My 2024 ornament was inspired by a phrase that we do not speak in my family. Ready for story time? Here goes…
 
One summer when I was in middle school, one of my brothers had total jaw reconstruction and had his mouth wired shut.  Meanwhile, my other brother was doing things he shouldn’t be doing and get run over by a truck on a Texas Beach.  My mom and I went to pick him up from his emergency knee surgery in Corpus.  When we got home, we were greeted by my grandparents, who had driven in from Houston to help…. And No AC in my parents’ house… in the August heat… with two boys recovering from surgeries.  As my parents were trying to figure out what to do, my youth minister called to check on the family to which he heard everything is fine (insert manic laughing).  Here comes the drama y’all….  Right after my mom hung-up, I was walking outside to sit with my Pops, when my Nana said, “I just don’t know what else can happen to you kids!”… and less than 5 seconds later lightening hit behind our house and started a fire.  I kid you not!  
 
Needless to say,  “What else can happen?” is a phrase that does not cross my family's lips because there is always something else that can happen!  So in these most interesting of times we are living, focus on the good, connect with those around you, find the joy in the little moments… and please don’t get lost in the “What else can happen next?”
 
4"x2"