Before and After

Last time Zachy was really upset by Brian loosing his hair, so this time Brian included him. This kid was super excited to shave his dads head. I just had to get pics. Tuesday Brian had to go in for a blood transfusion. I went in with him with all five kids. Every other patient there was elderly and seemed entertained rather than bothered by the kids like the nurses were. But, Zachy really wanted to see the process. I read the kids the biography of Charles Drew, the African American physican credited with starting the first blood bank for the American Red Cross and explained how it would happen. Tony, my puking child, stayed far away on the steps, but Zach pulled himself up a stool and I had to explain each step. HE was super excited and kept saying awesome. Brian has had various issues related to the treatment and this week he was in severe pain.
After the transfusion on Tuesday I picked up chinese food from the grocery store along with bowls and silverware. Its tradition that we go out for Chinese and then go look at the lights in San Angelo. Well, we weren't up for going out to eat and I don't think Brian could have handled the long drive and since we were in Abilene, we drove through the State School and viewed the lights there. It was a pretty impressive exhibit, and they had a theatre set up along with Santa and a concession stand, but we just did the drive through. Brian was in so much pain he was not exactly nice to me, and he was in near tears. Later when we got home, he told me he was very thankful that I kept our tradition.
We're trying very hard to keep things as normal as possible for the kids. We're having a great holiday. Since the weather is bad today, we are staying in. I was supposed to go out to the store to pick up stuff to make Aunt Estella's chicken. Well, we are having stew instead since I have all the ingredients for that. There's a fire going and we are listening to "A Cricket in Times Square". Tonight the kids will go to mom and dads and then we will be up most of the night wrapping and assembling.