Happy New Year!

To anyone out there that might read this blog, Happy New Year - I wish you and yours all the best in 2009! WOO HOO!

We Are Blessed

Christmas itself is over, but we had such a special day as our first Christmas in Texas. Christmas Eve was so much fun, my SIL from Houston came up without her hubby - so there wasn't too much worry over the girls. My other 2 SIL's immediately took over with Ms.J & Little G as soon as I hit the door. Dinner was delicious, how I LOVE me some tamales, chicken, beef, pork I love them all! The girls surprised everyone by eating an entire tamale a piece, plus cornbread, plus chips and spicy salsa - have I ever mentioned that my girls are great eaters and will try anything (knocking on wood). Wayne had to work until 10pm, but he came to his sister's afterwards. The girls were in the spotlight and everyone appeared to enjoy them - my MIL couldn't believe how much they had changed since we saw her last June. I came home around midnight (both girls still WIDE awake) and put the girls to bed and got to wrapping and getting the cookies ready for Santa. Wayne got home around 2am, it was good that he had the chance to catch up with his sis from Houston. He jumped in and helped finish wrapping and around 4am we finally went to bed. I told Ms.J that she was in charge in the morning and she couldn't come past their hallway until she got permission. Lets just say that at 6:30am she strolled in to our room, claiming that it was time for us to get up and that Santa had left the lights on the tree on. I told her to go back to bed and we'd come and get her after while - she stomped off, but we didn't hear from her again. We went to wake the girls up at 8:30am and Little G was SOOOOO not ready to get up. She was tired and cranky and not at all interested in the excitement that is Christmas morning. The girls emptied their stockings, Ms.G got distracted by this cool snow-globe type bouncy ball that Santa brought and didn't want to unwrap anything else. Ms.J finished all of hers and then sweetly "offered" to help Little G open the rest of hers.
Once we finished, we had a yummy breakfast of sweetrolls, coffee and juice. We then got ready to head up to my SIL's house, where the whole clan was meeting up again for dinner and more presents (for the girls anyways, we agreed not to buy for each other, just them). We had a great day there as well, the girls had lunch, took naps (only one bout of SUPER low blood sugars with Ms.J - she was at 24 - OMG). We then had the opportunity to educate the in-laws on the procedure and what is the best thing to give them in those cases. We had dinner while the girls napped, nice to have adult dinner every once in a while and worry only about cutting my food for a change...LOL. We woke the girls up and got them ready to open their presents...there was an ABUNDANCE of gifts and everyone seemed to enjoy spoiling the daylights out of the girls. Auntie D bought them clothes...clothes that I never would....DKNY, Polo, etc. for a 4 year old and a 2 year old? DARLING clothes though, she has wonderful taste. Between the other 2 Auntie's and my MIL, I'm having a hard time remembering who gave them what. I know we have 2 mini chairs & ottomans (geez these are sweet). Each of the girls got little pink scooters, they have a tv-dance camera thing - which the Auntie's opened to make sure it worked, wink,wink. We now have a ball pit and a tunnel type set up for the playroom and clothes...lots and lots of clothes, a great "play" laptop that is a just plain awesome, Ms.J has carried it around constantly since we got home. It was a wonderful Christmas, I feel a little guilty writing this, but I didn't miss Christmas with my family nearly as much as I thought I would - I miss them every day and I love the craziness of the cousins all together, but this was a really sweet Christmas and I really enjoyed spending it with my in-laws.

Here's to Christmas Eve

Tonight I will be, for the first time in 12 years of marriage, spending Christmas Eve with my in-laws - all of them. I'm excited for this new to me tradition and I want to make sure that my girls enjoy being part of this side of the family. Wayne has 3 sisters, 2 of whom live in the greater Dallas area. My mother-in-law lives in Vegas and is spending Christmas here in Texas - the littles are so comfortable with their 2 aunties & uncles that live nearby and their grandma that it will be an easy going evening. My other sister-in-law and her hubby are coming from Houston and to say they don't care for children in an understatement. She has only been around Ms.J once, 2 years ago and has never acknowledged Little G. I'm a bit torn on if I should try to keep them away from these 2 or let them be children and then these adults can do their thing. We're doing chili and tamales for dinner and because of the girls I'll be able to escape early if need be - bedtimes and Santa and all.
On a side note, I had a very brief catchup conversation with one of my dearest friends today and she told me some very special news.....she and her special guy are getting married - it's official! The date has been picked and the planning is in full swing. I cannot express how happy I am that the wheels are in motion, this is one wedding that I have been looking forward to. She has also asked Ms.J to be a flower girl - which I know she will LOVE! I love great news, the more the merrier - especially at the holidays and as this year comes to an end. To have something so special to look forward is a gift unto itself. Congrats to them!
Happy Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas to everyone - may Santa be good to you and your families. Much Love....

My heart hurts....

This will be a bit jumbly, but I have so much that I have to get out of my head and my heart that I can barely stand it. Last night we returned home from Children's Hospital here in Dallas with our perfect little G happy as a lark. She didn't know she was sick and couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about....the day before we were given the news that we were hoping to never hear about our sweet girl. Like her daddy and her big sissy, G is diabetic. To type that word after her name pains me, brings tears to my eyes and my heart hurt. We knew that her chances increased having both a sibling and a parent with Type 1, but the odds (on paper anyways) were in her favor to not end up with it. We recognized the symptoms, started random testing of her blood sugar and started the search for a new pediatrician and referrals to an endocrinologist. Her admittance to the hospital went just like Jamie's did - the pediatrician agreed that she needed to be seen at the hospital. We drove there, spent 7 hours in the ER while we waited for a room in the diabetes wing, G was poked, prodded, and hooked up to an iv for fluids. She was given a hospital issued gown - and was the cutest little thing you've ever seen in one, BTW. We had excellent care, from the EMT to the doctors, this hospital is awesome. Since we are seasoned parents in this arena we were put on the fast track with the education and nutritional education. Due to the small amounts of insulin that is required for Gabby and the fact that we are used to giving shots to little ones, we were sprung last night after dinner. Normally the routine is a minimum of 2 nights and 3 full days of education - there were 3 other children admitted on Friday with diabetes so there was a need for focused, detailed education more so for them than us. The nurses loved G and I think were somewhat sad that she was leaving since she was such a good patient. She only cried when they put the iv in - not during the finger pokes or the shots in her little belly or legs - she was pretty much a model patient and we were told that over and over again how different from most littles her age (22 months)she is. Of course they truly got to see her silliness when sissy showed up with Auntie E to visit (and E could get some training on how to do shots, etc). My girls were so happy to see each other, they laughed and hugged and immediately went about playing. Ms.J showed her big sister side and was very protective of G, grilling the poor nurses over every little thing they did with G - it was very sweet to watch.
The bottom line is that we have the same attitude with G's diagnosis as we did with Ms.J's - you deal with it and incorporate it into their lives simply as a part of who they are and never treat them differently. Diabetic kids can do everything other kids do, they just need to monitor their sugars. We have a great support system here in Dallas, just like we did in Sacramento and I am SO grateful for our family. If this is what God has given us to handle in our lives then I will take it happily. There are parents that were in that hosptial with their children and they don't get to be home for Christmas, some haven't seen the outside for months on end -there is always someone with more to handle than we do, I need to remind myself from time to time of that.
My girls are happy, healthy and the best things Wayne and I have ever done and they are the light of our lives. They are good girls and we are blessed with every smile, dimple, hug and kiss from them.
Oh yeah - and can I just say that I can't wait for this miserable year to be OVER??
2009 has to be a better year - greedily I say that it's our turn for some good luck.

If anyone is reading this, PLEASE help if you can

I am relatively new to this whole blogging thing, but I have met some pretty cool chicks who have remarkably great ideas and the ability to reach tons of people with their blogs. I certainly don't mean to imply that I do that, but I aspire to do that one day. I have been completely wrapped up in my own universe over the past few weeks, trying to prepare for our move to Dallas - but I checked a friend's blog this morning while having my coffee and was stunned. I cannot explain to you the fear I feel and the problem I'm having breathing while I'm typing. This simply CANNOT happen.

Right now I am doing the only thing I can think of to help a friend of mine - she is one of the kindest, most thoughtful women I've never met. She is spunky and hilarious and unbelievably creative. BUT, this really isn't about her persay - it's about her daughter. My friend Lisa has a beautiful daughter Marielle, her Sunshine Girl, that is currently in END Stage kidney failure and yes it means exactly that. Her family has been tested, they are now moving to friends to be tested but time is running out. I cannot stand the panic I feel when I think of what will happen. I want to protect this family and I feel fierce when I say that.

What do I want to happen? I would love for someone to make the decision to be tested and be a match for Marielle, it's very simple. I want my friend's daughter to be better than okay - I want her to be a normal teenage girl who gets her life back. I cannot currently be considered due to blood pressure issues and the medication I take, or I would put my kidney where my mouth is and hand deliver it to Philadelphia.

Here's the contact information: If you would like to find out more about being a kidney donor to Lisa's 15-year-old daughter, Marielle Carroccio, please contact Joann Palmer of Children’s Hospital of Philadephia at (215) 590-2449.

You can read more about Lisa and Marielle on her blog: The Domestic Diva (she's on wordpress - thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com) - still can't figure out the damn link business.

From my heart and my hope and my faith that this will happen for Marielle, I pray that this will happen - please add them to your Prayer List if you have one, I would really appreciate it and I know they would too.

Handbag Planet

This fun website is having it's grand opening mid-October and is giving away FREE, yes I said FREE handbags on the day of their launch - go there and register to win, you can even pick the bag you would like to be entered for. Cute stuff! Very pretty bags, great colors and different styles for your whole wardrobe. Enjoy!

Going to the Big D

It would seem that my family is making a move, make that a BIG move. My sweet hubby has tentatively been offered a position in Dallas, TX. I told him we won't do anything until we have it all in writing, the money, relocation, etc. But that apparently is just details at this point. He's been there for 2 weeks and has been working and going out neighborhood shopping for houses with his two awesome sisters. I'm scared and excited all at the same time, I feel like I'm at the top of the roller coaster and we're starting to head down the hill and pick up speed with no turning back. I would go anywhere with my husband, no questions asked, just as he has with me - but everything I've known for the last 8 years has been here in Sacramento.
I'm sad for my girls that they won't be around their only cousins like they are now (they live 9 miles away). I'm excited for them that they will be around their aunties who simply adore them and make the greatest efforts to spoil them. But most of all I'm dreading the separation of my girls from their Grammy. Grammy is the only person who has ever watched the girls - whether for a few hours or overnight. When I was working, she was daycare and neither of my girls know anyone else. She was with us in the hospital and as involved in the decisions we made for Ms.J when she was diagnosed with diabetes. She is the 3rd parent in our girls' lives and I'm really upset about changing that dynamic.
More details to follow as I get them....working on getting estimates from movers right now and figuring out what the hell I'm going to do with all the crap I own....OMG