I'm Back

Wow. This is the longest I've gone without updating my blog since I started it...4 years ago!

2010 has proved to be quite the odd year so far.

I'm just sitting here, not knowing what to say so I'll just blab about what comes to my mind:

My mom had back surgery. My poor mom! She has been dealing with awful pain for over a year since her knee replacement surgery, and then she had to have back surgery on top of it all. It was pure mayhem to put it lightly! My dad was practically living at the hospital with her so he could help her get through it. I was doing my best to help my dad, but my kids are off track so everything I did came with my entourage of boys. The medication she was on made her hallucinate, and I'm not talking about fun stuff. It was awful. Then the hospital released her to a rehab facility that was pretty run down. They tried to put my mom in a room to share with somebody who owned a dog. Pretty unsanitary. Then they ended up putting her in a room with somebody who was crazy and screamed at my mom in spanish. It was ridiculous. My brother Mike saved my sanity, he flew out here from Indiana to help share the burden of "what should we do now?". He completely energized my mom and dad and helped make difficult decisions until everybody was happy with the outcome (my mom is now home. She has home health care physical therapists).

During all this, I had my own health scare that has lasted about 9 months (not baby related! ha ha!). Not really appropriate for the blog, but it was extremely painful, and kind of escalated pretty badly before it could be resolved just this past week and I'm so happy it's over. Things are good as far as that is concerned!

I've had very near and dear loved ones go through some difficult emotions and trials. It consumes me because I just want to put my arm around them, love them, and tell them everything will be alright. Obviously, it's not that easy and these things need time--which stinks for somebody like me who has no patience.

Then there's everything that is happening in Haiti. Oh my gosh, I can't NOT watch the news coverage but at the same time, it's so painful I want to hide my eyes. It's so sad. Again, I want to put my arms around those people and tell them everything will be alright.

All this and today is only the 19th. Holy crap. I think I didn't want to update my blog because it sounds so negative. But, there you go. That's what has been happening.

Don't despair though, it hasn't all been bad!

I was able to attend a baby blessing for a dear friend, whose family I honestly consider my own "2nd family". Holla to the Hansens! Seeing you all made me ticked that we don't see each other more often! ha ha! I wasn't able to attend their grandma's funeral, but Sam was and I'm so thankful they allowed us to be part of this sacred time in their lives.

Carson attended his first ever Pinewood Derby and came in 2nd place. He loved it!





Finally, I'm so excited because my sister-in-law is prego and she's having a girl! Girls are almost unheard of in my family so we're all in shock! I also have 4 cousins who are expecting and so far I know 2 are girls and 1 is a boy. Family gatherings are about to get even crazier! Yay!!!!!

Here's to a happy last half of January!