazy family gatherings.

Church was full. The baptisms went well. Gideon was pretty good for such a big crowd.  

After church we changed at Rita and Loren's and stayed a while playing games. 

The following week was relatively quite. Gideon and I mostly hung around the house. 

He loves taking out the trash

I have a stick!

Moo!

he likes to brush his teeth too

On Tuesday, I got an exciting phone call. :)  Jake called to say he was engaged to Rachel! Yay!  Rachel was at U of I when Nathan, Jake, and I were. 

One day that week I planned to go to the farm, but once we were loaded up, I couldn't get the van to start. My dad had to come charge the battery (thankfully that was the problem) and then we left for the farm.

Gideon got to play with Jack again. 

I love how these two are becoming friends.

About midway through the week I started getting a cold. Not a bad one, but we were supposed to sing the Messiah that weekend.  Saturday morning, we went to the dress rehearsal. I armed myself with cough drops and nasal spray and made it through without a problem. 

Saturday evening, Nathan and I stopped by the farm because the girlies were there.  Gideon had fun playing with Cadence.

So ornery

trucks with Grandpa

 Sunday.

I woke up with no voice.  I was pretty bummed that I wouldn't be able to sing in The Messiah.  We went off to church and planned to play it like I was going.  My voice came back part way and by noon, I was just coughing a lot.

Ron announced Jake and Rachel's engagement which was so much fun to be there for. 

The afternoon was Kristin and Caleb's wedding, so a lot of people I knew were there, which was fun.  Matt, Nathan, and I left half way through and headed to The Messiah. 

It was awesome. I truly believe God came though gave me a voice and kept me from coughing. I was able to sing the whole way through.  I wasn't as nervous as I had anticipated so I was able to think about what I was singing and feel the emotion of the piece. It was beautiful. I know we messed up a lot, but I loved every bit of it. 

O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!  Isaiah 40: 9

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:2

 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:9, 10

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Revelation 5:12, 13

After the Messiah, Nathan and I headed home where Nathan's parents and Mathew and Rebecca were watching Gideon. 

Gideon was happy that grandma read him books

That evening we finally got a picture of the happy couple. :) :) Eee! I am extremely excited.  Rachel is awesome.

:)

Monday and Tuesday, Gideon and I cleaned the house. He is such a little helper boy. He wants to do whatever I'm doing.

we dusted.

and later vacuumed with daddy

We swept the floor

Gideon of course made messes too.

Tuesday evening we hosted rotating potluck.  It was the only date that worked all month.  We had a good evening with good food.

 Wednesday, I worked on food for Thanksgiving.  And, then I had to do the dishes.

Mt. Dishes. From one day. I hate dishes.

Thanksgiving day, we were with Nathan's family.

Gideon all dressed up for church

playing after church

 We had a good day.  We stopped by the farm on the way home to see Rachel and Jake. We made them tell us their story. :)

Yesterday was a beautiful day.  Nathan had the day off so we got a lot done.

Gideon got a box

I burned leaves.

Gideon thoroughly enjoyed the leaves.

We had so many leaves. It took me all afternoon to burn them all.

Today, Saturday,  was another beautiful day.  Nathan got the lawn mowed for, hopefully, the last time, and I hauled all the ashes, that didn't go on the garden, to the compost bin.

Whoops. 

There must have been some live coals still, because we now do not have a compost bin. sigh.

We have so much to be thankful for and so many reasons to rejoice.  I'm so thankful that I got to kick of the holiday season by singing in The Messiah.  It's one long song of praise and adoration.

In Christ

~Michelle