Holidays and Much More

So I didn't make my monthly goal...but I'm really only a day off. There's been a lot going on and I've thought a lot about blogging but then when it comes down to it, I really just want to blog stalk instead of writing my own. But my hubby's been nagging me for another post and then my mom started in so I know 2 of my 3 faithful readers are really looking for an update. Its so odd that they nag me when in reality they both probably know more about my life than anything I'd write in my blog anyways.


So the holidays are right around the corner and our kids are so excited this year. I have to say this is the first year that Van REALLY gets it...I mean really. He is so excited and tells me everyday that we are getting "just a little closer to Christmas". We even made a holiday chain for him to take a link off everyday...except when I was growing up we always did it in December but he has been so excited that his chain started in November with a little over 50 links on his chain. Now there is only 1 line left and 18 links left. He has been excited about every step so far. Mike got up on the roof on Saturday and put up Christmas lights and we have a lighted reindeer in our yard...Van is loving it, he even told Mike..."daddy, you're a hero"...it was sweet. He likes to go out and turn them on himself. We will be getting our tree this weekend and I'm sure that will be a thrill too. He keeps asking me when we are going to go get our tree "to put outside". I don't think he really knows it will be in here with us so it will be fun to see his face when we leave it in here. Ava is just following Van's lead, anything Van likes Ava loves. So of course she loves the lights, Claus (as she calls Santa Claus), and all things reindeer. So like I said, holidays should be fun, very fun this year.


On a sad note, my grandma passed away almost a year ago and my grandpa is not doing too well himself. About a month and a half ago my grandparent's house caught on fire. My grandpa was asleep, heard the fire alarm, jumped out of his chair startled, tripped over the dog, hit his head and broke his hip. He was sent to the hospital right away suffering from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. He ended up having hip surgery and placed in a physical rehabilitation center to heal from his surgery but has not done too well there. After weeks of trying to force my grandpa to eat, and keep his IVs and catheters in, his care has been transferred to hospice. I'm still hopeful, however dumb that might be. Since he's been in hospice, about 2 weeks now, he's been eating a bit and looking a little better. My grandpa is sooo stubborn, so maybe it is just a matter of him not being forced to do something but instead choosing too. I'm hoping we can get through this Christmas without me losing my grandpa. He's very special to me...maybe even more so than my grandma. He was the one I wanted to marry when I was little; the one who kept a drawer full of candy bars in the garage for me to feed my sweet tooth; the one who would come get me when I was sick at school and take me for ice cream; the one who would scratch my back in front of the fire place while we watched Wheel of Fortune. You see, the list just goes on and on. They say girls have special relationships with their grandpas and mine was no disappointment. I'm sad to see him get older, sad to see the grandpa I remember starting to slip away. I know its selfish, but I'd like to hold on to him for however long I've got, even if only for a few weeks, even though he can't be the grandpa I remember...he'll always be the grandpa I love. Please pray for him...and for me.


Let's see...so the kidney stones have returned. I was in the hospital a week or so ago with another "episode"...this one lasting 3 hours. Have no fear, I knew immediately what it was and even told the CT tech that I was 99.9% sure it was a kidney stone, they were shocked at my confidence, or I guess you can say arrogance. But I'll have you know, once you have a kidney stone you will never forget that pain....I'll never forget that pain. I was in extreme pain, even screaming in the ER...quite embarrassing. It turns out I had 2 in my ureter tract. They sent me home to hopefully pass them. I went to my urologist last Tuesday to follow up and he said if I haven't passed them both by tomorrow, we will have surgery again. I had another little "episode" on Friday so I know as of then, I still had at least 1. Hopefully they will both be gone by tomorrow, but I should know more around 3pm...I'll keep you posted. If surgery is the outcome...pray for Mike, he'll need it with these 2 rugrats.


Well I'll leave you with a cute holiday pic of my little ones. We took these at Lynn and Larry's a few weeks back for Grandma B's holiday card. Hope you like it...


B