The Smith's Holiday Tradition...or Curse?

(Christmas 2005)

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Every year, someone in our family manages to wind up in the hospital during the holiday season... Last year, it was Chris with his ankle surgery, the year before it was Ella with respiratory issues, 2005 was when Ella was born premature... Anyways, you get the idea, it's been going on for probably ten years now...

This year we have been doing pretty good (other than me going to the doctor for what I thought was pink eye). We were even trying to figure out ways to use up our health reserve account before the end of the year.

Well, Christmas day the kids were out playing in the snow with the sleds that Santa had brought, and things were going well... until Sierra shuffled in, saying that Solei had broken her arm while snowboarding down the street. After seeing her crooked arm, Chris ran her to the ER and they spent most of the night there with Solei knocked out while the doctors put her bones back together. She came home pretty groggy and uncomfortable, poor girl. So much for the after-school snowboarding lessons she signed up for...

Anyways... Christmas in the hospital -- it's becoming our biggest family tradition.