December 2009 - Christmas Time!

The busyness of life continued right on into the Christmas holidays. I returned to work after a break for Thanksgiving on December 1st. I sat down to work on the 7 day forecast for SE Texas. After evaluating the current conditions and trends in the weather patterns, it was time to analyze the computer model forecasts. Could it really be that we will have, what's that "S" word, snow? In SE Texas on December 4? Naaaa. Last year it snowed on December 10th, surely we would not get snow two years in a row for the first part of December. This would break the record for the earliest winter season snowfall in Houston two years in a row. I decided to hint at the possibility but leave it to Tuesday to maybe put it in the forecast if the model data had not changed. Sure enough, on Tuesday, the forecast data still supported snow. So, now that it was going to snow, how much snow would there be. I held off on issuing a winter storm watch just yet because I did not think we would get widespread 4 inches of snow. But on the morning of December 4, several snow bands set up across the area and there was anywhere from 1-4 inches of snow across Houston. At our house, we had a dusting. We tried to get Emma out in it, but it was cold and the snow was not sticking to the ground. Some areas of Houston had enough to make snowmen. I was jealous. Still, glad to know the forecast panned out. Houston Intercontinental Airport reported 1 inch of snow which is in the record books.

So after a busy week at work, I had a nice weekend off. Amber, Emma and I drove to Hewitt to visit my brother Todd, Julie, Allie and Ian. We had a good visit although it was rough by the fact that Emma cannot sleep in the same room as us. She gets too excited that we are in the same room as her and she will not sleep. Well, she'll sleep but wake up every 2 or 3 hours ready to play more. We were able to go to the Hewitt town Christmas parade in which Ian participated. It was cold which was nice to have some winter weather for Christmas. December actually proved to be a cold month. We even had low temperatures below freezing when it snowed and lows in the 30s for Christmas down where we live in League City. After the parade, we had to leave to go back home. Amber and I were able to get a baby sitter for another Texans football game, so it was nice to have time for us to have a date. This time the Texans won 34-7 over the Seattle Seahawks which sparked a 4 game win streak for the Texans to end the season 9-7.

Christmas time was good but also tough. I had gotten sick during and just after our trip to Waco. Over Christmas time Emma and Amber started to not feel very well, but would have good days and some bad days. Amber and Emma went up to Tulsa, OK to visit grandparents and extended family. Amber's grandmother, Nanny, had not been doing well because of the effects of Alzheimer's disease. She had suffered a stroke or two and had not been doing well. It was good for Amber and Emma to visit with Nanny and Granddad. They got back home before Christmas with Popa and Nana (Amber's parents). We had a good Christmas. Amber and I got too much toys and books for Emma. It was fun being able to give Emma so much, but not a lot of fun getting the toys out of the packaging. Why do they insist on using these heavy duty zip ties to hold the toys in the packages!? I unfortunately stabbed my hand with a pocket knife trying to cut one of Emma's toys loose. Amber was trying and said, "What do you have to do, cut your self to get the toy out?" I had some success on earlier toys and said sarcastically, "Yes you pretty much have to stab yourself. Here, let me do it." Sure enough, I stabbed myself. Since it was on Christmas day, we had to go to the ER since none of the urgent care clinics were open. About 1.5 hours later and 2 stitches, we were back home for Christmas dinner. I felt like an idiot. I should have used a sharper knife. Oh, ya, right, those scissor things work well too. Still, we had a good Christmas. We remember the birth of Jesus and remember through Emma what it was like to be a kid again with all the celebrating. We cannot wait for next year to see how Emma reacts to Christmas. We hope she learns that it is all about Jesus, not Santa.

Pictures 1&2 - Emma at Christmas time.
PIcture 3 - Emma, Amber and snow on December 4.
PIcture 4 - Emma at 9 months.