One day later, one year older

So I had a birthday. Not a big milestone one, but a good one just the same. This one was in the style of the old days. We got together at my Aunt Joann's (my godmother) and most all of my moms 12 brothers and sisters were there. Only 3 weren't. Amazing. And we all had a great time. It was so enjoyable. Really enjoyable. So that made it great. I got some amazing gifts too. The icing on that cake. The party started at 4, but we got there and hour early. Then it was so enjoyable we ended up staying until 10:30. Which was great except we didn't get back to Henry until one this morning. LONG NIGHT driving.

Our Christmas was fantastic too. The kids got great gifts and had plenty of time to play with them. That worked out so nicely for us. Everyone (my brother, his wife and son; Darrell's mom, dad and brothers; and my mom) comes to our house and that is so much easier than packing up our 3 kids and prying them away from their new toys.

Stress sucks

So even though Darrell has returned, my stress levels have come to a head. Is that the right phrase? Anyway...I have a mountain of a canker sore sitting right on the inside of my lips. It may as well be a cold sore it is so close to the outside of my mouth. And I swear it is so big, my whole face feels swollen. I have a ginormous headache that I'm sure is related. I think it's got to be similar to those coming down from a high where you feel like complete sh!t. Even though you're better off, you don't feel it. I'm good with stress, but I hate it. And now that the stress is gone, I'm showing just how hard on my body it was.

PS. Sorry to anyone who read this earlier when my canker sore was a cancer sore. I don't have cancer.

well it worked

So your prayers are amazing guys. Darrell got home 2-3 days earlier than expected. It was a surprise to see him yesterday after getting home from making crafts with Arlington's class. So now it's going to take some adjustments for both of us. Darrell with the noise and craziness of life with kids again. Me with an extra body in the bed, tripping over big shoes again, etc. But we're glad to have him back. I'm now able to focus on Arlington's Christmas party tomorrow w/o any other stress. Good thing too because his teacher just had surgery and will be gone, so since I'm the head room mom, I'm in charge of it all. Oh no!! Pray for me again gals. PLEASE!

I'm thinking of you all and praying for your needs. You know who you are.

Here goes...

I'll start unloading all of my crap now.

So, as many know, I am a stay at home mom to 3 beautiful kids. I've been married since Feb. '01 and feel like I've been through it all.

First I managed to set the bar super high in all of my family's expectations of myself. Then, as the great hope (myself) went to college to become a forensic pathologist, she managed to fail out in just a year. So I returned home, desolate because now my chances of finding anyone interesting was gone. I started at IVCC with the intentions of becoming a great journalist, but instead met my future husband and forgot about anything else. I have since acknowledged my addictive personality and realize that once I get interested in something, it has to run it's course before I can move on. So at break neck speed, Darrell and I dated, bought a house, became engaged, got pregnant, married, had Arlington, then Maggie, struggled with money, got pregnant with Gabe, made Darrell change careers so he joined Wal-Mart, had Gabe, moved to Henry, had a house fire, moved back and finally managed to start breathing and relaxing. All this breathing started after some great counseling this summer. But now, after all of this and finally feeling settled, Darrell has heard of a great promotion that could happen for him in Columbus Ohio. At first it was also going to require a transfer to Atlanta Georgia for a year before the Ohio move, but this has since been avoided. So I'm again feeling in limbo. But excited with the change.

So instead of finishing up my Christmas cards that I'd started 3 weeks ago, I've spent all of my free time researching Columbus and surrounding area. I need to move on right now, but I am feeling better about it.

I will write more soon.