Merry Christmas 2011

Sharon from Redbud Designs worked her magic and made a precious card!

JEERS AND CHEERS of 2011

So excited to be typing from a new year!

I am HOPEFULLY aniticipating the PROMISES of 2012.

(more on that later)

time for 2011 JEERS and CHEERS!

Early in 2011 I deemed this the year of the LOSS. While we had many great memories, LOSS continued to be a prevailing theme of the year.

1. JEER/CHEER- My precious MeeMaw was called home. Her fragile body had fought a long hard fight with her cancer. At 91, she was no longer going to be suffering and no longer be in pain. It is also hard to experince loss through your children. As I right this, it has almost been a year and it is still a tender spot.

2. CHEER- a SNOWcation! We had a TON of snow fall this past winter. So much SNOW and ICE that we had 4 days of school! It was awesome to be at home. This snowstorm came right as we were returning from being in Houston for MeeMaw's funeral. Having those days at home to be still and KNOW was a precious part of my grieving.

3. CHEER-Brody and Dylan turn 3! A LEGO PARTY for 2 BIG BOYS!

4. CHEER- BOTH boys are potty trained! Potty Party!

5. JEER- I am still not feeling well after a year of blood work and medications. Meds for thyroid leave me feeling not so good. On to another Doctor!

6. CHEER- Another FUN Spring Break in Houston!

We always make a stop at the Houston Zoo and invite the rest of the city to join us! It's crazy, but my secret parking spot remains a secret!

The boys had been REALLY wanting to go to the beach! So we went down to Galveston Beach, did a fun trip to Moody Gardens and saw Dora and Diego 4D, and of course a dinner a the Rainforest Cafe! VOLCANO!

7. CHEER/JEER- Easter was so pretty...until the tornado rolled through and we didn't get to hunt eggs. Instead we crammed into the Laundry Room and watched movies on the laptop!

Cheese!

and then real life happens...

8. JEER- Saw a new endocrinologist. This was a JEER in my side. ugh.

9. CHEER- SPORTS! They boys played WeeBall in the Spring, Soccer in the Fall, and Gymnastics through out the year. We also went to every EAGLES game each Friday Night! They boys LOVE Friday Night Football!!!

Of course they had the greatest coach around!

10. CHEER-Road TRIPS!

We made a couple of trips to the beach.

We also made a few trips to Sea World. I love going to San Antonio! Even though its been over 20 years since I lived there, it still feels like one of my homes.

11. JEER- We had another sweet goodbye. Zeke's tumors took over. Debbie Riggs of Pure Photography came and captured these treasured moments in Zeke's last day. He was a good dog and we miss him a lot. With all the loss this year the boys and I have discussed death and Heaven a lot.

12. JEER- My Grandaddy's altziheimers had progressed to a point where he needed to move to a facility equip to assist him. In a quick month, he went from being at the house when we came to see him to not really knowing who we are. He enjoys our visits, but doesn't truly know we are his family. It was another discussion the boys and I continue to have as they don't understand why he's not there when we go to GG's house. (which is a lot since GG lives where my new Doctor is)

Muffin, their dog also had to be put down. I found Muffin with Grandaddy one summer right before I went to ACU. So we had another hard discussion to have with the boys about why Muffin isn't at GG's House.

12. JEER/CHEER- In August, I switched to another endocrinologist in the big city. He's AMAZING! I am so thankful for finding him. He was able to give me a diagnosis of what had been happening over the last 3 years. I actually have quite a few things and we haven't really tackled the fertility, yet. But this day in August was when I began to feel a little better.

I have a series of autoimmune diseases.

I have a "syndrome" and a "deficiency."

I had to morn the loss of my old "normal" which will never be the same.

I am remaining HOPEFUL that a new normal will still allow me to be a great mother and wife.

I am HOPEFUL that the sister the boys pray for, ask about, and I greatly have been waiting on will be a possibility soon.

Happy New Year!

Ready, set, Go 2012!

I'm ready for a year of great promises!