One down, One to go!

So I managed to conquer one holiday, now only one more to go! As usual it was more of the same, driving all over Indiana to visit family. It makes it so hard with a 3 month old - feeding in the car, changing, cleaning up spit up, and all the other wonderful stuff that comes with having a baby. As I titled, one down, one more to go.

Thanksgiving for me means time to shop! Black Friday is something I look forward to for months prior to Thanksgiving. This morning, my Mom, my Aunt (her sister), and I got up at 4am to hit the road for some great deals. Of course we had to make a stop for coffee on the way. Coffee is a must at 4:30 in the morning. We hit Wal-mart right at 5am, spent an hour there and then headed to Target. We were in and out of there in 40 minutes (after a second round of coffee, this time the necessity - Starbucks)! To my surprise that was just what I needed - we had a second boost of energy, or what I call an double shot high. We were off to Old Navy and Kohl's. After picking up most everything I was looking for, and a lot more (I went crazy on toys at Kohl's for Nolan's first Christmas) we were headed home. It was great - and start October 2009 I'll be searching the internet for black Friday ads posted early.

Oh the holidays...

Well it's that time of the year again... THE HOLIDAYS. How I dread the holidays, ask me why... Traveling all around Indiana, now with a 3 month old and a dog. Staying at one parent's house and then driving an hour to another. It feels like the holidays are just a time for us to bitch at each other and complain about one persons family over the other. I hate it! We can never agree on anything. It's our first Christmas with Nolan and I would like to have Christmas at our house. Wake up Christmas morning, have a nice breakfast, open some presents and sit by the fire. Just relax and enjoy the day. Of course that won't happen, the past 5 years and not once have we done what I want to do, we always do what Jeremy wants to do. By rights, it's my turn. So, I sound like I'm 5 years old, but still it is my turn.

I ask my husband one question, logistically how are we going to haul up a kid, dog, and several gifts, on top of all of our luggage. Most of all... how are we going to haul a kid, dog, luggage and several gifts back! It could be the 2008 version of Christmas Vacation sans the motor home! I'll post the final decision (hopefully it's mine!) ;)

Grateful

So this is my first blog post... I don't know if I should be excited or scared, scared that I don't know what the heck on doing on this thing. It can't be that hard right???? It's Sunday night and we're watching Sunday night football. Nolan is sleeping in Papa's arms. My Mom is here from Granger for a couple days for doctors appointments. She complains that she has to keep seeing her doctors since it's been 7 years since her bone marrow transplant, but she's alive and that's what we're grateful for. The past 7 years and the time we've spent with her, the grandchildren she has now and the wonderful things she's been able to accomplish after her transplant. I sit here and think of this as my best friends Dad is dying from ALS(Lou Gehrig's disease). He was just diagnosed in May of this year and won't make it past tonight. What a horrible thing to have to go through, watching your parent die, right in front of your eyes. I remember there were many mornings I'd wake up and pray that today wasn't the day. I can't begin to imagine what it's like for her, especially so close to the holidays, but can only pray for her and her family. As I do this, I have to thank God and tell him how grateful I am for all the work the doctor's have done for my Mom, all the hospital stays I thought she'd never get to come home from, of course I'm VERY thankful/grateful for my Mom's donor - without her my Mom wouldn't be here today. She and her family have become a special part of our family. She has inspired me as a person because of the little things she has given in order to save a life. In October of this year I registered myself on the bone marrow list. Doing so little to save a life, how can I not? If any of you are reading this please take the time to visit this website http://www.marrow.org/ and take time out of your life to save someone else's life. In closing, please keep my friend and her family in your prayer's as they struggle through this difficult time in their lives and be grateful for the time you have with family and friends.