OMG

Has it really been this long?

Time just flies by.

Kyle has been back for his mid tour leave and now he is back for good (til next time, anyway).

My daughter and her family have relocated to NC. (YEAH!)

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years have come and gone.

I hope everyone is doing great. I miss you all!

Christina

Time Capsule

OK... it's been a while since I have really posted.... just a quicky here and there. Sorry! The last few months have been totally hectic. WOW. I feel like I might be able to catch my breath here soon.

August 2008 ~ 3rd son, Kyle moved back in with me... When you are used to a dog and a couple of chickens.... the change can be hectic! I am so thankful that he did. I got to spend about 4 months with him. In August, I also flew home (Indiana) for my Mom's first surgery. They removed the tumor, but were unable to get to the lymph nodes.

September 2008 ~ Tried to assimilate the changes in to life and had to turn 49 ( that is one year left to the big 50 or half century mark ).

October 2008 ~ I had to endure the long distant turmoil of Mom's chemo treatments. She had a rough time and was hospitalized 3 times during the course of treatment.

November 2008 ~ Son's long distance girl friend moved to a town nearby. He proposed on Thanksgiving Day.

December 2008 ~ Kyle went offfor the first month of predeployment training. My best friend moved 4 states away. Christmas and New Years came and went.

January 2009 ~ Kyle left for 3 months of training. Wedding planning started for a wedding sometime the end of March or beginning of April. I flew to Indiana for Mom's 2nd surgery, which was postponed due to blood pressure complications.

February 2009 ~ Wedding plans continue-wedding now 90% sure in the beginning of April. Drove to Florida to babysit granddaughters. Flew to Indiana for Mom's last surgery. Buck, a lab puppy, joined the family.

March 2009 ~ Final preparations for wedding scheduled for April 10th underway. (Bride had to go to California for 3 weeks for training.) Mom started her radiation treatments in Indiana. I started a forum for blog comment exchanging.

April 2009 ~ Last minute wedding prep and guests arriving and parties and finally the day arrived. My son was married April 10th. The rain held off until after the reception (wedding was outside in the local town gazebo and the reception in party tents in my front yard!) Then the big deployment day came. The ceremony was a nightmare. The venue selected was not large enough to hold the 4000+ soldiers, the families, friends, dignitaries and gawkers. Many tears were shed that day. Then they didn't leave as planned. We went through another goodbye a week later.

The guests are home. The spare rooms is filled with wedding presents and reception decorations. I am now trying to plan a trip to Florida to see my middle child graduate. He is receiving his Masters degree from the University of Florida on May 2nd. There are no rooms left. We adjusted plans because Mom is able to fly down to meet us. Middle child, Brian, is now in preparation to join the Peace Corps in September. I feel another tearful goodbye coming. The only thing left is to find out that number 1 child is pregnant with her 3rd child. Then my year will be complete! LOL

During all of this (did I forget to say that I started a new job in June 2008) I work full time outside the home and run an online gourmet coffee store! So wish me a more peaceful, restful end to 2009 to enjoy the homestead, my sweetie(who has been enormously patient with me during all of this) and my Sugar, Buck and the chickens (totally better than TV!) And on the other side, I promise to keep more upto date with all of my blog friends whose live are just as hectic as mine! The flowers are blooming. The vegies are growing. The chickens are laying. The coffee is brewing. The daily photos are over at My World or Your World. So stop on by and give me a shout. There is always an extra cup!

Stumble It!

Happy Holidays!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

The season is upon us ALREADY!

This past year has totally flown by.

My baby has completed basic and AIT and is now preparing to go to Iraq. He also went got himself engaged to a lovely young lady. He is grown up and moving on with life.

My middle son is at the end of education journey (for now) and will be getting his graduate degree. He is wanting to join the Peace Corps.

My daughter and eldest, mother of my 2 granddaughters, has moved up through the corporate ladder and now manages her own store.

I am very proud of my children. They are the greatest blessing of my life.

We have gone through some trials with my mom's health. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring and had surgery in August. She has had a particularly difficult time with the chemo this fall. (She was hospitalized twice.) And she will have to undergo a second surgery and radiation in January. It has been difficult to be so far from her. We talk on a daily basis. I guess I will have to be satisfied with that.

The homestead has gone through some evolution. Chickens were added. The were so fun to watch grow up. Now they are laying eggs. I have enough egg lovers at work to take care of the excess. The aquaponics system is up and running. We have harvested lettuce and spinach. We have onions and cilantro growing in there now. We have experimented with some ground cover crops. The clover, millet and sorghum grew and the chickens loved the extra addition to their diet. We had an excellent garlic harvest. The sweet potatoes are fantastic. The corn and tomatoes had a rough time this year. Strawberries and collard were fantastic. I was so glad to put up lots of jam. The bread machine we added is fantastic. We make all our breads. Next year we are looking to purchase our own land and add some pigs and possibly a cow to the menagerie. We enjoy growing and eating our own food.

I changed jobs and am in a much better position. I ditched the glasses and got contacts. My sweetie would like contacts for Christmas. So another vanity convert! We were able to spend more time than usual with the kids this year. I do love having them around. I meet a lovely woman this summer. It was like we had known each other forever. It is great to have a best friend. She did move away, onto a better place for her. I am glad that I was able to play a part in helping her reach her goals. We are still in daily contact.

I visit my internet friends on a weekly basis. I just seemed to run out of time. I enjoy reading your blogs and miss stopping by on a daily basis. To some of my special friends, John at Potpolotics.com, Barb at A Cowboy's Wife, Robbyn at The Back Forty, Lacy at Razor Family Farms (who has her family now! YIPPY!) Julie at Julie's Journal, Breezie at Forum Finder, Mel at SlogBite.com..... Just to mention a very, very small part of you. Thank you all for your continued support and friendship.

To Everyone Everywhere...
Have safe and joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

Stumble It!