I'm moving to self-medicating....

and i wish that self medicating involved lots of massages, glasses of wine and time with lots of friends...but it is busy season. we have to save that for later. and I know I will have some takers that will join me in that cause!

my blood pressure is still all over the place. in the morning it is low (I take my pills at night and they are 24 hour pills) and if I don't take that little pill within 24 hours (like last night - when i walked into my house at 1 am. I know, I know, no lectures) my blood pressure is miraciously higher. Go figure. Last night it was 130/71. (yes, much higher. I will thank my staff for that one! ha!)

So I have decided that the dosage is really just too high - even the half pill. So I am now contemplating moving to a 1/4 of a pill for the rest of the weekend to see if my blood pressure will "stabilize". Then the doctor and I are having a long talk on monday to see what we can do to fix this "debacle". only problem is that my heart rate is high again.

*sigh*

its not fixing what it is supposed to be fixing and messing with something it "shouldn't" be affecting.

*sigh, again*

At least I feel a little better...except when I have to stand for a long period of time!!! (mainly that only happens outside of my partners cube - there are long talks outside that cube - I need to add chairs outside so I can sit through all of those.

I am excited though, that this weekend one of my favorite co-workers who we will call "rocker rob" will be having his 30th birthday and is having a "concert". I am excited and dragging my friend SM with me. one of our other friends who started in our start class flew in from New York too, so I am excited to see her again! If only I didn't have to work this weekend. boo.

good news / bad news

good news first - I have 24 cupcakes sitting on my desk for me and my team to enjoy...good news only to my mouth, not to my hips! and they smell YUMMY!

Bad news - the blood pressure went down again and is sitting at 100/50.

*sigh*

about to call the doctor again.

still not feeling well...

I've been emailing with my doctor (who consequently is probably annoyed with me by now. I told him that I should just make an appointment so we can chat and he can actually get paid) and he thinks that my blood pressure has dropped due to the meds. Yesterday, he asked if I could take my blood pressure (now, let me say I left work at 4 because I felt so awful and was in my PJ's in bed). So I got out of bed, put on clothes and went to find one of those machines. lets just say that you can't find those machines anywhere. turns out that there is a liability to the business associated with someone passing out while taking their blood pressure. who would have thought about that.

Anyway, I tried to get them to do it at the Redi-Clinic at HEB - turns out they don't take blood pressure there either. And i was going to just pay the fee to see the doctor - but no. And don't worry - they came out to explain it to me - that I could pass out and those places are just for colds, not "serious illnesses" - I tried to say, I just need my blood pressure checked and they basically told me to go to the ER. I think i started crying at this point and said something ugly and walked out. God, please forgive me for what I said.
So, I go to CVS (this is stop 4 on this escapade) and buy a $70 blood pressure machine. Take it home - round 1 good. it is perfect. then every hour after, not so good. most time it is between 100-115 / 50-60. just in case you were wondering, they consider 120/70 to be good. if the bottom number is 40, you shouldn't be alive. AWESOME.
Of course, now I email my doctor and just decide to go to bed. Maybe the machine wasn't working? I wake up - 100/51. Great. I go to work and take my trusty little machine with me. I take it there around lunch - it is 100/60. A little better - but then, even better - my staff take theirs to see if the machine is working. Don't worry - it is.

The plan is tonight to take 1/2 of a pill, not a whole pill and see what happens. hopefully, after 1-2 days of this i will feel better. I made an appt with the doctor on Monday just in case. I just want to stay away from the hospital all together.

*sigh*

will it ever end? I swear - if I end up in the hosptial again - that would be three visits in less than a year. my insurance will have a cow, i am sure. oh, well, as long as i don't have to pay it! and yes, I already packed a bag for the hosptial just in case. is that sad? I didn't want SM or LM to have to go and dig for clothes and underwear to take to the hosptial for me. And yes, i have freaked out the entire family now. they want it all to stop.

But on the positive side, I am going to Jamaica with my aunt and cousins in May. I am excited about that....a whole week! And I just took my blood pressure and it is up to 105/71, so that is getting better, right?

today is a better day...

so I went to the pharmacy last night and at 11:45 waited in line (yes, that late, I waited in line). I got my meds - I went home and realized that the dosage was not the same as my other meds. So I then spent the next 15 minutes on hold with the pharmacy, then explained to the pharmacist my concern and I believe the response was something like "well, you just need to take these at this dosage and see if it works. you are trying to compare apples to oranges."

Fine. That is just fine. I will just take the pills. ( I want to remind you it is 12:15 by this time, I have my phone on speaker phone on my pillow staring at my pills on my besdie trying not to fall asleep.)

So I am taking my pulse every couple of hours just to make sure I am not in the 100's. My staff are laughing at me. I look like a freak. Whats new. But it is fine.

But I don't feel as bad as I did yesterday -- which makes me REALLY happy. Let's see if it lasts for the rest of the day. I'll update after lunch so you guys know I am still doing okay!

today is a no good, very bad day

I should have known...it is a Monday...but let me describe Sunday as I think it will help you understand where i am right now:

Karen pulls up to the Wal-Greens drive through to pick up her meds, that she ordered 3 (yes, 3) days ago.
Karen: I'm here to pick up three prescriptions
Pharmacist: Um, I'm sorry - one of your prescriptions is not filled. we don't have it in stock. We can give you the brand name. would that be okay? it will just cost you more
Karen: that's fine. I need it - I have no pills to take tonight.

Wait 2 minutes

Pharmacist: I'm sorry - we don't even have the brand name.
Karen: Well, call another pharmacy and get it.
Pharmacist: Actually, it has been backordered for the last month and we can't seem to get any. There are none in Houston.

Karen in her head: Houston is a very big place. You are telling me there are none in this city that is the 4th largest city in Houston? or are you just lazy and don't want to call and try to find it for me?

Karen: and no one called me three days ago when I called in the refill and you didn't have it? I need the pills. What should I do?
Pharmacist: call your doctor to call in another prescription.

Karen (in her head): LADY, it is Sunday at 1 pm. There is no way I am going to track down my doctor and get a new prescription for another type of drug that you will be able to fill before you close at freaking 6 pm.

Karen: I will try, but what am I supposed to do for tonight?
Pharmacist: I can give you two pills to take tonight.
Karen: Thanks.

So, I email my doctor who is awesome and calls in my prescription (which didn't happen till after they closed, like I expected) and I had to then have it transferred to a 24 hour pharmacy so I have drugs to take tonight. Anyway, so I take the two pills she gave me (which were the brand name - and let me remind you I take the generic).

I wake up this morning and don't feel "right". I'm not sure what the deal is - I slept 8 hours. And then it has gotten worse all day long. I can't concentrate, I feel like an I can't breathe nearly as well, and I feel like I am totally in a fog. This is kind of how I started feeling when I took the medicine the first time, so I am totally guessing that is what it is.

So, now I am mad at the pharmacist for making me switch, making me feel like crap all day, and if I have to change meds again tonight, well, crap, let's just go ahead and chalk up tomorrow for a loss as well because I am absolutely sure this will wreck havoc on my body.

*sigh*

Add to that the stress of trying to get a job done, where you are about 80% complete and it seems that the last 20% is just unattainable. And my staff are all getting sick (and are just plain exhausted). And let's just say nothing has gone my way...ALL DAY LONG.

This is going to be a rough week. I can just tell.

So, say a little prayer not just for patience, but also just to keep it together. This has been a record so far for no crying at work during busy season, and I almost lost it today. But I didn't. I actually kept it together -- for those of you who know me well, you know that it is EXTREMELY hard for me not to cry when I get really worked up. And say a little prayer for my body to respond the the medicine without knocking me out.

last night...

in true fashion...I was trying to leave work...and someone stopped me....to discuss something. And what happens? I can't say - I'm trying to leave (and take the hint that my computer is in my bag, and that bag and purse are in my lap like I was about to stand up and leave) because of who it was....and I stay at work an HOUR passed when I was supposed to.

and of course, my friend LM was at the restaurant waiting. and I couldn't get my phone out of my purse to text - also rude....and I missed dinner. She didn't wait long because I finally whipped out the phone and sent her a text - but I felt AWFUL. Absolutely awful. I hate that at times I have absolutely no control. welcome to being in a "service" industry.

But I did make it to have my massage. And lets say I am a much happier!!! Stress is gone...at least for now! It was nice to sit down, in silence and drink hot tea with a hot wrap around my neck and think about nothing - with no one asking quesitons, or complaining, or wanting me to do anything except lift my foot to put it in a bath of hot water. Ah, the life.

I may have to go again next week. I would give up shopping for a while just to go back so soon! ha, ha.

And one last thing to report - my sissy quit her job yesterday! Say a little prayer for her as she finishes out her time at her current job and as she transitions into her new Company. It is going to be a 180 in the hours and what she is doing, but I have no doubt that she will do well.

friday...

hello friends...I hope this finds you all well.

you know, it is Friday today. I can say that most fridays I am glad that it is Friday...mainly becuase of the weekend. but during busy season - there is no weekend. But tonight I am letting my staff go home early (all of 6:00 pm) and am headed off to dinner with LM and then to go get a massage. I need it - in a really bad way. I physically hurt from the stress - in my back and shoulders. I can't wait for it to go aaway.

Then I am going to sleep. and sleep some more. well, until 9 am.

It has been a really long week...besides the working.

Yesterday the "cankles" came back from sitting too long. Today I am wearing the "embolism" socks to put some pressure and not let the fluids pool in my legs. disgusting, I know. At least I am wearing boots so you can't see them. No worries - I can't really get the blood clots anyway since I am on my meds!

I have had 2 staff faint - thank goodness not at work, but worse, one was on the stairs at her apartment building and fell face first into the stairs. She has no idea what happened but woke up almost an hour later, pants torn at her knees from hitting the gound and bruises and scratches everywhere. No one found her - she was laying there for a while. At midnight. Great. The other one fainted in her bathroom - like the first - no dizziness or warning and hit the floor in her bathroom in the morning. I have no idea what is going on - it is really weird.

Then one of my favorite staff had a miscarriage. Please say a prayer for her and her husband - this was their first pregnancy and they were so terribly excited - and now devestated. She knows and understands it was Gods way of telling her something was wrong and he took care of it - but it is hard none the less.

Other than that - I am ready for the work to calm down. I understand this is busy season and it is what I signed up for - my staff don't quite get it. And it takes a lot of emotional toll to deal with the complaining.... say a little prayer for me for paitence and to keep the smile on my face...it is starting to fade.

new music

So I don't know how I discovered this guy - whether he was on an itunes list in the top 20 or my sissy led me in this direction...but I LOVE his music. He is in my monthly play list and I keep listening to his music over and over again. Listen. Download. Love it.

Matt Nathanson is his name, my favorite song is Come on Get Higher. But I bought the whole album entitled Some Mad Hope and I really like all of it. All of it.

Just thought I would share....hope everyone is having a beautiful day...Houston weather is perfect (and we all know that doesn't happen very often!)...I only wish I was outside to enjoy it!!!

busy season....and more

I promised myself I wouldn't post about work on my blog - as I would not let it consume all of my life. But I felt that I needed to report this....that this is the first busy season in 8 years that I don't feel stressed, that I am not all worked up and not sleeping and tired. For once, I am calm, content, and trying to do all I can and recognizing I am doing my best and I can't do more than that. What is the change you ask? I don't know....I was talking to my health coach (I was enrolled in a program called I CAN relax...yes, I know, but it was a stress management class that i needed to take. It was 6 months long and REALLY good) and she said she could tell a DRAMATIC difference in my demeanor and how I was responding to things. I told her I didn't know if it was the beta blockers that don't allow the adrenaline to get to my heart, or that it was I am in a different place now than I have ever been before -- it is a place where I know that it is okay for me to decide I don't want to do this anymore, and it isn't failure if I decide to leave. I know for some of you your ears are perking up and saying WHAT?!? are you leaving? The answer is no - not right now. But I have been struggling with the decision so much and I think I made peace with myself based on counsel from partners, friends and family that it is OKAY to leave. I know it sounds weird, but it was something I had to come to terms with -- I LOVE my job, but I needed to tell myself that if the stress or work load was too much it is okay to walk away - I wasn't going to be letting anyone down. Everyone would understand that it was what was best for me. Just coming to terms with that has made such a dramatic difference - I can't even begin to understnad it. But I still think it is the drugs :) It helps to pop those beta blockers at around 9 and by 10:30 I am exhausted and have to sleep - and they help me sleep! Why didn't I take these years ago? :)

So - just so you all know, this busy season is going great. Although - I think my partners are stressed out becuase they don't see me stressed out (which is the only Karen they know) so I think it freaks them out a little bit. It is hard to explain that this is actually a better Karen!

And today my friend KJ and I got to hang out -- I made her go with me for a Pedi so we could catch up (and if you would have seen my toes you would know why I needed to go!) and then we went to go get her make up done with Isaac the makeup man. Can I just say how much I love that man? He just is amazing. He asked the right questions - listened, and then gave her what she needed. The makeup to wear to work, the extra Umphf when she wanted to look especially nice, and taught her how to do it. If you ever need a makeover, you have got to go see him. We cracked up becuase he says he is going to make you do half of it - and you are sitting there thinking I am going to look like a crazy with half the face perfect and the other half like a mad woman...of course, he makes it all look perfect and gives such great tips.
Of course, when we left she looked AMAZING....he did such a great job, and of course, she is so beautiful anyway, this was just the cherry on top! And then we ate at Nordies in their bistro. um, you never think about it, but it is REALLY good. especially the white chocolate bread pudding. I couldn't help it - I had to have it. and it was REALLY good.

And lastly, even though I said I never would, I joined the junior league of houston. I had my first meeting the other night. Ironically, I had such a "view" of some of the people in it - and God put me in my place by setting me at a table with girls I LOVED and can't wait to get to know better. We were all just "real" and laughing and carrying on. They were awesome. Ironically one was class of 2000 at A&M with me, in the MSC for the whole time - mainly town hall, and i am pretty sure I know her husbands whole family. how crazy is that? I am excited to get to meet some new people - I feel like I keep losing friends here as they keep moving away, and I know they can NEVER be replaced, but it would be nice to have a few more girls to hang out with! everyone is always so stinking busy! It doesn't really pick up till May, so I did my duty of just getting everything in and such, and I will update more when it gets rolling.

So, that is the quick update. The rest of the weekend I will be working and trying to get everything done before my deadlines. Say a little prayer that everything goes smoothly over the next few days....and pray for my staff. They are a little stressed - and I want them to make it through all of this without more tears (yes, I said more) and with a good attitude. I would appreciate it -- and pray for me - just that I can be a teacher, hold my temper when I am angry and be able to communicate with them in a way that builds them up, and not tear them down.

a quick update....

I talked to my Internal Med doctor over email a few times this week and he cleared me of my restrictions! WOO-HOO! He told me I could start excercising - just no X-games. He must know me well :) So, now I need to start waking up and doing it! That may be the hardest thing!

And on another front, I found two new doctors - one endo for the one I fired (thanks to another Partner at my office who had thyroid cancer -- she said she LOVES her doctor and she is fabulous) and a "woman" doctor (thanks to my friend SM who also loves her doctor). I needed new ones based on my experiences at the horrible doctors office - so I now have them! And even better - I got in during February when I was afraid I would have to wait forever! Now if we can just get all of my health issues on track - and I can know the "things you need to watch for" versus the "you are just going to have to suck it up and deal with it" lists.

Now, the process of trying to get medical records to take with me. I have seen just my St. Lukes file - it is over 4 inches thick! that doesn't even begin to cover the doctors visits! So now I just have to figure out how to get them. that is next week's project!

Otherwise, everything else is going okay. Busy season hasn't started to kill me yet - and my teams are figuring me out (well, how to deal with me) which is even better. I did get a "stress headache" last friday - I deserved it becuase I cried that morning, which is a whole other story we will not get into- but I got another monday -- which is odd. there wasn't a lot of stress. My friend RH told me that I should go put my feet in really hot water (not scalding - just as hot as you could take it) and leave them there for about 5-10 minutes. It was amazing - when I got out of the bathtub (well, when I pulled my feet out of the water) there was no more headache! Amazing. Something about the blood rushing to your feet and away from your head. Thank goodness that worked since I can't really take any meds like tylenol, advil or aleve (or anything over the counter for that matter!)

And lastly, I am SO excited that my friend KJ and I are going to go get makeovers with my amazing makeup man Isaac on Satruday at Nordies. I know she has wanted to do it for so long and I just get excited watching him and learning new makeup tricks! Plus we get to go have lunch and hang out -- which I love getting to spend time with my friends even more! (and I am going to have to go upstairs and buy those stinking cute shoes that I saw for her daughter. I mean, they were SO CUTE and pink and sparkly.) I wish they had them in my size! But I think they would only fit my big toe! ha, ha!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

picts that I wanted to share...

I totally forgot to blog about the cookie decorating party....we used to do this every year with my mom as kiddos and LOVED it. So I did it a couple of years with my staff at my house and then we moved it to CT's house -- she has a little more room. This year was a blast as people brought their kiddos (you'll see RH's son in most of these! he is so stinking cute!) and we decorated a TON of cookies. Most are not of the cookies (go figure) but we had a good time just hanging out and catching up. Of course, once everyone left I went into what we lovingly call "Mass Production" mode. Sadly, those almost looked better than the ones I worked really hard on! Above, LM taking a break with little WH.


CT with a couple of a couple of KPMG seniors / staff, S and K.




CC, WH and I hanging out on the couch. He has just woken up from his little nap - he was tired and his momma passed him to me - she knows how I can flip him sideways and he is asleep on the "pillows" in T-minus 10 seconds. Of course, that day was no exception! ha!





I wish you could have seen his momma making faces and cooing sounds to get him to smile. He is really really cute!

Oh, and the picture I forgot to load earlier --- this is of the staff that came out to do my inventory. Aren't they great? we got so many comments from the plant workers -- are you guys inmates? It was great!

this week....

This week started busy season. Oh, how I love busy season. Today I gave my staff the morning off to get prepared for next week....lets just say i have three deadlines -- January 22, January 23, and January 30. Next week is critical. So far so good. This morning I am watching TV while washing clothes, making my shopping list so I can go to the grocery store in a bit and picking up around the house. This week is going to be a long one so I have to be prepared!!! Then back to work for a couple of hours to get things organized before Monday!

This last week has been pretty crazy - so this post is going to be a long one! First - lets start with the doctors visits this week. The GREAT news is that my I am FINALLY regulated with my blood thinners. I have been in range for 4 weeks, so now I can get blood tests monthly. You cannot even imagine how happy i am about that!!! I am still on restriction, but I am not sure how much longer. I need to email my doctor to ask -- but I thought it was until my monthly blood test (so in three weeks) came back in range. So, I am still in good with my internal medicine doctor and he has been so great and responsive. I heart him.

Now, my endo is a whole other story. Here is the quick background -- my internal medicine doctor told me to follow up with my endo since I was on some new meds. I have also been having some other symptoms that I believe were my thyroid so I called his office and wanted to discuss with him. I left him a message last Friday with a nurse (who wasn't his nurse) and she said someone would call me Monday. Monday AM I got a call bright and early ( I was in the shower) and I called her back. She said the doctor wasn't in yet but she wuold call me back later this afternoon.
No phone call.
So I called back Tuesday - I was put on hold for over 20 minutes. At regular intervals someone picked up the phone and said I am not his nurse and would put me back on hold. At some point I gave up. I tried back that afternoon and had the same situation occur again. I gave up and called back and made an appointment.
Thursday I went to the doctor - now remember, this is busy season and i need every hour to work so I can get home at a decent hour. I waited the requsite 20 minutes and went back. He recognized me in the hallway and here was the conversation:
dr: what are you doing here?
K: well, no one returned my phone call so I made an appointment.
dr: I don't need to see you.
K: well, I have some other symptoms that I want to discuss. (and i won't bore you with those- but I was about to discuss how my neck has been hurting - and with the goiter I was a little worried. )
dr: those aren't your thyroid (very hasty and annoyed)
then his phone rings - he puts up his finger (like to say hold on) and walks away, and leaves me in the hallway. yes, i said hallway. all of this happened in the hallway. I wait. I wait for 5 minutes and he never comes back.
I finally go back to the nurses station, ask for my money back and leave. I was pissed. Just plain pissed. I don't think that I am totally high maintence since I have been in the freaking hospital twice this year and i had to have weekly blood tests for two months. I just want to make sure I understand what i need to look out for and what i need to just learn to deal with. I don't think it is that hard - my internal medicine doctor helps me through that and is very honest and open. The endo - not so much.
So i was very angry. But decided to go to the lab to get my blood work for the week done. I get down there and I swear - it was like I was living in a nightmare. The people didn't pay attention - made me wait why they made phone calls (after they had called me to the desk) and dealt with other things. And they couldn't find my orders. Now, don't think I haven't had orders in the system for a two months. And every time I go to the lab, there is a 95% chance they can't find them. The doctor keeps telling me they are there, they can't find them.
So I had to wait for them to call the nurse (now, think of how many times I was put on hold and never answered)...I have to wait for 20 minutes for them to find the stinking nurse. At this point I just can't take it anymore and the tears start coming. I have to wait for 20 more minutes for the lab to get in the system and then to do the blood work.
Then I asked for the administration department for someone to file a complaint. I went upstairs and I swear, that was even more disorganized than the rest of the place. I can't believe that they can run a business like this. But I guess it is medical care and everyone needs it. Lets just say that I said some ugly things and it didn't even to phase them. So I asked for someone who could make a difference. don't think they were there (or they wouldn't let me talk to them).
So I asked for names, titles, fax numbers, and addresses. I haven't written the letter, I needed to calm down first. But I did mention to my favorite doctor how bad I felt the nurses were about not answering the phones, not getting back to you, not dealing with you (i.e. telling me to just go to the hosptial and not even letting me explain what is going on), and it is just frustrating. He echoed the same sentiments with a statement that was perfect: you deal with it for one day, i have to deal with it every day. you have no idea.
Let's just say I am now shopping for a new endo. I have a couple of good leads - the one though where the person's comment was "his office staff kinda stinks" might go to the bottom of the list.

So that is the story...Let's just say I am still not over it, but hopefully I will be over it soon - or just to exhausted to care!

Otherwise, things have been really good. I LOVE having cable. I have all of these shows DVR'ed so it is nice to get to come home and watch 20 minutes of TV before I go to bed (alright, sometimes it is way more than 20 minutes!) and I can watch what I want and no commercials! LOVE IT!!!

I also got some GREAT shoes from Nordies....and we know how much that retail therapy makes me happy!! (yes, I can admit I have a problem! But I think it was growing up where I could never find shoes that fit - and if I did it appeared that my grandmother should wear them - not a 6th grader!) They were all on sale and are so fabulous. One is a pair of brown boots which were on sale for around $39 -- and they are perfect! And I have to admit that I went online and bought them in black too! (mainly becuase most all of my shoes are open toed and it is getting cold! my toesies have been really cold!) And I got a pair of these deep red heels that are so fun. I also got this great little Michael Kors shirt that I have been eyeing - that was way out of my price range normally and then all of a sudden it was 75% off!!! Let's just say it is now hanging in my closet!

And the last thing I have to report is my Sissy is back in town. I AM SO EXCITED to have her back. You never realize how much you talk to someone until they aren't there! She had a fabulous time in Australia and has come back. She is in Seguin trying to sleep it off (she travelled for over 24 hours to get home) and is headed back to Dallas tonight. Her picts are up on facebook if you want to see them! I LOVE my Sissy and I am so glad to have her to talk to again. (I know, i know, I could have called any of you, however, I have to admit that there is nothing like my sissy!)

the grass is always greener....

I sometimes look at my married friends with kids and think WOW - this is what I want. When the kids are so stinking cute, and want to hold your hand, sit on your lap and just love on you. I covet it - I know, i know....I shouldn't, but I admit that I do. Most of the time they look at me and laugh and say, K, you just went to Europe, and got to play in Mexico and run around and do whatever you want and I can't do that - I have to stay at home and take care of the husband and the kiddos.... (although, they always follow it up with that they would never exchange any of it for anything!)

This weekend I went out to stay with my friend AD and her two really sweet kiddos, L and J. I got there just in time to go pick them up from school (L is 4 and J is 2 1/2). They were SOOOO excited to see aunt K who was going to have a slumber party in the new house with them. They ran past mom and gave me a big hug (even J who typically doesn't run straight to me! such a boy!). They were really cute when we stopped to get movies and pizza and even more cute when we got home and ran around and wanted to watch movies and just lay around.

Then we bathed them, and ate cookies and milk (thanks to Aunt K - who was craving chocolate like no other) and we went to bed. I started reading the Secret Garden since it was only 9 but both AD and I were exhausted. (lets be honest - AD is a middle school teacher and it was the Secret Garden or her kids books! But I LOVED it....yes, I did polish it the whole thing off pretty quickly - but what a great book!!!).

Anyway, the "coveting" stopped around 11 when J started screaming. Let's just say he isn't potty trained yet and HATES a wet diaper. So A got up to change him, and I was up (I mean, he was SCREAMING) and that lasted another hour till the screaming started again. And didn't stop. So she took him downstairs with her and I had duty waiting till L woke up (which, of course was going to be at some point.) I got a reprieve till around 5 when she got upset becuase she was alone. So she came and slept with Aunt K (the true slumber party began) and was so sweet. All she wanted to do was hold onto one arm and snuggle. it was really cute - but it was 5 am. seriously.

The next day we had a "poopy pants" situation, which got everywhere (A tried big boy pants and that was a no go), then A needed to clean the garage and it was Aunt K in the house trying to babysit. Let's just say that keeping kiddos entertained and out of the garage was hard and dealing with "I want bananas" then "I hate bananas" made me realize I have very little patience some times!!! And don't think we showered till after 2 pm. Ah, the joy of having kiddos!

I LOVED getting to spend time with them - they are so cute and just make me laugh....but it also made me realize that my life is great and made me realize more and more that someone's life on the outside may look fabulous but is a lot more work than what you really realize! I am amazed that all of my friends with kiddos have time to shower every day and can keep their sanity! I have to thank God for that moment to make me realize that the life I have is wonderful and that truly I wouldn't want to trade it for anything right now! But I do enjoy getting to hang out with everyones kiddos and enjoy the "good times" with them!

Happy New Year!

First of all, I want to wish everyone a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope that this next year is full of happiness and joy for all of you.....as well as a year of good health and good friends. I am praying for all of you to be blessed this year and that your relationship with Him grows every day.

I am sitting here thinking of what a great year this past year has been -- so many things have happened, each one impacting my life in ways that have changed me and have taught me so many things. I have been blessed that I have been surrounded by great friends through all of it, each one giving something of themselves to me during both the good and the bad times.

This year has been one full of life changes - especially through marriages and new babies. I have been blessed to be able to be apart of those weddings and to watch how sweet the brides are when they say I do and how the boys are so taken away at the sight of the brides as they are walking down the aisle. And I can't wait for 2009 - so many engagements during 2008 that there will be lots of fun weddings in 2009 to see the same! Here is one of my favorite picts from MD's wedding (now MG!) with all of the girls -- only one of the many wedding festivatives from this year.




And the babies...my friend KE was blessed with twin baby girls this year who are just so cute! I only wish I lived closer so that I could play with them more often! And RH was blessed with the cutest little boy who is the spitting image of his mother -- in all respects. He is so much fun to be around, and I love how laid back he is! My cousin JW also was blessed with a little baby girl this year.

Then I was blessed to get to go to Europe for the first time with my friend LM and TH. I loved getting to see everything...I wish i could pick my favorite part of the trip - but that would be impossible. Every turn held something in store for us that was even better than the last, and we had an amazing time. We got to see Athens, the Greek Isles, and then Rome. The people were awesome, the sights unbelievable, food was the best ever, and just being able to roam and enjoy each other was a lot of fun. Here are some of my favorite picts from the trip:

One of the churches we saw....I LOVED the churches. I am basically entranced by them - they each had their own story, own shape and their own originality. I loved getting to go in them and look around - I really loved the really, really old ones. To see how they were set up and the art on the inside was just amazing.



Oh, the greek isles. This was a pict from our hotel in Mykonos....we were there in the off season and had a very laid back couple of days there. That pool and I were best friends....the hill down to the city and I were not. The stairs were killer, I admit! But the view was AMAZING.



On top of the Acropolis in Athens....it is under construction to try to rebuild, and we were really lucky to get up to the top early before all the tourists. It was amazing to see how big it is and hwo they were able to build without modern machinery!

This was also a year of milestones -- My sister celebrated her first wedding anniversary, my other sister graduated with her MBA from SMU, and I was promoted to senior manager. It was a very big year!!! We were also blessed to have my sister LL home with her sweet husband for Thanksgiving with the our cousins, and to have LL home again for Christmas. I love it when she comes home since we don't always get to spend a lot of time together!

I have also been blessed to get to take lots of trips to Dallas to spend time with all of my college friends - who I TRULY LOVE! They are so great -- I wish I was in Dallas so often so that I could see them more often. Every time we see each other, we just pick up right where we left off. I am so blessed to still have them in my life!

This was also a year of hospital visits (one thing I don't want to repeat again!) and lots and lots of doctors visits (and blood tests!) Unfortunately for me, I had two visits to the hospital for the same reasons....Ironically the first time we thought it was blood clots and it turned out to be a thyroid disease. The second time we thought it was just my thyroid and turned out to be blood clots in my lungs (pulmonary embolisms or PE's). Almost 2 weeks in the hospital made me think a lot and realize how lucky I am to be blessed with great friends, great doctors and amazing family (especially my sweet mother who cleaned out my closets becuase she was so worried about me! she needed something else to focus on, and she found it!) I am still recovering from the last one. I am still on blood thinners, beta blockers (for my heart -- the thyroid causes it to race, and lately it races a lot more than it should), and thyroid medicine....a trio of drugs that aren't a lot of fun due to side affects (hair falling out, drownisness from the beta blockers which I have to take RIGHT before I go to bed, and sometimes depression....which is just ugly.) But thankfully I have great doctors who listen, monitor and try to help me in every way they can. And great friends who tell me when I am doing too much, sit with me when I feel bad and love me more than I ever thought imaginable. And my family....I wouldn't know where to start to say how much I love them and cherish them. God truly blessed me when he chose my mother and my father, and blessed me with great sisters and cousins that I love more than I can express in words.

All in all, 2008 was a great year, and I look forward to 2009 and all that God has in store for me!