I'm baaack!!!

Gosh! It sure has been a long time since I was here with ya'll last.  I've missed all of you so much.  Before I go any further, I'd like to thank you all so much for your prayers, love, & support.  I've received a good many private emails & phone calls from a select few & they all helped to keep me grounded & calm.  Thank you!!!! I actually returned home last Monday (Dec 3rd) & what a trip it was.  Started at 3 am & didn't end until I arrived back at Dulles at 630 pm!  Talk about pooped out!  It's taken me all week to get readjusted to the time change & catch up on a lot of lost sleep.  My guys are really happy to have me home, as are the animals.  They had to bail out one of our pooches from the doggie jail, & we did have a loss...my cat, Marty, has been missing since T'giving weekend.  I prefer to believe that Marty has been taken by a very nice family nearby & is curled up next to a cozy fire.  Much better to think of him that way rather than probably fox food!  Such is life in the country. The past few days, besides catching up on my rest, I've been making changes to my home & decorating for Christmas.  Being at my Auntie's disaster area of a home made me recognize that I could stand to downsize the "stuff" in my own house.  So I'm slowly but steadily divesting myself of "stuff" that we just don't need anymore.  My son, Chris, will be inheriting a lot of things for his new home, as will my daughter, Krista.  The rest of it will either go on ebay or given to charity or simply pitched out.  A daunting task, to say the least, but one that will be done by springtime. So, I'm happy to be home, I'm happy that Auntie has gone to collect her wings & is at peace, & I look forward to reconnecting with all ya'll.  With that said, I guess I better start reading your posts so I can get caught up. Hugs & kisses to all!!

Welcome back Ann! You are in our thoughts and prayers! Glad to see you back and hope things will return to normal some for you soon! Hugs Shannon

Thanks for the welcome home, Shannon.  You've been in my thoughts too.  How ya feeling these days, hon?  Have the docs got the fibro under control yet?  I so worry about you, girlie.  First chance I get to see you, I'm gonna hug the stuffin' outta you!!!!

GM CW I am sorry about your auntie,  Heaven sure got sweeter didn't it!  Also, sorry that your cat is missing. Glad you are home, you are in my prayers.   Downsizing on stuff is great, I just did that too when we moved two weeks ago.  Gave away two trucks loads full of stuff and then once i started unpacking, my sis got three boxes full of stuff i didn't need anymore.  Take care! hugs

Oh my goodness, Judy!  Look at YOU!!!!  My darling, you look amazing!!!! Ain't downsizing great?  So, how's the new digs?  All unpacked & ready for the holidays??  I'm doing my downsizing room by room.  I've already divested myself of extra dishes, tablecloths, & pictures (wall type).  Won't have to buy a thing for presents this year...LOL!  And to keep down the clutter, I've asked loved ones to give us gift cards to Chili's & Ruby Tuesdays...help keep the eating-out costs down when we go the farm.  Seems like ever since Amy died, nobody remembers how to cook anymore...gotta go eat out all the time. I miss my Auntie alot, but I know she's in a good place & I feel her close by.  I know she's watching over us all & I know that SHE knew she was loved.  Her service was very nice & she had quite a nice turnout.  She touched a lot of lives, for sure.  Even though I"m downsizing, I've got 6 boxes coming from her place...family stuff...treasures.  THAT kinda stuff I won't get rid of.  It was so cool going through the house.  I found my great grandfather & grandfather's scrap books!  G'granddad's was from 1897!  How cool is that?  And we found some hoochie pics of Auntie...one photo looks like it should have been a sun tan ad in  a magazine.  Maybe I'll post that one.  I found one photo of her & my dad that really put me over the edge.  I cried & cried.  But oh, they look so wonderful.  He was only 15 & she 18...their whole lives ahead of them & so innocent. Anywho, thanks for the welcome home.  I have missed you too!

Beautiful lady you have been missed very much!!!!  You are on my list to call, with children, husband, two jobs, etc, it has not happened as of yet.  My thoughts & prayers have been with you daily.  So glad you are home to your guys & getting back into the swing of things.  I am sorry for the loss of your aunt, I know she meant a lot to you and will be missed much.  Love you very much and can't wait to get you back into the swing of things on here. 

Courtney, my love!!!!  So how's married life so far?  I bet ya'll are still all smoochy & huggy, huh? LOL Yeah, I miss Auntie, but I have her with me.  One thing I did that I'm glad I did was copped one of her nightgowns.  In fact, I snagged one for each of us girls.  We all have this "thing" about nighties.  I also have some fantastic old photos of that whole side of the family. Bonding with my cousins was so worth extending my stay for.  I've always been close to Sissy (aka, Mary Ann), but Jess was always the ellusive one till now.  She's such an amazing young woman & I'm so proud of her.  Every time we turned around, we'd discover more & more things we have in common, to include a warped sense of humor.  I even managed to teach her a craft before I left...she's knitting!!!  On her third scarf now!  Getting to know her hubby, Margarito (OMG what a hunk!!!) & their darling little one, Vivian, aka Pio.  We talk on the phone often & blow kisses to each other across the country.  Even though Pio is my 2nd cousin, she calls me Auntie Bagel too, my nickname from my nieces & nephews...don't ask my why Auntie Bagel, but it's stuck on me now! This weekend has been rather productive, thanks to Matt's help.  I sent Mike off to the farm so I could get stuff done.  Besides, Dennis needed him more since they are breeding the herd.  I would have been useless there & just couldn't see wasting the time. So, give me a holler so we can get together for lunch or something.  I love you very much too & have missed you more than y ou know!  Hey, maybe after the holidays, when things settle down to normal (???),  you & Matt could come out for dinner or something?  Yeah?  Let me know.

Of course we are all smoochy & huggy.  We decided to be honeymooners forever.  Married life is great!!!  Of course we are working on figuring out budgets, spending, rules, chores, etc I am so glad that even with the sadness of the situation you were able to experience so many joys.  Fantastic memories, new bonds with family, they are priceless moments to treasure for always.

Glad that you had a productive weekend.  I am sure that after being gone for a few weeks, your life at home definitely needed some Annie TLC.  So what do you have going on this coming Saturday?  I will be out in that neck of the woods & thought maybe you & I (and my girlies who should be with me) could get together for a bit.  And Matt & I would love to get together after things settle down from the holidays.  We will have to work on that.  Love you & can't wait to catch up. 

I WAS gonna have a big family get-together this weekend but it looks like the weather's not gonna cooperate.  Chris goes to his Mom's in OK this year (we swap Xmas) so this was to be our Xmas with him, my Godson & my Grandson & their parents.  Maybe not.  Don't expect YOU to be going anywhere either from what I've seen of the big ice/snow storm due to hit here on Sat. 

You should see my living room...it looks like a xmas store threw up!!!  I didn't realize how much Xmas "stuff" I've accumulated over the years.  Definately gonna downsize after the holidays.  Poor Chris...he gets to inherit so many "goodies"...LOL.  Heeeeeyyyy, I just realized something.  I still owe you a wedding present.  Hmmmm.  lol

Gotta go finish decorating.  Love you bunches!!!!

 

Hey you perty thang you! Big welcome back with smooches and major huggies & I been thinking of ya, praying for ya and LOVED hearing from you! You make me giggle my tushy off! Hey WAIT! I NEED to giggle off some other areas. Darn I guess that means we're gonna be working on more than our perty smiles huh? You have totally been missed! Someone is spoilin' Marty fer sure! So, Auntie is flying high & sending precious vibes down from Heaven above! Glad you're home & have been catching up & I'm real anxious to hear from you soon. I figure it'll be VERY soon that I'm gonna be making a road trip. HINT HINT!!!  I love you & want you to know that I am SO thankful for having you in my life. You're are real charm!