2012 has arrived!

Is it REALLY 2012?  Really?!  Wasn't it JUST 2011?  This will be a year in review.  BORING ALERT.....this is your disclaimer.  Proceed with caution!   This should be ...ahem....fairly brief...bahahaha.....with 3 in diapers, I can't stay on task with anything for too long.

     We started last year with me recovering from double surgery.  Actually, let's go back a few weeks.  The surgery occurred on December 13th, 2 days before our 20th anniversary.  Crazy huh?  Who knew 20 years later I would be SO FUN!  It was actually planned around this date due to the fact that more people could help us during this time than any other.  Home schooling was finishing the semester, our beloved sitter would be home from college, etc.  6 weeks with NO LIFTING whatsoever and 2 "littles" (16 mos and 9 mos) would be quite a challenge!

   So...surgery... curious, aren't you?  Hysterectomy and bladder suspension.  I told you I was FUN! Both were needing to happen for a while and I finally had the opportunity, the right insurance (It was about to change) and somewhat....time. Surgery went....okay...lost a lot of blood and had some strange things happen with dizziness in a car, but that all passed....eventually.

(Just a playdate with 2 friends...also adopted from foster care.  Far left and far right).

    Moving into February and March.  Those months blur together.  Caroline began playing the part of "Amy" in Little Women through ArtsView Children's Theatre AND we made our 1st journey to Children's Hospital in Dallas for Paris's cleft palate surgery.  We made it in time for a central Texas snow storm, okay, okay, ice storm.  Hold you breath, it won't last.  Ooops, it did!  Did I mention it was the week of the Super Bowl?  People, you do NOT mess with the Super Bowl if it is in Texas.  In fact you don't mess with FOOTBALL in Texas, no matter WHO Is playing.  Rabbit trail....

     Reader's Digest Version....surgery canceled due to Paris having a cough, we're iced in with NO place to stay because our lovely hotel double booked our room due to the Super Bowl.  Fun.  Children's, being amazing, got us a room at the unbelievable Ronald McDonald house where we waited out the weather with our wonderful sitter, Becky.  Games, good food and great families fighting amazing battles with their children made for a delightful side trip.

      Surgery DID happen in March and was much more than I ever imagined.  Let's just say, I hope to never have a child go through this again.  It was rough.  Praise the Lord for precious Becky and my daughter, Caroline.  I couldn't have done it without them! I also must tell you that Children's hospital is incredible at taking care of their patients as well as the families who love them.

     Because we like to keep it fun, the day after cleft palate surgery Caleb went in for surgery on his finger to add to 2 pins.  He had broken it unbeknownst to us (we thought is was just jammed) several weeks earlier playing pick up basketball with friends......wasn't the broken hand in the fall during soccer season, enough?  Apparently NOT.  The break was bad and the bone separated.  I wasn't there for the surgery which broke my heart.

Washington DC with Louie Gohmert.


     May brought a CAREER change for Locke.  After several turbulent years in the ever fading pharmaceutical market, along with several job layoffs, it was time for a change back to the basics.  Counseling.  This is his degree and his love so it was a "no brainer".  Two more classes for licensing, no problem (enter stress) and THE TEST for licensing (enter MORE stress) and then the job search.  After numerous interviews, he was hired as a counselor at a state jail.  Yes, they do counsel there.  That is a whole other blog all together.

 

New house.

    In June we sold our boat, bought a very used, but awesome larger one, bought the guy's suburban as well since he made an unbelievable offer on it (amazing what moving across the country in 5 days will do to someone).  Both, again, are old and yet wonderful!  Never knew how much I would love that big old "burban".  Left house on the market although our patience was thinning in the crazy real estate market.  Prayed for a DIRECT answer to the moving situation.  Got it.  Cash offer and total new direction for house.  Another blog post.

   Packed like crazy, adopted Paris and moved 3 days later in September.  Surprise award from US Congress for Foster/Adopt families and whirlwind, unbelievable trip to Washington DC with the oldest 3 and my parents.  Colin has ear surgery to repair his perforated ear drum, hopefully restoring his profound hearing loss in that ear (side note, it didn't work.  We are exploring options with another surgeon in Dallas....this surgery would be different and no one does it here.  If not, then he will be fitted for a hearing aid.  Colin doesn't want another surgery.  We'll see what the surgeon has to say before making that decision.  Please pray for him and for us and this decision).

Christmas pic with DJ (nickname) somewhat hidden for privacy reasons (foster placement).

Tympanoplasty... I think that's how it's spelled....

   ...The bottom then fell out for a while.  We are still picking up those pieces, meanwhile re-licensing for foster care in the  new house, trying to home school, keeping up with Caleb's move to the public high school and the tennis team, refusing a 13 year old placement and taking the 1/2 brother of Kylie at 5 months old, taking sign language classes with Colin and Caroline to help with Paris and her hearing deficiencies, making the BIG decision to put the girls in MDO for them (there is another hearing impaired child in Paris's class) and for me.  Booking and NOT booking speaking engagements regarding foster care and adoption. Thanksgiving at our house with my parents and aunt and uncle, Christmas back and forth in Tyler, Paris was supposed to have "permanent tubes" put in her ears to help with hearing, but I just couldn't do ONE MORE THING so I canceled it and here I am in my PJs needing to get ready for church on New Year's Day wondering what in the world has hit me.   That's it....at least I THINK that's it. Blessing upon blessing upon blessing in the midst of some real trials and struggles.  We are hoping for LESS events in 2012 and maybe a few less surgeries as well!  Happy New Year!