Kindness Strikes Again

Howdy, and Merry Belated Christmas to all of you! I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday, filled with good tidings, good cheer, love, happiness, joy, peace............ all those things I was unsuccessfully searching for on Christmas Eve, ha! Our Christmas morning was lots of fun; the kids slept in reasonably late (7am) then we had the hour of gift-opening frenzy, the hour of peace while all toys were opened and closely examined (the hour we parents enjoy best) the hour of losing all the parts to all the games, rendering them useless the first day, and then the hour of fighting over whose toys are whose and refusing to share.

My personal philosophy is that on Christmas Day, kids shouldn't have to share their new toys if they don't want. So I try to give them 24 hours of "ownership" before Kendrie's motto of "finders, sweepers, losers, leapers" takes over and the free for all kicks in.

The biggest hit this year appears to be the standing microphone (with actual working amplifier!) that came with Kellen's new guitar. Kendrie derived great pleasure from yelling into it, at least 3,000 times that day, "Hey! Who ordered the poo-poo platter?" and then collapsing on the floor in a heap of giggles. Running a close second for airplay was the Escoe children's trio-choir, performing (about 2,900 times) the popular holiday classic, "Diarrhea", which their father so tactfully taught them. In case you are sadly unfamiliar with this holiday favorite, here are the lyrics, so you can teach your own children:

"If you're sliding into first, and your shorts are about to burst, diarrhea, diarrhea.
If you're sliding into home, and your shorts are full of foam, diarrhea, diarrhea.
If you're sliding into third, and you lay a juicy turd, diarrhea, diarrhea."

There are even sound effects, in addition to the timeless lyrics, but we won't go into that.

So you can imagine about how my afternoon went, listening to that over and over and over. I had to put my foot down when I discovered them dragging the microphone outside to "give the neighbors a concert." If ever a family were to be evicted by the homeowners association, I'm sure the Diarrhea Classic would be a good enough reason.

I want to say thanks to all the people who signed Kendrie's guestbook after reading about my pathetic Christmas Eve and shared their own humorous sagas with me. I guess it's good to know that those Hallmark moments are just as elusive for others, and it probably makes us more normal! I love when people, despite being faced with a life situation like this, can still laugh at themselves. Check out the websites of some of our new friends, and wish them Happy Holidays as well:

Katie's Page Be sure to read her mom's journal entry dated Dec 15th --- another great edition of the Crap Sandwich Chronicles!

Elijah's Page Wonderful family!

Emma's Page Another wonderful family!

Kody's Story An amazing site, and an amazing kid! (love the tattoo, Kody!)

I mentioned in a previous journal entry about the two special gifts we received this Christmas, the notices from Caring Bridge and the American Red Cross that donations to these two wonderful organizations had been made in Kendrie's name. Another reminder--- that sometimes the most wonderful gift is a gift of yourself--- came today in the mail ---- a notice from Locks of Love that a donation had been made in Kendrie's honor by our friend Katherine B. in San Pedro, California (LA Air Base.)

Locks of Love is a charitable organization that takes donated human hair and provides hair prosthetics for children with long term medical hair loss, free of charge or on a sliding scale. It takes four months, and a dozen donations, to make a single wig. The organization only accepts donations that are 10 inches or more in length, so this was no little thing that Katherine did! If you would like more information about Locks of Love, their web site is www.locksoflove.org. And thank you Katherine, for such a selfless, generous donation!!! See? Kindness strikes again!!!
much love, Kristie
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KENDRIE'S PERSPECTIVE:

WORST THING ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY: I can't even step outside the house for one second without my mom yelling at me to put a stocking hat on my bald head!

BEST THING ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY: My cool new Kim-Possible stocking hat! BooYa-!