Happy New Year

Better late than never, right?  I know I'm a week late to wish everyone a wonderful, laughter filled 2014 with less stress, less daily trials and more sunshine filled days!  It's been a challenging time for us since before the holidays but I have decided to turn this bus around starting today!  It's all about attitude and not letting life get me down anymore!

Mark's dad took a real turn for the worse the first of December and was hospitalized for a week in ICU with a blood infection.  It caused his blood pressure/pulse rate to be all over the place and kicked his Parkinson symptoms into overdrive so it was really frightening.  Poor Kay didn't leave his side for the entire week and she was exhausted and overwhelmed.  My heart just went out to her and I certainly wished we lived closer in order to help her more.  Jack rallied and went back to the nursing home but still continues to have some lingering effects from the illness.  The weather has been really bad in Arkansas already this winter which has created even more stress for Kay because she can't drive to the nursing home every other day to see him.  It's such an adjustment for them but hopefully this weather won't be around for too much longer.  Mark has a really hard time talking about his dad's health and just dealing with the entire situation so I just try to filter the info to him.  Not the best scenario but what are ya gonna do?

We had a very special Christmas this year and I personally think our best ever!!!!! We as a family made the decision that we all had enough "stuff" in our lives so this year instead of exchanging gifts that we all didn't need or pigging out on so much food that we'd waste half of it, we'd help a family.  It was such an uplifting holiday filled more with family memories than bright shiny packages!  We bought the kiddo's each one gift and they were happy with what they got and appreciated it more.  We spent more time talking than cooking and I know momma and daddy appreciated that more! This is a new family tradition that I'm thrilled to be carrying forward.  Mark and I flew home on Monday before Christmas so we spent a quiet week just being in our home and being together.  It was amazing! We decided to cook a small prime rib for Christmas dinner which was a first time thing for us.  Yummo and we nailed it first try even, thanks to the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond's blog.  We even took it out of the oven and decided to take a nap before we ate.  See I told you, best holiday ever!!!!! 

Then we packed up lock, stock and kitty to head back to TN.  Mark was battling a horrible cold which turned into pneumonia and of course, you guessed it if you said I caught it a week later from him.  So the New Year was rung in with Nyquil shots and early bedtime around the Harris house.  We finally turned the corner on this nasty croupy crap yesterday and think we might just both live thru it.  Clarice is so ready for us to quit waking her up all day and night coughing and blowing our noses so hopefully things will settle back into our new normal real soon.

In the meantime the world didn't stop for our illness and life went on.  The house listing expired and we made a decision to lower the price quite a bit and relist it.  I did some major restaging when I took down the few Christmas items we had out so hopefully it will sell in the next month.  We've had quite a laugh when we looked back and realized that all our homes took 6 months to sell and all sold in Jan/Feb/March so what made us think this one would be any different?  We just keep praying and know there is a plan and it'll all take care of itself soon enough but the human/control freak me wants it to happen in my time.  Can you relate?

And yesterday we had to make a heart breaking decision to let Gizmo cross over the rainbow bridge.  He's been sick since before Christmas and we had hoped that it wasn't too serious.  He had scratched his ear until he had a horrible infection that he was being treated for then he just quit eating, drinking and walking.  In other words, he just wasn't the Gizzy that we all knew and loved.  The vet decided yesterday that he had a brain tumor and that explained the excessive ear scratching/infection and the best thing for him was to end his suffering.  It was so hard on my momma and daddy who have supplied this funny little man with love and attention for the last year and a half.  He was such a loving, drooling, cross eyed, treat loving kitty that the kindest thing we could do was let him go.  I've always said he was my little man and he loved to be held on my hip like a baby so we could dance together.  He was Mark's birthday gift 12 years ago but he was my kitty.  Rest in peace my little man and I know that you are once again chasing chipmunks and rabbits with Hogan, Gertie and Maggie Mae.  Your momma and poppa will love you forever!