thinking of MeMaw

The last year has been very hard on Gary's mom.  She has been in an assisted living for years, but her dementia has gotten worse and she has fallen multiple times and been in and out of the hospital the past 6 months.  It is heartbreaking and has been very emotional. It's hard to be away from family in Texas during this time, but we also know she isn't the same MeMaw we once knew. She's angry often, she gets frustrated and demanding.  It's so sad to see her different from the woman I met 19 years ago.   

Due to her declining health we were forced to move her from her assisted living and into a nursing home type setting.  She seriously was there for maybe 6 days and she was back in the hospital.  She's been in the hospital since.

I feel like Gary and I are too young to have a parent with dementia. I think Gary's mom should be picking up the kids and taking them shopping and out to lunch. Sadly, she hasn't been the same since Gary's dad died 11 years ago. Yes, she survived a horrible car accident that had her in the hospital for over a year, but that accident has always effected her health. 

I mean look at that car.  God saved her because the entire front of that car is awfully crushed. (September 2005)

I have a giant lump in my throat right now.  We just got a phone call from the hospital.  She has been there for over a week this time due to her being over medicated by the nursing home.  She seemed to have somewhat recovered, but now like before she can't swallow food or her pills. This has happened before, but this time she rips out her IV's and her feeding tube.  She has moments of clarity and she told the nurse she was done fighting.  She has lost so much weight and has been refusing food since before she was last admitted to the hospital.  She has expressed her feelings to Gary and I multiple times and even signed the forms back in 2004. We know that her wishes are to go to heaven to be with her husband.  It sucks and it isn't fair for Gary to have lost both parents when he is so young, but it is true life.  If she doesn't fight and get her medications for her blood pressure she will die. 

Gary is heading to Dallas for work meetings, and he will get to see her tonight.  We'd appreciate all the prayers we can get for our family.  We have many many decisions to make and none of them will be easy.  I just want her to be pain free.  She knows she's going to heaven and she is ready, but only God knows when she will go home.  She gets better and worse so quickly and we just never know what will happen next.  I'm just praying daily for peace!

Our gingerbread creations!

I found a fun gingerbread village while shopping today.  Each of us get one of the mini houses to decorate.   Yay!  This one is mine. I just love my little gummy bear home owner.

I bought tons of extra candy because there is no such thing as too much candy on a gingerbread house!  Oh my word, have you had those mini twizzlers?  Holy yummy!  I could eat the entire bag and I don't even really like regular twizzlers.

These two are serious about their creations.

Layla's

Gary's

And Hayden's

We had a fun Friday night!

birthday party fun with friends

Yesterday we went to a birthday party for one of Hayden's buddies.  The party was at Stars and Strikes and I was excited to go because we'd never been.  It was a blast!  It's such a fun place for kids and adults too.

First the kids bowled.  We have only bowled once since moving to Georgia.  In Ohio due to the cold weather we bowled almost every weekend in the fall and winter.  Here in Georgia, thankfully we play outside a lot!

Then the kids had pizza and birthday cake, but Griffen doesn't like cake.  Look what his clever momma did!  She made him a donut cake.  It turned out perfect!  I just love it!

After cake the kiddos went to play laser tag and ride in the bumper cars.  Hayden was so excited to tell me all about laser tag and then I ended up jumping into a bumper car and playing myself.  It was so fun and I couldn't stop laughing!

The kids got a card with game credits and they loved playing the fun games in the arcade area.

Layla and Hayden are headed into the laser maze.  It seemed fun, but the kids conquered it fast than they would have liked.  Gary was able to join us towards the end of the party!  He worked most of the day and then wanted to check out Stars and Strikes.  I think one of his dealerships is planning to have their party there next weekend.

We are so thankful for fun friends and are thrilled we got to help Griffen celebrate turning 8!

busted up elbow

This guy gave us a scare this morning when the school nurse called me to report he had fallen on the concrete at recess.  She said he hurt his arm and he was hurting pretty bad.  The only other time Hayden fell at school was in Ohio when he fell off the monkey bars and hit his head on a pole.  He had quite the goose egg, but thankfully his head is hard and he ended up being just fine.  The hard part then was keeping him still so his headache would go away.  

Gosh, since Layla fell back in first grade I try not let myself get to worried as I drove to the school.  She got hurt pretty badly when she collided with another student during P.E.. They bumped heads and she had quite the gash, but thankfully she turned out to be just fine.

Today Hayden is going to lay on the couch and chill the rest of the day.  He fell while running and he's a pretty fast runner y'all.  Some other kid bumped him and knocked him off balance.  He slammed his left elbow into the cement and ripped his jacket sleeve.  When I got to him most of the bleeding had stopped, but he had a super deep gash and he wasn't moving his arm.  That worried the school nurse the most.  Thankfully I think he will be ok and ready to head back to school tomorrow.  What a crazy morning it was, but I'm so happy it didn't turn out worse!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Well, my favorite holiday (Thanksgiving) is over and the Christmas season is upon us.  I love Christmas time, but I love teaching the kids to be thankful before the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.  Thanksgiving is a calm and soothing holiday and I just won't decorate the tree or my house before we celebrate and show our gratitude for all we have.

We found the perfect tree and we love it!

Gary strung the lights and I hung the balls on it, but the kids played outside and we enjoyed the wonderful warm weather, so we didn't fully decorate with the other ornaments.  Our tree seems to have a little lean going on.  Oh my!

She's a a pretty tree!  I just love her and soon she will be full of ornaments from years past!

friendsgiving roadtrip!!

Yesterday we decided to take a road trip to Chattanooga.  I was bummed because we'd have to take two cars and I thought maybe we could rent a van.  Everyone thought it was a wonderful idea. Yay!  Our day began with the guys getting the van and us hitting the road for our Tennessee adventure!

We stopped in at Ruby Falls.

And the we decided to visit the downtown area.

The waterfall steps were my favorite!

All selfies today compliments of Layla's selfie stick!

We ate a yummy lunch at Big River.

Then we visited the local cupcake place and I got my favorite classic vanilla cupcake. Layla also got a classic vanilla also, while Hayden got a peanut butter chocolate and Gary indulged in a mint chocolate chip flavor. Mmmmm!  So delicious!

On our way back to Georgia we visited Chickamauga National Battlefield Park.

We went 136 steep and circling steps to the top of Wilder monument.  It was so fun because we didn't realize how high it was and as we swiftly walked up the stairs we could feel the top was near, but we kept going and going and going.  We laughed and giggled through the thigh burn.  The laughter echoed through the cement monument and it's a memory I'll never ever forget.

I was a little freaked out at the top.  I'm not a fan of heights. I was worried one of the kids would fall all the way down the steep stairs, and I barely looked over the sides, yuck!  

I love the little side holes the soldiers shot guns out of.  I'm not a history lover, but it was really cool to tour the battlefields!

We made it back down and took picture looking back up at the top. It was pretty cool!

On the drive back to Georgia I was feeling sentimental.  I'm thankful for a fun day with friends and the ability for all of us to celebrate this holiday together!