Little Man..

I have always said you have "old man" eyes, meaning that I know there is so much inside you that we haven't been able to hear. Last week, you showed Daddy and I that you could read....like really read! You were playing "I Spy" with Daddy after dinner. Your favorite thing to say is " I spy the moon...outside...high in the sky". Usually it is something odd like "I spy something Mommy....or I spy something Hippie." Last week it was I spy "To Go". Daddy didn't understand what you said...so you told him again. There was a bag on the counter from On the Border with the big words TO GO on there. He called me and you did it again. We were both so shocked....you could read all sorts of words and we never knew it. I bought flash cards the next day thinking we were crazy...and you knew most of the words...even house and yellow. The easy words like dog, cat, mom, dad...but weird ones...like she and he. I am amazed at you. We are amazed at you.

Out with the old.....

2010 in a recap brought Matthew and I:

Move to Keller (ok...2009, but still in the same haze)

Matthew quite smoking

I went a few months without a job and had some financial struggles associated with that

I found a job at Baylor Health with the ENT Consultants of North Texas....GREAT job, horrible commute from Keller (90 minutes)

The kiddos were in daycare in Keller, which was a good thing...but they were horribly green gooey sick. It took Jack getting a sinus infection and a double ear infection that caused him to cough for over a month and throw up. Many MD appointments, X-Rays and drugs didn't help. Father Brown finally called it enough and sent us the money to get a nanny. More on that later.

Speaking of sick, Matthew was "delightfully" stubborn and got sick and waited 2 months before being diagnosed with pneumonia. Right in the middle of the sick little ones. Hmm....I was not so impressed with his delay of treatment.

Katie's magical 4th birthday was marked with Jack getting a VIOLENT stomach virus that caused him to throw up for 3 days. I managed to keep enough (barely) in him so he didn't have to go to the hospital and be admitted. I have never seen a child that sick before. Finally, the MD told us to hydrate him or admit him. With the help of a chemotherapy nausea pill, we turned the corner.

We started to look for a house and that of course turned into a circus act with the College Station realtor being a hag. We finally resolved that....but more stress to the mess. It sold the month our subsidy ran out with SYSCO, so that was a blessing.

We found a perfect house, at a perfect interest rate and perfect for 3 kids. Chelci decided that she wanted to live with us. Long story short, she found it more comfortable back in Allen

During the move, our car insurance company switched carriers and the delay in two addresses, we found out we were driving uncovered! Delightfully..it was AFTER Matthew got pulled over and ticketed. It took some sorting out...sigh. Then we figured out that Plano has red light cameras too....woo hoo!

The move from Keller....egads. The house needed to be repainted top to bottom (thank you Matthew!!), which was mostly done in August with no electricity. The movers stiffed us for an extra $500 and threatened to (and actually started to lock our stuff up and leave until we paid). delightful.

meanwhile...the Trailblazer that we leased went over in the terms and in mileage. Although we had it on our minds, it got tabled. $3k...got our attention. Enter the Honda van. Matthew worked a deal, but financially, not bright on our part. We got the van to get the whole family (Katie, Jack, Chelci, Mom and Dad and Winston)

Winston left to spend time at camp with Mom and Dad. TRAUMATIC for all involved. Katie still misses him with all her heart. In fact, I do too.

The babysitters turned into a fracas as well. We got Megan to help out which seemed fine, but in retrospect, we should have found someone closer. She however, was amazing for Chelci. We put an ad in the paper and found Vonnie, who turned out not to take to Katie...so be gone! Enter Carmen...thankfully, the kids transitioned to her quickly and she has been a stable force in their life for a few months now.

Bucky and Katy's wedding...wonderful. We threw some parties...engagement and a stock the bar....let's note that I missed it due to Jack's fever and Katie's hand, which had been stepped on and she had to go to the ER. Fun times :(

Finances were so tough that we weren't sure what we were going to do. The stress from that added 20 years to Matthew and I. We were thankful for family support during those times. I pray we have turned the corner there. Time will tell

Chelci...well that story is most stressful...and one I am not willing to record...but want to note it so I can see where we are in time

My friends in College Station...I miss them dreadfully. I haven't made close connections here. That is something I need to change

Trip to Big Sandy for the Thanksgiving holiday where CB invited some stranger to hunt and stay. AWKWARD!! Sigh...more trauma. LOL...good old Jack at dinner with Donna and Craig, threw up in front of everyone. Good way to make an impression

Katie cut her beautiful hair before the move...golden white locks of curls.....a feeling one will not forget

The Pennsylvania land deal came through in the nick of time...and saved us from going under

Matthew....driving fool. His territory is forever away but we are closer to his headquarters

There is more...I know I am blocking out of my memory!