What a year....

 We started the year off with a BANG!  We surprised the kids with a trip to Disney!  It was a great trip even though we did almost die in Atlanta :) but I digress!

Enjoyed V and S's basketball games.  Started baseball.  Here came S's 1st Communion Day which also happened to be Mother's Day.  He swallowed a coin.  2.6 cm.  We called 911 and took him to the hospital.  He passed the coin nearly 2 weeks later and we figured we were in the clear.

July and August he just kept mentioning how bad his stomach hurt.  We said...try this, do this.  It didn't get better.

In July Mr. Fish went to the dermatologist to get a lump on his face checked out.  After many different opinions and Dr.'s they decided to remove it.  It was cancer.  He went back in October and got an all clear for 6 months.

In late August we were starting to get really concerned about S.  Took him to the ped and she referred him to a ped. gast. at University of Chicago.  He was recently diagnosed with esophagitis and also has a prolapsed rectum (which he will be having surgery to repair in March or April).  We are thankful to have some answers where his stomach is concerned.

In August and September and October Fish woke up with both eyes swollen shut.  His ped. referred him to a ped. allergist at University of Chicago.  He had testing and is severely allergic to many things including pollen and ragweed.  We are currently managing his allergies with prescriptions.

In October V came down with what we thought was the stomach flu.  No one else got it.  She vomited at least 5 times a day for 2 weeks.  She had blood drawn and everything tested fine.  The only thing the Dr.'s kept saying was it must be stress.  FINALLY it stopped in early December.

I'm so thankful this year is ending.  We are all mostly healthy.  I can't wait for 2012!  It is shaping up to be one of the best years of my life!

Happy New Year's friends! 

Oh how I struggle....

I was 12 years old. It was my birthday. My Grandmother Marie had passed away 3 years earlier and how I worried about Pappy Vern. So on my birthday he said.....if you stay here with me today I will take you to McDonalds. I saw in his eyes that he didn't want me to go. He wanted me to spend my birthday with him. My Mom had my birthday dinner all planned but I wasn't there. I was with my best friend.....my Grandpa. You could be in a room with 100 people and it felt like just you and him. He listened to me. He let me put rollers in his hair. We watched Trapper John MD. He made the best hot chocolate ever. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved him and he loved me. I would give anything for 5 minutes. I just want 5 minutes with him. I want him to say this to me.

Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why
it's called the present.

He needs to remind me of this. He loved this saying. He had a bulletin board beside his fridge that had this saying written on it.

So many times a day I get caught up in all of the nothing and forget about the everything. I have said since the day V was born......everything I need to survive can fit in my king size bed.

Struggling to put things in perspective this Christmas. Missing my loved ones who have gone but trying to thank God for each blessing I have.

My friend Michelle and her beautiful daughters....

I asked my friend Michelle yesterday if I could take her girls pictures today. She said yes! The weather was supposed to be 48 and sunny. Instead 40 and rain. We all had a blast through the raindrops and I really captured their spunk. Thanks girls for being so much fun!

Construction site....

We knew this was coming.  Mr. Fish's parents divorced when he was young.  Grandma Fish's house is over 100 years old.  The walls on her carport were collapsing.  We all knew something would have to be done.  Mr. Fish has a little time off work so he went to fix it along with his brother in law.  He left Wednesday and it is a big project.  So proud of him for taking care of his momma!

I would go back....

10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. A while ago in 2009 I posed this question.....would you go back? I have been thinking about "going back" all day. Finally, after 37 years of life I have decided yes I would like to be 7 years old again. I would love to start over. Today at church Proverbs 31 was our first reading. If I went back when I got back to 37 I would be the women in Proverbs 31. I feel like I haven't done my best work lately. I feel like I used to be fun and friendly and now I am mostly grouchy and irritable. Life messes with your personality. I would have said a few years ago that I was friendly and kind. Mr. Fish's cancer, V's stomach problems, S's coin and now stomach problems, V's hives and allergies. These are things I wouldn't have to deal with if I were 7. I really wouldn't go back because I couldn't risk things turning out differently but it sure would be nice to have a start over. Today is Fish's 3rd Birthday! It was a great day! Makes me so happy we decided on just one more :)

Beautiful friends make gorgeous children....

I know that my friends think I am doing them a favor when I photograph their children but actually it is my privelege. Meet Maddie and Claire. They are fun and spirited and we had a blast today.

I grew up appreciating soldiers...

This isn't something new to our family....this appreciation for those who served.

My Grandmother Emma had 8 sons and 7 of them served our country.

My Father was a Marine.

My Brother just retired from the Air Force on 9/11 after 26 years of service.

My Nephew is currently enlisted.

I have a few special cousins who are still serving.

I come from a LONG line of military.

I wanted to be in the Army but I had flat feet and needed to lose weight. I met with the recruiter and then decided I couldn't leave my mama.

My Father told terrible stories about what he had to endure in the Korean War but it didn't make it sound so bad, he just told the story like it was part of his job.

I'm sure being a Marines kid is not for everyone. He is no nonsense. There is no room for disrespect in his life, in my life, in our children's lives.

When my Brother would leave for tours it would always break my heart. I couldn't imagine my life without him. I remember when he went to Turkey in 1986 things were bad between my parents (they divorced the next year). I begged him not to get hurt I told him it would kill me. He promised he would come home safe and mostly he did.

He was injured in one tour. Tramatic brain injury. Bad stuff. It was hard for him, it was hard for us. Every morning he suffers, every night he dreams. It is a hard row to hoe but the soldier in him doesn't allow for complaining.

So today I will go to the school's Veterans Day program and I will sit in the audience with the rest of the parents. I will know in my heart what being a soldier really means. The sacrifice these men and women have made. I will be thankful to my core. I will cry a little and then I will promise to never forget. And every morning when I pray with the kids we will pray for our soldiers both living and deceased. Not just today but everyday. It's a promise I made a long time ago.