Another one so soon....

Now no one pass out but I decided not to wait 30 days before I posted again. I usually don't know about what I will write about until I type the first few sentences but hey if we are luckily it will make sense and have some humor to it. So let's get you up to date with everything that has happened since my last post. I made a whirlwind trip to Ohio. I had the wonderful opportunity to fly to Ohio for a few days to see my dad. He continues to decline and the most visible signs are his declining speech and his loss of hearing. The most startling difference is his dramatic weight loss. He has lost almost 30 pounds by my guess since I has lost saw him almost 6 weeks before. His appetite is not good and he takes a lot medication just to keep him from having seizures. My brothers and sister are doing an amazing job of keeping me informed of his condition and to them I say thank you. There is no time table for when everything will happen but we are thankful for every day he is still here.

On a happier note while I was home I got to spend some time in the evening with my family. Most notably I got to spend a quality evening with my cousins Marsha, Keever, Kelley and Andrea. We sat up and talked and ate some of the Christmas cookies they made until after 12:30 in the morning. I got to see Andrea and Jon's wedding DVD and it made me feel like I was there. This is normally where I would say something sappy about how much I wish we could have been at the wedding... but sadly based on my conversation with Andrea there is a good chance that she will not have the time to read that heart felt sentiment. Andrea is faced with the demands of.......well I am really not sure what she does all night but she sure is busy. Andrea is just so busy doing.....well she never really said what she is busy doing but I am sure it is very important. After all I am the cousin who brings so much joy to her life when she thinks about all of the great times we had together, if she had the time she would surely take a moment and say...well....something....anything. But Andrea you keep on doing.....well you know what it is that keeps you from commenting and remember my blog is here right where it has always been. Don't feel guilty as you are(insert important event or project that is taking up all your time)....that I make Kristena sit at the computer all day constantly refreshing the comments page hoping...praying that you will post. The doctors says once you comment on my blog, the crooked finger she is getting will most likely heal itself but should she ever lose her voice we may never be able to tell what she wants. I hope the other new mom's in the maternity ward won't make fun of her : (

It was great to get to catch up with them and during a very tough weekend I got to just laugh and make jokes. It was like time had stopped and for a second it felt like old times and we were all kids again hanging out at Marsha's house drinking the best sweet tea on the planet. No one loves Christmas like Marsha and no one decorates for the holidays like she does. Everything was so pretty that it almost made the single digit weather worth it(but it sure was cold). The feeling was carried over when I returned back to my grandparents and my grandma and I sat up until 2:00 in the morning talking. I still had a buzz from the sweet tea so I am glad she wanted to talk or I would have had to run circles in the living room until I fell over. So thanks grandma and grandpa for letting me stay there and a special thanks to my mom who for Christmas bought me my ticket and then picked me up at the airport, drove me to Marion and then took me back to the airport on Sunday morning at 4:50 in the morning. That was after she and I watched the Gaither Vocal Band until midnight and then we talked for another hour and then we decided we better go to bed. I told her we could stay up all night for all I cared because I don't mind being the large man on the airplane snoring with my mouth hanging wide open. Sure keeps people out of your row. If I am really in a non-social mood I will forget to put on my deodorant and refuse to turn the cooling vents on until I get a real solid sweat going then I turn them on to blow the stink around. Kristena says its gross but it makes sure I get the arm rest.

While I was gone Kristena decided that it would fun for her and the kids to make a gingerbread train. I personally thought she had lost her mind but my wife is nothing if not determined. She tells me that they were perfect angels during the process. We never did eat the whole thing but
as you can tell from the pictures the kids had a blast. Actually Kaitlyn took it very seriously and as you might guess Tyler was just interested on how to get the icing out of the tube and into his mouth. It sure was great to see them when I got home. Kristena is never afraid to try new things and loves to make things for people. This year before I left on my trip she made a package of homemade goodies for family. By the time I left Ohio most of them were eaten.(especially the cake balls...I love them cake balls) When I came back she made another huge batch of cookies and other homemade goodies for her family and then sent all of her leftovers in for my 50 staff members. By the end of the day the had all but licked the containers clean. My staff is like a group of starving animals. They see someone walk in with food and then they draw straws and send in a scout to find out what it is and if it is for everybody. Sometimes our attorney's send in food for everyone so I know if there is something I want I pick through it and take it before they know it is there. If not they will have mauled it before I can even tell what it was.

Well I am not sure if I will post before Christmas but first let me tell you that the one thing I have already gotten for Christmas is a great family. My wife and kids make the holidays better than I could ever imagine. As my dad gets sicker and sicker it makes you consider what's important and Kim, Tom and I decided that every day is important and that we should live for today and always be sure those who we love know how much we care. So with that Merry Christmas from us where it is Cloudy and 75.(I know a little chilly but we are finding a way to stay warm) But they promise the sun will be back out tomorrow and we will have to bust the shorts out! So to those of you up north we will pray the winter is mild and the warmth of our love for you will keep you warm while you shiver and freeze and bundle up before you go to get your mail : )