Who was it introduced "Christmas Adam" to label the day before Christmas Eve? Whoever did, that would be today!
Being Tuesday, it was off to doggie day care for Ember, and she was very happy to go. Seeing her doggie and human friends "at school" so to speak. I left the vet instructions for refilling her flea, tick, etc. medication prescription depending on the weight she registers. If over the limit, only one month worth. If under, six months' worth.
I was pleased to see that Ember "made weight", so came home with the six-month supply of the lower dosage. Now to keep her at the healthy weight for six months!
When the dog is in daycare, the mom will rearrange the living room x-pen! And clean, of course. I hurried to do it early in the day as I had an afternoon eye appointment.
The results of that appointment: my prescription has not changed enough to make new glasses essential, so I skipped it. Confirmed an appointment for mid-January with "the other eye doctor" to have my glaucoma assessed. They didn't show me as having had that particular issue looked at since 2023!
Doesn't she look like a kid at Christmas? Her eyes are locked on a treat that I'm holding to get the pose.
Finally getting the plan together for Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which will be with family. Ember gets to come on Christmas Day, and I don't think we'll stay more than four or five hours. She'll be in day care on Friday again because I like her to have two days a week to play with her puppy friends.
Friday is supposed to be the nicest weather day of the week, and I've been invited to go to the zoo up in Omaha with my son's family. I've "signed up" to do so but have my usual pre-socializing anxieties about it!
Christmas Eve Day
It's the classic Rudolph forecast. We have "One Foggy Christmas Eve" morning, at least. Ember was a good girl running human errands with her mom, staying in the car while mom went inside, and being calm while mom went through a couple of drive-thru places, too. She put herself to nap, then and mom has a bit of time for "human stuff". Mom is not going to do the baking until Christmas morning.
On guard, checking out the neighborhood, Christmas eve morning.
We took a second car ride in the afternoon, while I made my annual contribution to the "make someone else rich" fund. Yep. I bought a few Power Ball tickets for the Christmas eve drawing. I do not expect to win. I do this so rarely that I have to ask the clerk "how much are power ball tickets?" As it turned out, out of the quick pick numbers the machine picked for me, I got not a single NUMBER to match, except for one line's power ball number. Clearly, it's a good thing I am not a gambler as a rule. I hope the winner (in Arkansas) enjoys my contribution to their prize.
Then we just drove around looking at the house decorations.
The family got a present delivered in the form of the court orders filed on December 23rd. First, the termination of parental rights of both birth mother and father to FGC and his two siblings. Second, the denial of a motion to allow visitation for birth father during any appeal of these orders. Third, the awarding of educational surrogacy to my son and his wife for the FGC. The aunt that his siblings are placed with was awarded similar educational surrogacy for them.
Birth dad has 30 days to file for appeal the orders. Son and DIL don't plan to mention anything about all of this to FGC until those 30 days have expired. Any appeal would take the form of judicial review, not new hearings. Court date for review and permanency planning is set for February. One step further to stability and permanence for these kiddos!
Christmas morning
One of those days, right? I woke up at 3. My phone had messages on it, as we're in the midst of making plans for a get-together with my son and his cousin in mid-January, and I fell asleep while others on the group continued the chat. That got my brain engaged and then cooking/baking math kicked in, so...
between 3 and 6, I baked two pumpkin pies and heated the cheese puffs. Only then did I let the cat in and the dog out. It seems a little strange having pumpkin pie spicing the house, as I don't normally bake one for Christmas. It was requested for today, since we did not have Thanksgiving in this group. The cheese puffs altered the scent mix. All of this to Christmas music, interspersed with communications among relatives.
Ember seems quite aware that something's different, but we put enough of the normal routine in that I was able to pack up the goodies into the car hatch, and she even put herself into her crate for a brief nap, during which I'm typing this!
Merry Christmas to one and all...
Life is good. Keep Sparking!
Great Merry Christmas present for the family.
ReplyDeleteMay your day be merry and bright! 🎅🏼💖