Where has 2009 gone?

I am horrible at keeping up with my blog. But my life is about to change so much that this will be a way for me to reflect and share my thoughts, so hopefully I will be able to keep up with my posts.



Where has 2009 gone? It seems like just yesterday we celebrated the new year. Now we are about to bring in 2010! I guess this has been a tough year for a lot of people. I mean, the economy isn't exactly nice to many.



Let's see in 2009 we got (world news):



1-Our first African American President is inaugarated

2-Lost Farrah Faucet, Patrick Swayze, and Michael Jackson

3-Steelers won the Superbowl

4-Sanford left SC to meet his mistress in Argentina

5-Cash for Clunkers

6-Healthcare

7-Swine Flu outbreak

8-Fort Hood rampage

9-Edward Kennedy dies

10-Sullenberger lands plane in the Hudson River



This is just a few.



As for me, things have been good until last week. We have had our highs and lows like everyone else. But my girls are happy and healthy and Chris and I are still happy and in love as ever.

We seem to be loosing family members and may I say it's not all by death.

I worked my first summer in 8 years this year. It wasn't so bad, I would've loved to have slept in and gone to the beach more. But I was fortunate enough to only have worked a few hours a day so we still had a good time.



The highlights of my year:

-the girls playing in the rain

-family gatherings

-new friends

-celebrating 10 years of marriage

-Vanessa's laugh

-Lauren's smile

-my sweet Bella (my dog)

-vacation

-watching Vanessa play soccer

-seeing Lauren cheer

-the excitement the girls have watching Tennessee football

-New Tennesse coach Lane Kiffin



There are so many good things that I could go on forever.



However, we got some bad news last week that has devasted many of us in my family. We found out that my grandmother has a mass the size of a baseball wrapped around her aorta in her abdomen and wrapped in her spine. We found this out the Monday before Christmas. The doctor says it is inoperable. So now we wait for them to schedule the biopsy to see what she actually has. My mom just has surgery a few days before we found out so this could not have come at a worse time. Not that anytime is a good time.



My grandmother is like a 2nd mother to me. My mom married and had me at 16, so when her and my dad split up, she was there to help raise me and my sister. She is the type of woman that would give you the shirt off her back. She always thought that my sister and I were the best ever(as all grandparents do). And my girls, oh how she loves my girls. If I thought she was crazy about me, boy, crazy doesn't describe how she feels about Lauren and Vanessa.



I have come to realize that the woman that has always been there for me, now needs me. She says she will not take any treatments so the chances of her being around next year this time is probably slim. It is hard to imagine her not being here. She can barely keep anything down right now and has difficulty walking or sitting up. The doctor says it is because of the tumor being in her spine and around her nerves.

We spent Christmas together as a family and she really didn't look good. The crazy thing is...she had these test run because she fell in a parking lot a few weeks earlier and thought some of her problems she was having was related to the fall. She also thought her gallblader was going bad because she was having trouble keeping food down and had pains in her abdomen. So was she shocked to get these results. She was alone when she got them. No one expected this!!



I could go on all night but I am finally sleepy! Keep us in your prayers as this will be a long journey for the entire family.

Fall Sports

Vanessa playing soccer (#18)

Lauren cheering

Lauren

Fall 2009

Well, it is fall and I love it. We have been so busy. Both the girls have been in some type of sport. So I was running somewhere everyday, sometimes 2 places in one night. Trying to juggle everything is rough. Fall sports have ended and we have more time to spend at home. Thank you Lord!
I am enjoying making soups this time of year. Our favorite is our homemade potato soup! It is yummy! It is the same soup that Rafferty's serves. It is a hit at my house.
The girls loved Halloween. I think between school parties, church, and Halloween night that celebrated for several days and have more candy than we know what to do with. I have given a lot of it away. Don't need the tummy aches and cavities.

I will post pictures of our fun but busy Fall!

Girl Scout Father/Daughter Dance

Lauren

Vanessa

My beautiful girls!

Fun at the river

Lauren, Vanessa, and Grandpa

Vanessa and Mommy

Lauren and Vanessa having fun

Playin' in the rain

Vanessa

Lauren and Vanessa

Lauren

Spring Fever

I have a really bad case of spring fever. It has been sooo nice the last few days. Now it's going to get cool and rain again. I am so ready for spring. That is my favorite time of the year. That and fall. I love sitting outside in my hammock swing and feeling the breeze. The girls especially like this time of year. They are able to spend their time outside playing. That also benefits me!
I need to do some major spring cleaning! This house needs a good once over. But don't all, especially when you have kids! I need to get my dining room back in order. I have had girl scout cookies sitting in there for about a month now. That is almost over and I can get things put back in place.
Hopefully we will be going to the beach for a weekend real soon. I can't wait! I love the beach in the spring. My dad has a condo in Surfside so we can pretty much go when we want as long as he doesn't have it rented.

Everyone has been doing very well. No one is sick again(knock on wood). I have been having some sinus trouble but I am now on an antibiotic so I am getting a little better.
Chris is getting ready to go back on that horrible swing shift at Bowater. At least he has a job. Not that much has been going on. Just the normal day to day things that keeps everyone busy.