2008 The Year of Firsts

My first grandbaby



and her first fall on her beautiful
little face



First time watching a life-long committment to love happen.





First time to feel my heart explode while gazing
at my baby's baby




First Time moving parents in....first time for me, first time for them.



First time hospitalizing my mother....her first
time in a hospital. A New different kind of
first fear evolving from that fiasco.

First time to face cancer with a beloved girlfriend and her
beautiful, wanted, fought for child





First time to watch a different family journal as they lost their child to cancer.



and another





and yet another



First time to realize that not all children with Down Syndrome recover
from Cancer



First time I realized that each and every one of
us are key to beating this horrible disease that robs families of their children.

http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com


First formal swimming lessons:



First time to build a play center




First time we missed the Christmas
celebrations due to illness/hospitalization

First time no big kids home for Christmas Day

First time Molly mastered the scooter

First time to walk in and pick out a new car, and just drive it off the lot.

First time to own AND operate a Blackberry.

First time to have a major disagreement in my little, close family.....but not the first time I've prayed that we stay close.....regardless and forever




First real trip to Vegas! made so much better by doing it with GIRLFRIENDS!



First year we didn't tourney bass fish.

First year to come to terms with the possibility of Autism.

Not the first time of celebrating my anniversary, but i stay in first-time amazement that love like this exists and maintains.

2008 has been a fast passing, heartbreaking, joyful, rollercoaster year.. I've met so many new friends, seen new life born...but also experienced
devastating losses, and faced some of my worst fears. Life is dramatic and weird and always full of wonder:





Blessings to all my friends and family....and hopes for a 2009 that is full of joy and devoid of heartbreak. For the times it isn't....remember...no matter what...just get back up. It doesn't matter how you get there....keep plugging...fight to overcome the bad...and finish strong.

like Nick:

ok..it's becoming evident that i can only blog every OTHER week now! HA! Maybe it's just the holidays catching up with me....or the weather...or my parents...or molly......or????

Maybe that is the OTHER reason Christmas is such a blessing! IT'S DONE!! and onto NEXT YEAR! Here's hoping 2009 is the year that brings you all you wish for!

We keep Christmas very low key here..especially after the party of Thanksgiving....and enjoy that, but it is never low key enough to think you can't do ANYTHING...the stress to perform like June Cleaver always lies lurking in the hearts of women everywhere.

Here's the scoop. Last Thursday, after me nagging her for a week, my mom finally came out early and said YES! she WOULD go meet my doc! YAY!! She had HAD a cold, but it had progressed to being scary!

She then proceeded to go into her bedroom to get ready, when i heard a thump....i hollered at the Sarge to check on her (i was in the other bathroom getting ready to take her) but the German Shep was already on duty and alerting us to a problem. He BARKED BARKED and then went back to her room, laid down
on the floor, and tried to shove his nose under the door while scratching at it.

Mom had collapsed against the bedroom door, and we all FREAKED!

We got the door open enough to check for a pulse and then scooted her and the door
inch by inch until we could gain access. Quick trip to town and she's in the hospital with double pneumonia, dehydrated to the point of renal failure, and somewhere in the fall/rescue...managed to break two toes. EEK!

We stayed in the hospital until Sunday and brought her home (12 degrees here EEK!)
She was just starting to show some signs of depression so we may be a day or two early, but they had unhooked her from all the fluids, and her 02 stats were staying up...so we took the chance. She is very impatient with the healing, still a little weepy, but getting around, and doing what she should to get better. She is very happy to be home! (so's the dog who had been camped out in front of her door since she left, and
will forever be her "hero")

We have been iced in, and i gave up on a timely Christmas, but Christmas Eve morning the weather warmed up and although i had to work all day, i grabbed a cooler and ran into town early...got all the shopping done before i had to work a full day PLUS an hour, and finally got home!!

Molly was SO FUNNY under the tree this morning, and again made me feel like the 'bad mommy'. She wouldn't open her presents!! When i asked her why, she looks at me with the stink eye and says

"BOOK"

"NOOOOOOOOOO it's not a book!! Santa did not bring you ANY educational toys this year!! PROMISE!"

So she opened it and enjoyed it all...although she knew what was in the DVD wrapped one, and was a little unhappy cuz we made her wait till last on that one. we KNEW she would immediately run to the TV if it was opened! (she loveeeees spongebob)

I'm pooped but about ready to go start the big dinner. I work tomorrow, a long day in retail,
and then I'm off for the week! I can feel a cold coming on, and just know my productive
week off is going to turn off into THE FLU! grrrrrrrrr.

My video of the day is here and is the true meaning of Christmas in my eyes! What a gift SO many people had to come together to make happen. Go down below and click on 'view video' to see, its definitely worth the load!

http://www. myfoxatlanta. com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=8124636&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3. 2. 1



off to shove a Zycam swab up my nose, and OJ down the hatch! I'll update more next week

Maybe

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Sarge the Wonder Dog, and Jager got presents, too!



And not forgetting miss Aubrey...she's been entertaining her parents by playing
peekaboo while they're trying to study for finals!!




Please keep Coleman in your prayers....My little fighter was all set to do his first
big family Christmas in years (always have had to keep him secluded from the
bugs) when he took a turn for the worse.

http://www.carepages.com/
ColemanScott

Priorties

Priorities
Priorities...i will always be a priority driven girl. I try to keep ahead but i think, somewhere genetically, it is just impossible DNA...

My name is Eileen, and i am the queen of procrastination.

Blogging took the back seat last week, the priority being the Christmas tree, the lack of lights, the purchase of wrong lights, and it's finally up, but not to my satisfaction....i will probably buy more lights, take it down, and re-do it soon.

I tried to stay on top of it! REALLY I DID!!

i found a note in my PDA from last december, lining out what i needed to do to prepare this year, as last year i threw out all the lights...but failed to decipher the note. (*bonk* oh THAT'S what that note meant!)

My mom and molly kate are both croup'd up, so we've maxed out our ability to buy Mucinex D for the month, and are treating with that and other OTC stuff...with me being frustrated because mom has no voice, a deep chest
cough...and WON'T GO TO A DOCTOR!! I'd give my right arm for 3 Zithro 500's right now.....She's worse about seeing the Dr than the SARGE! I suppose when she can't walk anymore, i load her into the truck and take her against her will....she must be a priority driven woman, also.

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Molly is maintaining but her nose is running so much she now has a "Kool-aid smile" chapped face...and nothing seems able to calm it. HER priority in life seems to be finding new and exciting ways to shoot liquid medicine out her nose, while daddy and mommy have her hog-tied with warm washie in one hand, and a syringe full of Dimetapp in the other! She probably would be all better now if these danged ole pharmacy companies would make all these otc meds... IN SUPPOSITORY FORM!! I'm currently sporting half of her dose in MY HAIR!!

My mom and dad are not attending Mass this morning (they really have to be sick to skip THAT!) nobody got to go to the Christmas parade, or the Bowling Birthday party for Evin, we did not "shop with a cop" all those events occurring on Saturday....and we had hoped to make it to Branson today to see the Santa train pull in, and i would have TRIED as we could have just stayed in the truck and watched....... but???

Our weather is making a change for the drastic. The only trip we're making will be a run to town for extra gas, and digging the generator out of the garage. The Ice Storm of 08 is heading this way, although I'm praying that we're jussssst far enough south to miss what my gf's in New Hampshire are experiencing...but I'm not taking any chances.

Maria, Jackie, and all the readers in the nor'easter states? My prayers are with you, and I'm hoping your power is restored soon.

I have also procrastinated the upgrading of the cell phones, but got a blackberry message from gabe yesterday showing Miss Aubrey Jo SAYING and SIGNING "Da-da"!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

She JUST turned 6 months old on the 7th!!

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

That little girl is too bright for words! I am so excited to see all that awaits her in life! Gabe works with her all the time so I know he sees it, too.

Molly Kate's arrival into our family... and all that came with her seems to be trickling out 8 years later in the parenting skills of her older sib. It's fabulous to see the gift that she is,
continuing to shine in the world.

Anyway............I have to sign up/download something in order to save that file and show YALL, so it became a priority to get my own blackberry...hopefully I'll only have to download
one set of software, and then i can come show you....otherwise, you just have to be on the *big-mama brag email addy list*, as that's the only way you can see it!

(edited to add...if you are in 'blogger' you can go to aubrey jo's blog! and see her DO IT!!)

Little Bill just traded up for one, too....so we'll ALMOST ALL be connected! (elbowing shauna here)

Being trapped in the house (with the exception of that one run to Wal-Mart) did force me to take care of the Christmas cards. They are in the mail with many thanks to the sarge for his calligraphy pens, talent and addresses being done for me!

My mom and dad got a Christmas card from the Bush's on White House stationary. They have one from every sitting president since forever, except for my hero, Bill Clinton. *sigh*

I will start on my bedroom next, and the bills....ahhhhhhhhh no rest for the wicked.

Priorities again with me....it's awful. I got a note from the bank saying they had dipped into my savings to cover December spending splurges, and Master Card actually RAISED MY INTEREST RATES as soon as they saw me charging in VEGAS.....AS IF!!

Hence...i will get balanced and back on budget track today...and transfer my balance
all to AMEX, as soon as they release that good deal in January! I don't keep much $$$ on the cards....but to RAISE my INTEREST rate because i'm in Vegas?? AUGGGGGHH!! No WONDER people get into trouble!!

The bedroom priority comes from ripping my foot on exercise equipment currently stored in my master bath.....hahahahahaha. Yep, today is the day! I still don't have the clothes all put up in the new furniture...but THAT is because of the way my brain works

Let me try to explain it...

i have to move an old chest from the master bath into the laundry room (first moving a folding table from the spot the chest has to go into) THEN i have to take all the clothes out of a HUGE walk-in closet and PACK THEM UP TO GOODWILL!!

My closet is so full of clothes that don't fit (i am estimating about 7 different sizes in there) that we cannot utilize it for clothes that we DO WEAR! (currently in bins waiting for space)

AFTER that, then i can go through the bins...do the same to them, and then put the clothes back where they belong! I'm forcasting only having 2 drawers full in the chest, but one pickupbedful upon completion.

No one understands that....they just wonder why i'm sitting at the puter, and not putting my clothes away. AADHD is misunderstood in adults, and I thank God everyday I am married to the only man in the world that does understand. He stays patient enough to know that it WILL happen, and when it's complete it will be glorious and be done in one day to perfection.....oh yea, that is the other thing that sux about being an AADHD procrastinator with a disconnected agenda...we are PERFECTIONISTS!! hahahahaha

Had to laugh at my dad, yesterday and I think he must be responsible for some of this mess.

He went with me to Wal-Mart yesterday, and even though he worked for Wal-Mart in Nebraska...he has never seen southerners freak out about the ice storm! We left and i cringed the "oh i forgot something" cringe that comes from trying to think while you are in a tornado of
shoppers...when I hear that familiar "man tone'come from him.....

"what did you forget?"

"nothing important"

"well, WHAT??"

"a puzzle"

??????

"we like to keep a puzzle in the house, in case we're stuck for days...it helps, trust me"

So we get home, he goes to his "magic car trunk" where he has stored everything-important-in-his-life-for-the-move-but-hasn't-got-unloaded-yet, and comes back in with a box that has 10 puzzles in it!! 2-1000pc 3-750pc and 5-500pc jigsaw puzzles!!

LMAO! HOW LONG has he had this gift stuck in the trunk for JUST THIS MOMENT!!

That's how we roll here....have a great ONLY TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS EEK!!!
week!!
***********************************************************
Here's my card...taken from my favorite pic where Molly Kate, and her little niece Aubrey Jo
had a little too much turkey and passed out side by side on the couch.


Oh and a BIG PSS!

I'm begging for prayers for my g/f who is struggling in the aftermath of a pediatric cancer dx and treatment of her child....it's a bad time of year to try and deal with THAT!

and for my co-worker, who finally got her baby girl, only to find "issues" and a quick trip to Children's in Little Rock. More to come on that...but for right now....please pray that baby stabilizes and gets home to the loving family that God has blessed her with, and with whom God has blessed THEM with! (she doesn't know about this Blessing stuff yet, but I have no doubt she is about to experience the JOY of her LIFE!) *BEAM*

the morning after....

OH MY GOODNESS!!

What a long weekend. I'm reorganizing, cleaning, and basking in the love of having this large family of beautiful, smart, funny members. I've looked
at the pics we took, and everyone is too comfy to share....so this time? you'll just have to use your imagination!

We watched Christmas movies, ate WAYYYYYYYYYYYY too much, and the highlight ended up being board games on Friday night. We playedTaboo and laughed until our faces and sides hurts....and honestly until pants were wet! ha!

The game is a cross of password and sharades. You are given a card with the word you have to make your team say.....but 5 words underneath
that you CANNOT use!

So, Gabe has this new blackberry....and is constantly making fun of my PDA which is a dinasaur at 2 years old. He says it HUGE and SLOW! and it's been the butt of every joke all weekend.

The first phrase Gabe draws in the game is "cell phone" and opens his clues with "Mom has one that's HUGE!"

well let me tell ya....."cell phone" was not among the 100 answers that started flowing out of the mouths of my beloved children!! EEK!! AND gabe could NOT get them to stop for another clue!!

I couldn't breathe because i was laughing so hard, and he was still yelling "SHUT UP" when the timer ran out!

Taboo was a blast, but not to be played by anyone who is sensitive by nature! that was only one example of the stuff that can happen! It's hard, too! any word you could possible use as an adjective, is on the list! 5 stars! go get it to have at your next family gathering!

Hatten the Cat was EVER so greatful to see his mommy....and i think my big city lawyer-girl was glad to be home....the safe place where you can let
down your hair, be teased to death about your new accent, eat better than you will all year, and sleep in the warmth of the special love that only family can bring.

Aubrey Jo and Molly were inseperable, and neither of their feet hit the floor.
The baby slept all night again, but that's not hard to do with all the attention she was getting.

Her Mom and Dad both got to be here, and uncle bill and angela fought over time with her! The sarge bypassed helping carry any of their stuff in, as he wanted to be first to get the baby! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ...and it kinda went
like that all weekend.

She has stopped the squealing, and started this new noise by sucking IN air! It's too funny! She can drool your shirt totally soaked in 5 minutes flat, and is attempting to "inch worm" across the floor. The rate at which she is developing can only be described in nana seconds. She is the Amazing Baby!

While we were playing the game in the diningroom, the baby was throwing the HUGEST fit! Turns out she was NOT to be left in the livingroom....and she sat at the table watching her parents, aunts and uncles screaming and laughing.

She is sooooooooo bright eyed and quick with the eye-hand coordination, that keeping the cards away from her was a TRICK!

My parents, i think, were awestruck at the amount of noise, and the number of grocery bags that kept coming in. My dad just kept saying TWO TURKEYS? AND a HAM??? lmao! They got a lesson in the amount of food that can be put away by a family of this size. (and by that i mean the two sons) I loved every second of cooking time.....

We are doing well together, the parents and us....it was a big worry. I have to remember to let them do more...(i keep kicking mom out of the kitchen)....and stop treating them like guests. That's hard to do!

So far?? Very Good! I'm extremely happy that they are here and I think they just might be enjoying their stay.

Saturday, we took Shauna to STL to catch a plane back to the District...and today, Sunday, the games are on... there is a beef stew simmering in the kitchen, and SNOW FALLING outside! My parents must believe I'm a liar...cuz i kept telling them..IT DOES NOT SNOW HERE!

It's a beautiful, light, puffy and non-sticking kind of snow....more like "sky decoration" and a little reminder that i need to venture to the garage and get out the Christmas Tree.

I am anticipating a more quiet Christmas....and although I'm relishing the weekend, and the present quiet, warmth, and aroma of my home....I already miss the hustle and bustle of the parent i used to be.

*Sigh*

ok can't resist...here's daddy (gabe) and ally(mom) making AJ's drooly gums make a funny sound....Uncle Bill is holding her:

Isn't she the sweeetest????