Yesterday sweet Lu came down with a fever and spent the night throwing up. It broke my heart to see him so small and worn out, especially knowing how much he’d been looking forward to his birthday. He was carrying around his Universal Birthday pin like a badge of honor and couldn’t wait. But then…

Christmas came early this year… far too early. The days leading up to it were swallowed by deep cleaning… kids room after kids room, corner after corner, unearthing things that had been shoved away in moments of chaos. It felt endless. By the time we finally decorated the tree… later than we ever do…the spark…

The end of November snuck up on us like a mischievous elf, and before we knew it, we were swept into the holiday whirlwind. Our to-do list was still half-finished, but time waits for no one… so off we went, driving 10+ hours to Sacramento to spend Thanksgiving with the in-laws.Our thanksgiving meal? Black Bear…