Ho, Ho, Ho, etc.

Various pictures.

Nativity Scene

It was December 19th and your mother's abdomen was huge with her 7th
pregnancy. As was her custom she had gone past her due date and showed
no indication of going into labor. It was the custom those days for
mother and baby to stay in the hospital for five days.

The Christmas decorations were completed and all the presents wrapped
and individually numbered so that name tags could be quickly attached at
the last minute for Christmas Eve.

I stopped at the OB section at Unity Hospital that morning and got one
pitocin tablet from the nurses which was used for inducing labor.

We had supper about 5 PM and I do not recall what we had that evening.
Your mother took her pill and by 6 or 6:30 PM was in active labor. With
total confidence, leaving Joey in charge of you other children, your
mother and I left for Unity Hospital. Upon arrival there we had the
nurses contact Dr. Clark Shattuck, my favorite obstetrician, who never
did know that I had administered the pitocin pill.

The labor went well and rather rapidly since your mother had "been down
that road" six times previously. Your Mom would know the exact time of
delivery but is sleeping at this time and does not know that I am
writing this historical gem. Holly was the largest of our progeny,
weighing in at around 12 pounds. Mom will remember! As soon as she and
Holly (pre-named for the season) were tucked in I returned home where
Joey and the other Olive Plants were all sleeping and would be told in
the morning of Holly's arrival.

That was the last year that children were not allowed to visit on the
obstetrical floor, so for each of the days Mom and Holly were in the
hospital you other OP's stood outside in the cold while I walked up to
tell your Mom that you were outside waiting. She would look down from
her room on the 4th floor, and she and you could wave to each other.
None of you complained about the cold.

When Mom and Holly came home late that afternoon of being discharged
each of you had your turn at holding Holly and I do think that I have a
photo of each of you doing so.

Christmas Eve was splendid and proceeded well, with the identifying
name tags by then attached to each of your presents.

Knowing that your mother would be busy caring for and nursing Holly,
precluding any holiday travel to Winnebago, we had decided to purchase
our first snowmobile, later entitled "The Snow Pig", complete with the
towable sleigh from Robbinsdale Marine. The cost of the snowmobile was
around $740. It and the sleigh appeared on our driveway the next
morning, complete with a huge red ribbon and was well received! And,
luckily, each of you had received unsuspectingly brand new snowmobile
suits, boots, and gloves for Christmas. The helmets were handed out after
you saw the snowmobile and sleigh.

These are my recollections of that Christmas but your mother will likely
have additions or corrections in the morning as she is often wont to do.

We love you all, each and every one.

Merry Christmas!

Dad

Blossom's birthday

Glad tidings to Holly on her thirty-something birthday. Wow - you don't look a year older than thirty-other-something! Despite having to work on your birthday (including an overnight?? WTF!), here's hoping Christian will somehow come through and make it a special day.

Only Fourteen Shopping Days...

"A date that will live in family"

Send your greetings here:
owenjstenzel@gmail.com

Jack's Saga

Jack had a lead role in his high school's recent production of "Little Shop of Horrors." He was the voice of Audrey II (the menacing plant you see in the photo); although offstage, he did a great job with the part. The play itself was exceptionally well done.

And most recently Jack sliced his hand open on the Friday after Thanksgiving; as the story goes, he was attempting to take a carving knife away from his friend, and the friend pulled the knife away just as Jack was grabbing for it and...there will be blood. Andrew took him to the ER at U of M Fairview and we met them there. He had 15 sutures and was referred to a hand specialist because he complained of numbness in his index and pinky fingers. This Tuesday he met with a hand specialist, and on Thursday he had surgery to reconnect two nerves that were severed. The arteries and tendons were fine. He's all bandaged up and cannot write, type, drive, bathe, play guitar or tuba, etc. He's lucky there wasn't any more damage, but is frustrated and irritable because of all the limitations.