Our first snow of December

Last night we had our first flurries of the season (remember the beginning of 2010 was FULL of snow!) - cars and roofs and grass was dusted with white and looked very pretty!

It still hasn't been enough to get me in the mood for the holidays but it will happen . . .it's so much easier with little kids around!

Thanksgiving 2010

The turkey's in the oven, the parade is on TV, I'm still in my jammies - there's a lot to be thankful for!

My children are alive and well.  Dispite broken bones, we're healthy and that's important.  My 'honey' is doing well too - and his children are all healthy and happy. My brother is progressing very well - his daughter has gotten married and his son marries next month.  My sister-in-law is amazing - keeping everything together!

Work is work (it is, after all a four-letter word :) ) but nothing horrendous.  Bills are being paid and I'm thinking seriously about retirement.

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving - with friends, family and loved ones - and don't expect perfection - it only leads to stress and frustration! 

Busy busy busy

It's been a busy few weeks . . . seems like I'm always on the go and yet not accomplishing much of anything!  We're going into the holiday season which isn't exactly my favorite time of year . . . November was the month I got married and the month my mother was born . . . December was my Dad's birth month . . . lots of loss and yet a lot of hope too.

Today I actually did accomplish something, although I'd have preferred not to have to have done it - I tackled the DMV and was able to get the temporary handicapped placard for my son.  It will let us park close to buildings legally and make getting to his doctor's appointments easier.  (I say legally because I have used another placard once it a while before I got this one but now we're legit!!)

I have many things for which to be thankful - more than I can appreciate most days. . . my sons are alive and will be whole once again.  My brother and his family are doing well (he's progressing very well and for that alone I am extremely thankful every day).  My guy and his family are doing well . .  my bills are paid (well mostly!! :) ) and the animals are healthy. 

Life is, for the most part, very good.  I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving - enjoying family, friends and good times.

Veteran's Day

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day and even with a war going on I'm not sure that people stop to actually think about what that means.  When I was young, there was a draft and lots of young men (no women then) waited each year to see if their number would be drawn.  There was a war then too and it lasted far too long and cost far too many lives.

It's too easy to dismiss the war because it doesn't affect most Americans - except as pictures on the evening news or online.  But there are real people - men and women - fighting, suffering and dying.

To all Veteran's, past and present - THANK YOU for serving - your sacrifice and your family's sacrifice is truly appreciated.

Catch Up

It's been a while since I've posted - and a lot has been going on and not all of it good.  My son was in a serious accident (at home) and fractured his knee.  He had surgery and came home after almost 4 days in the hospital.  He's not able to place any weight on his leg until sometime next month - it's been a very long, slow process.  I must say that he's been much more positive and upbeat than I probably would have been in the same situation.

I've told him (and it's true) - I wish that I could take his pain and make it all better again - but I can't.  All I can do is help him as much as possible, support him and love him (and that's the easy part!).

In the meantime he's back home and I do enjoy having him around (although I realize that he'd be much happier out on his own)!

Pain . . .Fear . . .

There is nothing worse than having one of your children hurt and being helpless to do anything to alieviate their pain.  One son had to have surgery on his knee - it went well but he's in pain and I'm scared . . . I have confidence that he will be fine - but, as it was when he was a baby, I would much rather be able to take on his pain as my own and let him be painfree and whole again.

It will be a while before all is completely better- there is rehabilitation ahead - I'm glad that he's young and will heal quickly. 

Positive thoughts and prayers for a speedy successful recovery . . . he and I both need that!

Vacation . . .

My significant other surprised me with a true vacation!  We had ticket vouchers from last year's trip to Las Vegas that needed to be used before the end of October.  We planned a few days in NYC (one of my favorite places) when I got a phone call at work "is your passport up to date?"  My answer was - Yes!! why?  Well, instead of going to NYC why don't we go to London?? (another favorite place!).  My answer again was a resounding YES! 

I packed and got ready - he said there was another surprise but didn't tell me until we got to the airport (VERY EARLY) and I saw "elite access" on our boarding passes.  For the trip to Newark that didn't mean much, but from Newark to Heathrow it meant A LOT!!  When we got on the plane -  our seats looked like these!!  After an extremely nice meal and pampering, it was truly possible to lie down completely (at least for me) and sleep (really sleep).  Got to London relaxed and refreshed. . . . We certainly can't travel this way often or probably ever again, but it was FANTASTIC once!  Looking forward to the trip home!