April of the Surreal

So far, this has been a pretty surreal April.

It has been snowing for the past four days.  This is not one of those spring "snows" that melts as it hits the ground.  Our lawn and roofs are covered with a thick layer once again.  G-Bear made a snow man earlier this week, and it is still standing strong in our backyard of white.  We are still wearing hats, scarves and snow boots and pants to play outside.  The Twins have played several games in the snow at Target Field.  This might be the strangest "spring" I have ever experienced.

MoMo and Papa are away for a month during MoMo's stem cell transplant recovery.  In true MoMo style, she always refers to her hospital as "The Spa", but this is hardly a spa experience.  It is an understatement to say that it is strange to have a month of birthdays, Sundays, and births without MoMo and Papa around.  T and I miss them a lot, and I can tell the kids do too.  We're praying hard for MoMo as she trudges the hard road to recovery.

This week, my sister is scheduled to deliver twins.  Yes, twins!  For a few days, until our Little One arrives, she will have more children than me.  We are so excited for K and T, wishing so much that we could be with them for this exciting time.  Suddenly, my younger sister is entering parenting territory that I have never experienced.  I have nothing but confidence in her as she does it.

Today is GG Isabel's birthday, our first one without her.  It was strange to have my computer remind me this morning that her birthday is today.  We'll wish her a happy birthday in our prayers tonight rather than over the phone.  We do love you, GG Isabel.

In a few days, we will have a 6 year old, a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a newborn.  Our family of five is on the verge of transforming into a family of six.  With the addition of each new baby, a new family life is born.   A whole host of new dynamics, excitements, adventures is only a few days away.  It is always mind-blowing to look at the piles of freshly washed baby supplies and realize that they are ready for a brand new person inside me, someone we don't yet know, but one who is part of our lives forever.

In the midst of so much surreality, moments of normalcy can be tremendously comforting.  Today, as we do every Saturday, we danced in the kitchen to T's music as we made Schubert rolls for breakfast and pot pie for dinner.  Buddy Bear is becoming quite the dancer, taking after his dad and siblings.   This afternoon, we took GG out for lunch at our usual spot.  Tonight, as we got ready for bed, T and I found the Bears together on E-Bear's bed, all reading stories.

Surreal or mundane, these are the moments we're given, and these are the moments to treasure.