Oh Where Are My Pictures?

If you  know the hairbrush song from Veggie Tales, use the melody when reading the post title. I do.

As the title suggests, I can't find any pictures more recent than January. But I did find these ones.

 There's the Christmas tree. Now its gone!

Every year for Christmas, lately, we usually agree to  go in together and get something bigger than would fit in a stocking. And then leave it at that. And then Christmas morning chide the other person for getting stocking fillers too and good thing we both  did or one of us would feel silly. So this year we went all out on a new bookshelf. We have needed one desperately for a long time. The shelves in the library and the bonus room have been full and books have been piling up on the floors and window sills. But it's not like it's dirty laundry. Although a few socks could have snuck in between Don Quixote and The Federalist Papers. Honestly, I have read neither of those. I did watch the Man of La Mancha but I'm pretty sure they never made a movie out of the latter book. But it makes me feel well read to have them on the shelf. We decided to put the enormous book case next to the huge clock so neither would feel inferior. And its been a great addition.

Having the books more accessible has made for so much more reading and conversation. And conversations about reading. I'm so glad we finally got them.

Speaking of addition, I decided to do some subtraction in the kid's school supply department. Fiona and Malachi got into the school cupboard and spread the zillion flashcards just waiting to be strewn about like rose petals. So I summarily swooped them all up and prepared to dump them in the recycle bin. Kateri begged me to save them so she could put them on the free table at homeschool class. Because someone might want them! She did. No one took them. I guess we are not the only ones.

Fiona got a back pack for Christmas, I wasn't trying to do a Christmas theme but I guess that's what you get when all your pictures are from early January. She and Malachi put on their packs and go adventuring around the house. Which is pretty much the cutest thing.

And I would be remiss if I did not mention the fact that it is MS awareness week. I think it got lost in International Women's Day? (I guess that is a thing) which was earlier this week. Actually from the headlines it sounds like it MS awareness week is actually a month. So, back off bitches! The orange t-shirt gimp brigade is here.

But not here. Ever. I don't wear orange. And not just because I don't want to look like a convict.

Speaking of orange shirts, quick up-date. The hospital in Florence is still reviewing my case for HSCT. The hospital in the Philippines said yes they could fit me in, in June or later. Moscow said yes but not until 2018. Mexico said yes but no date yet. But I'm waiting for a yea or nay from Italy until I sign up for anything. Shane made a handy-dandy spreadsheet for me. color-coded and everything for where we are in the process for each facility. And I might make an impassioned plea to the investigator at the Hutch - which is still red-just to make sure they are really serious about last two NOs they gave me. but there are more greens now on the chart, so its looking real. 

Hopefully soon we can start working on our Italian. I'm glad I started when I was young. Now I can ask anyone "andiamo aprendere un café?"  if they'd like to go for coffee). But it will have to be on a Lunedi or Martedi. I forgot the other days of the week.