HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year everyone!

My goodness where has all the time gone? I can't believe the holidays have come and gone. I have been so bad about writing in my blog. I am definitely going to try to do better this new year.

This was a wonderful Christmas and New Years. I have the best family in the world and got to spend time with them. What more could a mother ask for?

We started with a wonderful dinner at my son's house on Dec. 23rd. Everything was perfect and I had a wonderful time. Serif got to meet Hulda who just loved her. She wanted to kiss that baby so badly. She is a very well behaved dog and was very gentle but Serif really wanted to play with her. You know it was a great time because we didn't leave until around 2:00. That says something for me to stay up that late.

Christmas eve was perfect. We took Serif to church. It was a beautiful service and then came home to celebrate with Terry's family. What fun we had. I had brought crackers for everyone and then we all sat around making snow globes. They may not have been perfect but a great time was had by all. Then came the big part which was the presents. I got so many wonderful things. How wonderful to share these things with those you love.

Since it was Serif's first Christmas, Missy was kind enough to invite me to spend the night and enjoy Christmas morning with her family. It was so wonderful of her and I gladly accepted. Christmas morning arrived and I heard stirring in Missy's room. I went in and there was Serif on her mommy's chest trying to go back to sleep. The bad thing was that she wasn't even surprised when she opened her eyes and saw me standing there wishing her a Merry Christmas. Does that mean I spend too much time at her house? ;-D

Anyway we went out to let her see what Santa Claus had brought her. Those eyes were so big. She couldn't believe all those toys were hers. She really got excited when she saw the snail that Santa had given her.

The biggest surprise of the morning was for me. Santa had remembered me too. I discovered that while I slept he had brought me a stocking and a present. I almost cried when I was handed the stocking. That was the first stocking I had gotten since I lost my Patrick. The kids will never know how much that meant to me.

Then I was given a big box with a new coffee maker in it. Can we talk surprise. It was a great present. Not only was I needing a new coffe maker but this one is quite special. It grinds the coffee beans just before making the coffee so the coffee is very fresh. I can even program it. I have to admit that is some of the best coffee I've had. I couldn't have gotten a better present. Plus I think of the kids every day when I use it. They are so wonderful to me.

After that, I hurried home to start preparing Christmas dinner and everyone arrived at the house. What a perfect Christmas. I love having the children back home for Christmas and having Serif there just made it even more special. Poor Bosco is still scared of her. He just doesn't know what to do with a person this little. Serif got to sit in her high chair at my house and try some of the dinner. Not much but it was nice to know that she liked the dressing. Her favorite is still the banana nut bread. After dinner, we played games and just enjoyed being a family. It feels so good to sit there and look up and see my children all around me at the table. If only Patrick could be there, everything would be perfect. But I know he's there in spirit. I can feel him with me every day.

I decided this year to go ahead and work between Christmas and New Years. It was very quiet since most of the office was on vacation. On Friday Missy and Serif came to see me. She is just so funny. But we had fun with her in the office. No one else was around so she could just do whatever she wanted. That night we went over to Tom's again and had a lovely dinner and visited with some friends of Tom and Patti's that were in town visiting. After dinner, we all played games. Another late night for us.

New Years Eve was fun. Missy had invited an old friend of hers from her childhood and her husband. Also included were Tom and Patti and Kathy. We all just sat around and played the game Scene It. We had a ball and were able to bring in the New Year together. There is always a bad time for me at the stroke of midnight. I so miss my Patrick and everyone is kissing and I remember that this is another year without him. You'd think it would get better. In some ways it has but in other ways I don't think it ever will.

New Years day was Luby's. That's a tradition that Patrick started after my mother died so I would not have to cook on New Years day. We have kept up that tradition even after he died. It was even more special this year because Terry's family joined us. The more the merrier.

Kathy took care of Serif on Monday so that Missy and Terry could celebrate their anniversary. I stopped by and visited some and then I took over so that they could go get tatoos. Better them than me. I talk about it but I think I'm too much of a coward to ever really go through with it.

I do so love taking care of Serif. She has gotten so big. Last night (Monday) she crawled with her belly off the floor and pulled herself up all by herself. We have so much fun together. She laughs and plays and is such a happy baby. I love being around her. I get to take care of her tonight so the kids can go out to dinner for their anniversary. I am so looking forward to it.

I guess that pretty much recaps the holidays. One of my resolutions is to post more. Let's hope that I can keep that one.

Oh and another thing is that I finally got the story "Dirty Faced Angel" written down for Missy to share with Serif when she gets older. That's another thing I can check off a list.

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year and that all their dream and wishes come true in the months to come.