Bookends

I had a TERRIBLE January last year.  My husband James had his second shoulder surgery and had to stay overnight in the hospital.  Considering how much of Daddy's boys both Keegers and Suttie Joe are... it made things a little rough around here as he recovered.  Neither of them were (are) great sleepers... so fighting that fight alone... throwing in a puking toddler the night James got home... well that was not fun.  But that was nothing compared to the fact that Suttie contracted H1N1 and had to go to the hospital in the middle of a blizzard.  THAT was horrible.  I called my mom... exhausted and frantic.... and there was nothing she could do becuase she couldn't get here.  She cried with me, but there was no way that she could get here to help.  I spent several days in the hospital holding Suttie non-stop, and I felt so alone.  James was sick... Keegers was sick... they had the "Swine" too... and I had to for the first time in my life do it all..... I had a TERRIBLE January

I had a TERRIBLE December last year.  I woke up December 1st and had a mom... and before I went to bed that night, my mom was gone.  I had to explain to my boys, something that I didn't understand myself.  Grandma Cindy was dead... and even though Keegers had a great idea of "finding someone to make her NOT dead" there was nothing we could do to change it.  Throw in "celebrating" the holidays for the first time without my mom... finding out my Grandfather has lung cancer and a trip to the ER for Keegers to get his first of what I'm sure will be many stitches.... I had a TERRIBLE December.

But between those Bookends... I (We) had a really great year! 

We celebrated Easter by coloring LOTS of eggs blue... because blue is Keegan's favorite color.

We settled into our house, got close to lots of neighbors and had the first of what I think will be many neighborhood cookouts with all the kids running from yard to yard.

I travelled.... James and I took all four boys to Washington DC during an insane heat wave... and we survived. 

I got to have a Mom's weekend in VEGAS with some of my very best friends. 

I welcomed a new nephew, Baby Owen, born to my little sister who was able to move back "home" after being cross country.

I got tenure at my job... and James put in his papers to retire.

James and I left the little boys with my mom overnight for the first time so we could meet up with old friends and have a grownup evening!

I made it home for Thanksgiving and went Black Friday shopping for the first time in two years with my mom... and we had a GREAT day!

I reconnected with old friends, and was reminded of what great friends and family I really have!

I had a TERRIBLE January and a TERRIBLE December, but those months were just the bookends to a really, really great year.  The story of 2010 shouldn't be just about how it started and ended... but about what was held in between.

More than anyone I need to remember that.