Goodbye 2008!!

You know 2008, you started off okay. Nothing too eventful. We sailed through the first 6 months and all was well.

Then the chaos ensued. Around late June, we decided we were definitely moving north and we put our house up for sale. Talk about STRESS! Our house went on the market in July and by mid-August it had sold! We found ourselves a new house in CP and were moved in by the end of August. September gave us a nice surprise...I was pregnant again! In October, I headed to DC. We also celebrated our anniversary and shared the news of my pregnancy with all our friends and family.

Then November rolled around and that's when things turned really bad. It was supposed to be a great month...Jackson's 2nd Birthday, his birthday party, Thanksgiving. Instead, we lost one of the most important people in my family. It was a horrible month. December was no better. We've tried to make the best of it but it's been very difficult.

2008, you dealt us a dirty blow! What a crappy way to end the year! You suck and I'm ready to bid you adieu and start 2009 with a bang. So goodbye 2008. Here's to a better year ahead. We hope 2009 brings all our friends and family nothing but the best. Happy New Year!

We're having a....

GIRL!

I knew it, I just knew it! I'd been feeling so different this time around and my mommy intuition was telling me 'girl' from the get go. We're so excited!

It's bittersweet though. A girl is exactly what my grandma wanted and now she's gone. It makes me incredibly sad that she's not here to share in all the excitement. I know, I know, she's watching over me but it's not the same. This little girl will just be that much more special.

I'll upload Baby Girl C's pix and share more details later. Just wanted to share the big news!

The Weary World Rejoices

This one's for you Grandma. Merry Christmas! We love you and we miss you very much!

Merry Christmas!

We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

We have movement!

I'm now 17 weeks pregnant and can finally feel the baby moving! It started last week but it took me a few days to really figure out whether it was the baby or just my stomach rumbling. I'm absolutely sure now that it's the baby. The movements still aren't strong enough for Jerry to feel but I can sure feel them and it's so cool. Just a special little thing between me & my sweet baby!

Hill Country Flyer

Last Sunday Jerry & I rode the Hill Country Flyer to Main Street Bethlehem in Burnet. We were really excited about riding the train out to the hill country. And we were thinking 'Main Street Bethlehem' meant the whole little downtown area of Burnet was decked out all Bethlehem like and Christmasy. Boy, were we wrong!

Now, the 2 hour train ride to Burnet was definitely fun. Santa was on board to say hello to everyone. A sheriff dropped by to warn our car that there were train robbers on board looking for some cash (donations). McGruff, you know the crime dog, was in attendance...that didn't make much sense but whatever. Once we arrived in Burnet a shoot out took place and then everyone went about their separate ways.

So we're expecting all kinds of cool stuff happening around Burnet. We walk a few blocks down to the downtown area and it looks like a complete ghost town! Where the heck are the shepherds and all things Bethlehem!? And why isn't a single thing in town open!? Where's the food!? We're starving!! Come to find out, Main Street Bethlehem is some event that takes place on some church grounds and the line to get in is 2 hours long! Are you kidding me!?!? There were no Christmasy things going on anywhere!!!! Why didn't anyone tell us this?

So okay, I can deal with not getting into Bethlehem central but what I can't deal with is the fact that not a single shop or food place in downtown Burnet is open. What are we supposed to do for 3.5 hours!?! I was one extremely grouchy, hungry, pregnant lady. So much for my Christmas spirit. You know where we ended up eating? Freaking Whataburger!! And you know what we did after that? Sat around at a coffee shop for the rest of the evening, one of the only places open! So we took a 2 hour train ride out to Burnet just to eat at Whataburger and sit around at a coffee shop! Bah Humbug!

Despite how irritated I was, I did manage to get my camera out and snap one or two pictures. If anyone plans on taking the Hill Country Flyer out to Burnet for Main Street Bethlehem, good luck! We won't ever do that crapola again! That's what happens when you procrastinate and don't buy tickets for the North Pole Flyer in time!

Digging Leaves

Grandma Flo & Grandpa Larry came into town last week and had loads of fun with Jackson. They bought a very cool tractor digger thingy. I don't know what it's really called. Anyway, it was a HUGE hit. Jackson loves it. We took it outside one morning and he had a blast digging in the huge pile of leaves.

Hot n' Cold

So a couple of weeks ago we had one heck of a crazy day - weather wise. The high temp hit 81. It was bright and warm during the day but by 11pm it was below freezing & snowing!! CrAzY! That's Texas for ya. So what do you do when it snows? Well you make a snowman of course! Jackson & I didn't dare go outside the next morning. It was way too cold but we made sure that Jerry went out to make our snowman. Here it is in all it's glory! :)

Wanna know...

...what makes a Mama proud? When your son hears Coldplay on the radio and says "Tolplay, yeah! Tolplay, yeah!" And I didn't even teach him that!! I think this may be my finest moment as a mother! To top it off, after the song had started, Jackson says "Mom, Mom, loud please!" No problem son! I'll turn that dial as loud as you want!! Anything for you & Coldplay! ;)

Christmas Tree

Last week we headed out to the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm to get our tree. We had a lot of fun! We got to go on a hayride to the back of the farm where they have all the Leyland Cypress trees. We're used to getting a fairly tall tree as our old house had massive ceilings. Our new house though has much shorter ceilings so we were on the hunt for something no taller than 7ft. The first tree we saw fit the bill! So Jerry chopped it down and we went on our merry way. I just realized though that I still haven't taken any pictures of our tree decorated. It's not even completely decorated though. I have no tree topper and no garland....just ornaments. That's probably how it will stay. I'm much too exhausted to do anymore decorating. I have a few more ornaments to add and once that's done, I'll share some decorated Christmas tree pix!

Life Continues On...

Jackson turned 2 on November 29th. That evening my family was holding a viewing for my grandma so we at least wanted to do something fun for Jackson that morning. Since we had to cancel his big birthday party we decided to take him to the Chuy's Children Giving to Children Parade. It was COLD but we had a great time. Jackson loved the balloons, the fire trucks, and of course, The Biscuit Brothers!

If Tomorrow Starts Without Me

A week ago tomorrow we laid my grandma to rest. It was probably the most difficult day of my entire life and I'm still trying to come to terms with it. I just can't believe she's gone. I feel so lonely without her. There's just a HUGE, HUGE void now that she is no longer with us. I'm so incredibly sad.

Jerry received this poem in the mail and was told to share it with my family. It's perfect for my gram.

If tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
all filled with tears for me,

I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
and each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.

I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
and all the fun we had.

If I could re-live yesterday
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne.

He said, "This is eternity,
And all I've promised you.
Today your life on earth is past,
But here life starts anew."

I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day's the same way
There's no longing for the past.

You have been so faithful,
So trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things
You knew you shouldn't do.

But you have been forgiven
And now at last you're free.
So won't you come and take my hand
And share your life with me?

So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here in your heart.

Oh Grammy, I miss you so much and I love you with all my heart!