Katie

I had debated posting about this in my own mind for a few days, but I decided that because life is about both the ups and downs, and I decided that sharing a down time in our life is important too.

Last week we unexpectedly and tragically lost a family member. My Aunt Katie, my mom's sister, suddenly collapsed after a Christmas party with her friends. And after a few days of the best medical care possible, she never recovered.

It feels like I have had something stolen from me that I can't find or understand why it is gone. Katie was 49 years old and there was no indication of any serious health issues. She was (and still is) a mainstay of our family. She had a huge wonderful personality and was just about the most fun person you could ever be around. Katie wasn't just the life of the party, she was THE party and was someone who was everyone's friend. She had so many friends- probably around 500,000. I'm not even kidding... when she was in the hospital there were people flying in from around the world to see her.

She lived life to the fullest, harder than anyone I know. She managed major hotel operations in Washington D.C. and hung out with celebrities on a regular basis. She owned more shoes and purses than I could ever dream of and would honestly do anything for you.

Some families have Aunt's that are known, but distant. Katie was never distant. My memories of her during my childhood are numerous and she would play with me and my brother and sister on the floor for hours...just wrestling, tickling and loving on us. As we grew up a little she became the "cool aunt" who would let us do things that our mom and dad wouldn't...like give us candy in the morning or stay up really late. I don't think I'll ever forget the time we visited and she was dog sitting a little white fluffy dog named Bo. She let my sister have Bo sleep in bed with her!!!! Dogs in beds were NOT allowed in our house, and we thought her rules were the best ever. MaryKate (now just about age 20) still talks about sharing her blankie with Bo!

When an unexplainable tragedy happens to a family, the mystery and "whys?" seem to cut extra deep. I'm sad that Katie didn't get to have more years in her world-traveling, exciting life, but she is definitely in a much better place than we are right now. God was so merciful with the fact that there was no suffering, no pain. If you are going to leave earth, it might as well be after a fantastic party with all your friends right???

Now, we are the one's left to live without her. I am grieving over the loss of her in our lives, and that she won't ever tickle and love our children. My grandparents are working through the loss of a child in their 70's and my parents and other Aunts and Uncles are trying to get through what it means to lose a sister. I can't yet comprehend what our family is like without one of our mainstay members. I am reassured that over time, we will learn life without Katie, though it will never be the same and we will always miss her.

The funeral mass will be this coming Saturday and we will travel to Annapolis to be with everyone and remember Katie. Please pray that we will know God's love and grace as we walk through this sad time.

I ALMOST FORGOT!!!

This sunday night at 9pm, on the National Geographic Channel there is a special documentary on Identical Twins. It's all about how they develop and their genetic similarities...

It shows identicals in the womb and talks all about the specialness that they are!


If you get the channel on your tv, please watch with me!

Baby Preparation

You may be wondering how the little identical one's are doing...

They are great, about the size of a largish potato and look something like this at the age of 17 weeks:



(Note: This is not our actual baby even though in some wierd way I think it looks a little like Dan! ...sorry honey...)

I have started to feel more moving around which is really neat. Dan thinks he can feel it too now!

We decided to wait until after Christmas to get Operation: Twinsanity in full gear, but we did receive a FANTASTIC Christmas gift from Leslie and Erik:




It's called the Graco Quattro Tour Dual Stroller! It's one heck of an awesome stroller. It's huge, obviously, and it accepts two infant carries which snap in on top of the seats you see in the picture. So, when the babies outgrow their carriers (after 20ish lbs) they then just sit in the seats.

We LOVE it.... thanks NANA (aka Mom Leslie)

It's been too long...

We apologize for not posting since before thanksgiving... yikes!

All is well in the land of Mazzio Mania. We're getting ready for Christmas. It just amazes me how fast time flies in between Turkey day and baby Jesus' birthday.

Dan and I have had so much fun thinking ahead to all of our new family traditions that we are beginning to incorporate. To name a few we buy a new family game every year, and a book about Christmas. My mom taught me to keep a "Christmas Journal" so for the last few years I have kept this candy cane striped spiral bound notebook with lists of gifts that I bought everyone and I also save a page every year to write myself notes as I reflect on the good and not-so-good of the season. I was looking in it and last year I wrote these 2 notes to myself:

1. Next year you will not run around like crazy trying to get baking done. You will make some cookies in advance, and other's will simply not be baked if not finished by Christmas eve. This is because as you were rushing, you sliced your finger wide open and had to go to the ER at 11pm the day before Christmas eve!

HA!

2. In years to come, you should begin to break the family in to having Christmas eve with one side and Christmas Day with the other... It is no fun to not even get to open your own presents because you are too busy criss-crossing Norfolk ALL DAY LONG.

DOUBLE HA!



So, we actually followed our own advice and made a plan. We will be spending Christmas Eve with the Mazzio clan and having dinner at our house and Christmas Day will be spent with the Squicciarini's.