Okay, I'm behind. Really behind!!!

I just posted some Christmas pictures on Flickr. Today I will be removing the last of my Christmas stuff and packing it away until next year. What is left up is my Christmas village and my Snowmen. Matt thinks I should leave it up just a little longer. He says it will snow again and then it will be okay to have it up still. I just want it down and put away so I don't have to keep vaccuming up the snow that falls. Enjoy the pictures.

Pictures from the Hospital

We took these right before we were told we could go home. Abby had already gotten most of her color back while Gabe still looks like death warmer over. Today he is feeling much better and is fighting with his sister and getting into trouble. Never thought I would look forward to that!!! Glad he is feel ing better. But I guess it's a good thing we didn't plan on coming to Knoxville for a basketball game this weekend. Hey Matt! You were right for once.

Things Are Getting Back to Normal

Gabriel slept through the night. He did not wake until 7:30 this morning. Which gave all of us some much needed sleep. I can tell he is feeling much better because he has gone back to his old mantra of, "Where are we going today? What are we doing today." Like we have to go somewhere or do something everyday. But today I am glad to hear this because it means he is feeling better. Matt posted a blog on the morning at the hospital and how he felt so bad with the way Gabriel left so happy to return so unhappy. It was interesting to hear his perspective on the matter. You ought to check it out. Maybe Gabriel will be able to go back to school on Thursday as I had hoped. Since he is feeling good now it should not be a problem at all. Then maybe I can get some work done around the house.

Get Well Gifts

We want to say a huge THANK YOU to NiNi and Grandaddy for the get well gifts. These have helped to make a tough time for the kids even better. Gabriel gave a great big smile when I told him he had received a package. This was great for us to see. I love the book you sent. Thank you so much for thinking of the kids.

We also had a friend of ours who brought us dinner last night. Ms. Robin brought us pizza and an apple cake. Both were delicious. Thank you.

We also want to Thank eveyone who has called or left us a message on the blog,

Kids have returned...

from surgery and are doing fine. Well, at least Abby is doing well. Gabriel on the other hands looks like death warmed over and refuses to eat or drink anything unless you badger him into it. We went to the hospital at 7:15 and did not return home until almost 4:00. They admitted us into the hospital so that we would be more comfortable and because they ran out of recovery rooms. While in the hospital Abby ate several of my fries and ate two cups of jello. Gabriel on the other hand did okay while at the hospital and took two popscicles and had to be forced to take that. He didn't get any better as the day or night went on. Matt slept with him in his room last night and said it was the single worst night sleep he has ever gotten. Matt said Gabriel either whined or cried all night long. He did wake me up at one point because he couldn't get him to take his pain medication. I went in and asked him if he wanted to feel better, he said, "Yes." So I told him he needed to take his medicine. right now he is sitting on the couch propped up by pillows looking pale with drool rolling out of his mouth because he refuses to swallow, and looking like he will pass out any second. I hope he begins to feel better soon. He has barely spoken and the house is too quiet with out my motor mouth. I hope he gets well soon. I also need to see some of those Gabriel smiles that light up the room. I haven't had enough of those in the last 36 hours.


Update: The kids are both napping comfortably. Gabe did not want his chicken noodle soup so we will try again later. He has begun to do a little playing and smiling though. He's a smart boy part of this is truly feeling bad while we feel that some is milking it for all it's worth. And it is kinda cute.

Last Update: We are still having to fight with Gabe to eat or drink anything but he seems to be feeling better. When Matt went out to rent some movies Gabe heard us talking and went to get his shoes to go with him. He also started playing a lot more as well and finally started getting some color back. Hopefully he will be able to rest soundly tonight and not have such a fretful night as before.

My brother has started his own IT Business, it's called Mokata Networks, LLC. He will soon be looking for office space and a sales person to help him. He has already taken on clients from his previous job as well as others. He's been doing this since November and seems to be doing really well. He hopes to hire someone to help him in the technical arena in the next 5-6 months. Check it out.

Results to MRI

I visited the doctor to find out the results to my MRI today and I have a solid mass in the left abdominal muscle wall. His recommendation is surgery to have it removed. It will then be sent off to be biopsied. He said he didn't think it would be malignant but that a biopsy would tell. He also said that I might need to have additional surgery depending on what the results were. I was also informed that after the surgery I would not be able to lift anything weighing more than 10 lbs. This will be fun and enjoyable for me I had a hard time not lifting anything more than what the baby weighed after my c-sections.

Of course Matt is worried and ready to take time off. It makes me feel good to know he cares but the extent of his worry is also making me more anxious. So now we have the kid's surgeries to get through and then mine. Or medical bills are going to be through the roof!!

When I go grocery shopping I am trying to have a list and a menu for the week before I go. Otherwise when I get to the store I spend too much money and end up coming home with junk and "nothing" to eat for meals. There is also usually nothing healthy as well. I also try to go shopping alone. If I take Matt or Gabriel we end with things that are not on the list. How do you shop? With or without a list? And who does the shopping in your house? I couldn't get Matt to go to the grocery store he can't stand shopping.

And she's out

I've pulled Abby out of school. Why did I do this? I did this because I don't think she is getting much out of the program. She is more sick than she is well and I am hoping this will help her to stay better longer. She will also miss a week and a half with the surgery next week. So Matt and I discussed it and decided she didn't need to stay in school. And also for a selfish reason. My baby is growing up and I would like to spend a little more time with her. Though the breaks during the day are wonderful and I can accomplish much this will be better. I think.

Yesterday while talking to my mother I found out that one of my Aunts is going on dialysis and may need a kidney transplant. They will be testing her kids and all of her brothers and sisters. My mother gave a list of reasons as to why each of the brothers and sisters would probably not be good candiates. Out of the 6 my father is the healthest. So we will just have to wait and see.

When I was involved in Sewing Sisters at First Pres. of Smyrna we put together quilts for dialysis. Maybe I should make one for my aunt. It would be really cool to get pictures of her kids and grandkids to put on it. I need to learn how to do that and how to quilt. Though I may be able to do it with applique techniques.

I had my MRI yesterday and I swear that the injection they gave me for a contrast made me sick. I was fine going in and during the procedure but after they gave me the injection I started feeling weird. I went home and went straight to bed after Matt said he would take the rest of the day off. I was able to rest for a while but kept waking up with major stomach cramps. I finally got sick around dinner time and felt much better. Matt called and asked about side effects but was informed that there were none. Though I'm not so sure. It could have been a stomach bug but I would have thought I would have been sicker. It also last less than 12 hours. So who knows. If I ever have to have the same procedure done again I will know then I guess.

I won't know the results of the MRI until Wed. afternoon.

I'm not your Teddy Bear

Last night as Matt was cuddling with Gabriel, Matt calls Gabriel his Teddy Bear. Gabriel gets a big grin on his face and says, "I'm not your Teddy Bear. I'm Gabriel. I have a brain."

Breaking your Resolution Weekend

As Matt and I sat eating a pizza and watching videos on T.V. last weekend a commercial came on announcing that we were watching the Break your Resolution Weekend Music. Matt and I looked at one another a gave high 5's. We had at that moment broken our resolution of losing weight. Technically I have a full year to lose the 30 lbs. but we had been South Beaching it and bread especially the bread with pizza is not allowed during the first two weeks. Our excuse is we had too much junk in the house tempting us. Once it is gone we will try again. One thing I can say though is I have been cooking more healthy foods. I have also been eating more veggies than normal. At least that should help some. The next thing I will need to do is get active.

We broke our resolution but we will begin again soon!!!

My Calendar for This Month is Full

For the next 3 weeks I will be visiting preschools to find one I am happy with. Going to doctor appointments for both me and the kids, the kids have surgery on the 23rd. And I will also be doing the normal errand running and taking the kids to and from school and MOPS. I know that this is just the tip of the iceburg, that is will get worse as they get older and we have more kids, but all the running around is more than normal for this household. I guess I just have to get use to it. Maybe next month will it will slow down.

I see a MRI in my near future

I went to the doctor today to have the mass in my abdomen checked on. It was a follow up visit and I did not expect much to be done. But he seemed concerned because it seems to be getting larger. His words were, "This is weird. Really weird." Though at the same time he assured me that he really didn't think it would be anything bad. I guess we will see soon enough.

Matt's in Nashville

Matt will be gone until Tuesday night sometime. Gabriel misses Matt a lot when he is gone and tends to be more clingy. I need to remember that he has a harder time dealing with him being gone than I do. Abby tends to ask for him first thing in the morning and then again at night but other than that she seems just fine.

No More Breaking into the Closet

Gabriel and Abby have broken into the closet for the last time. (At least for a while.) After the kids caused a complete disaster with multiple 52 card pick-ups and getting into tempra and fabric paint as well as pulling several other things out the closet we have now changed the door knob to a locking one. Let's see how long this lasts. I just wish I had taken a picture of the disaster they had created. But at least this did get Matt to put up the child locks I had been trying to get him to put up since moving into the house. :)

Reality Me is Back!!!

Because I had not been on the computer in a couple of days I did not know that he was back. Welcome back Doug!! We have missed you!

Family health update

Matt went to the dermotologist yesterday and the doctor did not find any new spot to be removed. Matt will be going to the doctor every 6 months to be checked out for life.

Matt is also still not feeling well. He got the stomach virus that Gabe started and Aunt Lucy finished. I am beginning to wonder if it is not the strep virus. Matt will be going to the doctor tomorrow.

Abby is on antibiotics to get rid of her new ear infection. I am beginning to really look forward to tubes. Though I also hope it doesn't cause more problems than it fixes.

Gabe is doing just fine. He bounces back quickly and half the time you never know when he is sick.

I am not and have not been sick. I do have a dermotologist appointment on the 17th to have a spot of my own looked at and also one on the 10th with a sergeon to have the muscle mass looked at as well. Hopefully both will be just fine.

New Year's Resolution Part II

The second half of my new years resolution is to go to church. Ever since we moved we have not been going to church. I would like to find a church I am comfortable in and that I think the kids can grow in, hopefully we will find it soon. I would like for the kids to grow up in a church so that they can make an educated decision about going to church later in life. They need to know what is out there.

Matt calls it the "redneck anthem". I call it my class song (Red Bank High School '94). I also found out the Cathy also calls it her class song. ('xx) Does that tell you anything about my high school graduating class? Can you figure out the song?

New Year's Resolution Part I

I have never been one to make a New Year's Resolution but I will be making one this year. I will be doing a common resolution and it will be to lose weight. I will be working towards my goal of losing 20 lbs. by next year. Matt is going to be working on the same so it should make the task at hand a little easier. Hopefully when we are ready to start trying for another child I will be at a much healthier weight.