New Years Day --- a New Year, a Fresh Beginning, a Bright Start, the Launch of an Unsullied Time …..awww, who am I kidding? I’m going to be trying to lose those same 20 pounds and doing the same old laundry as always. But today certainly *seems* optimistic, doesn’t it?
Thanks to all of you who checked in on us during the holidays. I certainly hope you all had a wonderful time, no matter how you chose to spend them. (It would be un P.C. of me to actually come right out and say the words, but at the risk of offending anyone …… Hope your CHRISTMAS was MERRY!!!)
We had a really nice time with our family and friends in Oklahoma and Texas and actually survived the all-night drive in both directions without any major meltdowns (mine *or* the kids). For the record, though, just in case it helps anyone in the future, there is apparently not one single McDonalds with an indoor play-place anywhere in the entire state of Alabama. We only know this because we were driving through Alabama, at dinner time, with whiny, cooped-up kids, in the rain. Somehow, letting them run through the parking lot at the Pilot gas station wasn't quite the same thing.
Otherwise, though, no mishaps. The kids loved spending time with their cousins and were completely bummed to leave. Here is a picture of all of them clowning around one night at a walk-through Christmas light display that we try to attend every year when we are home:
Yeah, you should see the looks my sister and I get when we go places with this motley crew. They are fun, though! Usually. When they're not fighting or throwing mud on one another.
As far as the holiday itself, everything there was fine, too, although the lesson we learned this year was to request that in the future, our kids not be given **ANYTHING** that has more than one single piece to it. Not so much Kellen and Kendrie, but Brayden was like a tornado on Christmas morning, not only opening the gift, but also opening up whatever *was* the gift in a span of seconds. We looked away for only brief moment and suddenly she had her new Digi-Draw, new Scrapbook kit, new Grow-A-Frog kit and new make-up kit all opened and scattered everywhere, amid the bows and boxes and bags. When there are seven kids between the ages of 2 and 9 all ripping frantically into their presents, lets just say my anal-control-freak personality gets a little wound up. (For the record, the damage to the Grow-A-Frog was unsalvageable …. Those poor tadpoles never stood a chance.)
The calm before the storm. :)
Anyway, despite the chaos, or perhaps *because* of it, we had a great holiday, and hope you all did, too. Now we face forward, ready to get this New Year started. Not that I’m wishing our life away (ok, maybe just a little) but I am so hopeful that at this time, NEXT year, I am writing about our new life WITHOUT CHEMO. Like the line above says, only 348 days to go!
Speaking of chemo, we are driving up to Atlanta on Monday for Kendrie’s monthly appointment. The kids will still be out of school, so it should be fun with all of them along for the ride. (I’m actually not being toooooo sarcastic …. They got new movies for Christmas so thanks to the genius that invented the portable DVD player, the ride up and back should go smoothly.) She's had a cough for a few days (running around that stupid parking lot last night probably didn't help much, do you think?) Also, wish us luck that her counts are good. Actually, wish us luck that her counts have come *down* a little. They’ve been high ever since she started long-term maintenance in August and in the back of my head I have the worry that the chemo isn’t strong enough. Silly, perhaps, but what would I do if I wasn’t worrying?
Well, darn it, I already broke New Years Resolution #2 with that sentence. Here is my list in its entirety:
NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS, 2005
1. Skip more. (See journal entry of Dec 4th, 2004)
2. Worry less. (See journal entry of Dec 12th, 2004)
3. Lose 20 pounds. (Do you realize that I’ve had the same resolution for the past twenty-five years and have never lost a pound? In fact, at this rate, I should weigh NEGATIVE 400 pounds or so!)
4. Don’t wait until 10 pm on Jan 1st to come up with lame list of resolutions.
That about sums it up. If you guys have any suggestions for resolutions, maybe I could just piggy back onto yours ….. then I wouldn’t feel so un-ambitious!
Enjoy what is left of the holiday weekend and I’ll check back in after the appointment on Monday,
Love,
Kristie
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KENDRIE’S PERSPECTIVE:
WORST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY:
Well, I sort of was goofing around during dinner and didn’t eat much and now I’m really hungry but my mom won’t let me have anything to eat until at least an hour after my chemo …. All these silly food rules are putting a damper on my ability to put away the last of the Christmas candy before Brayden and Kellen get to it!
BEST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY:
I got some of the COOLEST Christmas stuff from people that my mom has met online! I know, I know, it’s not about the gifts ….. well, yeah, when you’re five, it IS about the gifts! My mom wants to take some photos before I can tell you about them but they were waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy better than the lame Grow-A-Frog thing that Santa brought!
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