Merry Christmas!!

I still can't believe it is Christmas! We are finally getting the cold weather again in Houston and I pray for snow, yeah right. Not happening here.

The girls are so excited Santa is coming tonight. We are ready with our reindeer food for the lawn and had to pick out 2 dozen cookies for Santa since either one of them couldn't decide. We have a full day today with lunch with the Goodwins and attending Christmas Eve Mass.

Tomorrow should be fun. We are waking up to Santa's presents, then off to Debbie and Doug's for Christmas lunch with her brothers. That evening will be the Fletcher Family Christmas which is always fun. Saturday we are headed to Arlington for our Lopez/Dildy Christmas celebration.

I am so excited to see everyone and to give our gifts out. There is nothing better than giving a gift to someone you love and seeing their reaction. I love it!

I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas! Oh- this was one of our recent family pictures. Can you tell this is how we look everyday? Ava not wanting to be photographed, Julia hamming it up for the picture, Chad trying to get Ava to smile and me smiling because they are all so crazy. haha You can't see my belly but it's there, believe me!

I'm back!!

We have been to many a Christmas party this year and after speaking to Mrs. Dickison (thanks by the way), she commented on how she loved my blog. I have totally forgot about this!

Well, I am back! I have been wrapped up in Facebook now I hope to keep up with it like I used to. We have had a crazy past year since my last post.

Let's see:

Chad and I took our first couples trip to Cabo with our Houston friends, came back pregnant (yes. it was planned), celebrated Ava's 3rd birthday, Julie and Jake moved back to Arlington, Laurie got engaged (wedding in Feb) Julia started Kindergarten, Ava started pre-school 3 days a week, Julia turned 6, Chad had shoulder surgery and now I am 8 months along with a baby boy due in Feb!

Now looking at the past year, we have been busy. I hope to keep up with this and post cute pics like Jenny, Katie and Mallie are. The girls have grown up so fast since the last posted picture. Here is a few updated pics..

Update on everything..

Well, as most of you know, my dad passed away on October 2nd. We were able to be there to be with him when he passed. Now looking back on the whole experience, it was so surreal to see him die. I was grateful, scared, upset and just in shock that the end was here.

I am so thankful that we made it there in time for it. Since then has been a whirlwind. We made the funeral arrangements with my mom, sisters and Chad present. Thankfully, the girls were with Debbie and Doug while we drove up to Dallas.

Chad left to head back home to get the girls and tell them about Grandpa. Julia said that she was "sad inside but happy that he was with Jesus". Just those little words were enough for me to say, We are all going to be ok. She nailed it right on the head.

I was so overwhelmed with amount of love and support from friends and family that showed up at both the visitation and the funeral. It was so hard but so amazing. We had friends come that we haven't seen in years just to say hello. It was truly amazing.

The funeral was nerve racking since my sisters and I were speaking as part of the eulogy. We made it through and said what we wanted to say. I was so relieved to know that it was over.

The men's club held a luncheon for us which was so nice. It was such a great day to see everyone. The burial was sad and the ending to this long agonizing week. Now we are back home and life is as we left it. We are all back at work for a week now and the kids are so glad to be at home.

I have had good days and bad days. The worst was last Thursday. I guess it was facing the fear of losing it when people said how are you when dropping off the kids or just thinking it was the week mark of his death. Whatever it was, it was a hard day. Friday was better but then Julia in an emotional meltdown started crying for Grandpa and how much she missed him. That was tough. I know I will get through this one day at a time.

Thanks again for all of you for everything you did. I am so grateful for all of my loving friends who really came together for me. It was truly something I will never forget.

Update for Wednesday

I love the top one of Julia playing with Dad. She was getting great reactions from him. I also love our family picture. I was thinking about it and it has been 3 years since our last family picture. And lastly, Dad and his girls.

I had to share some family pictures of our visit with my Dad. This was over the weekend. I am happy to report that he is laughing, smiling and talking at times. My mom was able to get him to eat some things today which was better than yesterday since he did not eat a thing.

Hopefully, I can make it back soon.

update on Dad

Hello all-

First and foremost I would like to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers throughout this time. I know the prayers have worked and God is offering us so many new hopes. We have seen my dad for the past few days and each day he seems to be better.

He is still in hospice care and some people have said that patients do get better before the end but I am just looking at it as he is more responsive and actually talking at times. I haven't heard his voice in over a year and that alone is a blessing.

He is making eye contact and when he does look, at times he smiles and laughs. He is making comments here and there saying, "Oh God. or even saying, "Oh shit." haha We all just laughed. My sisters and I feed him ice cream and Julie brought him a beer. He liked the beer. I asked him if he liked it and he said, "Yeah!". I also asked him if I was his favorite and he said, "Yeah!"

So, the report is still that he is terminally sick with pulmonary embelisms (sp?) and one could burst at any time. He is still in hospice care for up to 6 months. He is currently off all of his medications and just trying to keep him comfortable. He is eating more which is so good to see. When people have asked me how he is I am not sure what to say. Yes, he is dying but he is better in responding and constantly holding my hand or caressing my face.

That in all has been the best! I hope this doesn't sound rude to anyone, but once you have lost the touch of your dad or mom, nothing is better than getting that back again just one more time. The girls have really been all over him. Kissing on him as he makes the kissing noise. It has been such a blessing.

We are heading back up there in a bit so hopefully I will have more good news to post. It has been hard but you know, it has been so great spending this time with him.

Thanks again for all of your prayer and keep it up! We are so grateful for each of you!

My dad

Well, i thought my next post would be about how we survived the hurricane with no damage to the house and no power for 5 days.

Now, we have other news that my dad isn't doing well. He has Alzheimer's which was diagnosed in 2001 shortly after Chad and I were married. Progressively, he has gone down hill and been in a nursing home for the past 2 1/2 years.

We received a call that his breathing was labored and they found blood clots in his legs and lungs. He is in Hospice care at the VA and it isn't looking good. We were able to drive to Dallas and see him today.

It was great to see him and he was somewhat responsive to us and even talking at times. He smiled and held my hand, which was well worth the trip.

Please keep us in your prayers that God will take him when it is his time. Our prayers are being answered that he isn't suffering. I am just looking for strength that God will provide us comfort when it does happen.

Hurricane Ike

Well, we are now getting prepared for another hurricane. I wasn't at all thinking Hurrican Edouard was even going to get close to us. We didn't get any rain at all. Well now, I am a bit scared.

We are not going to evacuate and just stay put. We bought the standard water, flashlights, batteries, food and filled up both cars. I have explained to the girls that it will rain a lot and that is about it. I think Julia is more mad that she will not have soccer this weekend.

School closed at noon today and now we are just getting the house prepared. It is way too late to leave and after riding out Hurricane Rita 3 years ago at Debbie and Doug's we decided to stay. Plus- if we left then we would be in Arlington maybe by Saturday. The traffic is already horrible.

Thanks to those who have texted, emailed and called. We are fine and actually going to enjoy the time together. May have a hurricane party tonight at Amanda's just to ring in Ike!

Love to all and I will post again when we have power. Hopefully if we lose it, the power will be back on by Monday or so.