So Long 2011!

As I sat at the table New Years Eve morning, I sat and realized how thankful I needed to be.  2011 was a pretty good year, and we are all still in one piece. 

Sam is still in the Navy, Lord willing!  We were really scared for a bit because of the Enlisted Review Board, but we gave it to God , and it was in His will for Sam to stay in!!!  Now we aregood to go until fall, and then we will have to start PTS, another "board" to see if there is room for him in his job, or if he has to cross-rate (change jobs).  Oh, the drama of the military!  I can say though, with the drama, comes a lot of benefits.  Sam is very proud to serve and I am even more proud to stand by his side for the past 11 years in the Navy and 12 years married. 

*Something exciting this year, Sam's great-Uncle Art gave him his 24-foot Air Stream trailer and Suburban.  Sam's mom and step-dad Mike flew Sam and David out to Las Vegas, and after a fun day of visiting with everyone there, they had a daddy and son road trip back to Washington.  They made a couple stops along the way, visiting cousins Shelly, Norm, Brittany and Isaac.  It was so great for them.  We have used the Air Stream once already, and it was a lot of fun.  We plan to get a lot more use out of it during the spring and summer.  Thanks Uncle Art, we love you!

Cheyton turnes 11 this year, and started 6th grade.  He got a new cell phone and has gained an interest in girls.  And the girls like hime too!  Oy vey!  He love playing football with the neighborhood kids, just about everyday.  He played very well in baseball and his team won the 2011 basketball championships.  Unfortunately he did have a pretty good fall one game, and there was a bully problem with one of the teams, but he survived.  We did physical therapy for a couple of weeks and were good to go!  This year, he will only be playing baseball.  If his grades improve, he'll be able to do school sports next year!  Cheyton is a talented athlete, and we are thrilled to watch his games this year!  Go get 'em Chey!

Ethan has had a good year.  We sometimes call him our emotional one.  We have been talking to him about the importance of talking about what's inside and not just crying and letting it sit in.  He is a healthy 10 year old, 4th grader.  A social butterfly right now.  His best friend is Ryan K., and his teacher is the one he had hoped for ALL summer long.  Ethan hopes to get a violin in February and start lessons with Miss Amanda soon thereafter.  We're excited to see what's coming up for him!

David!  David!  David!  Where do I even start?  So much happens in just a day with him, that it's going to be difficult to squash his year down to one paragraph.  He's really had a good year when you sum it up.  He has had some issues in school, but like Ethan, it's more emotionally driven.  He's seeing the counselor and making progress.  Once my second surgery is over, I think a lot of his worry will be gone.  We'll pray and we'll see.  He is such a funny boy, always trying to make people laugh.  Highlight this year, had to be his desire to want to celebrate Hanukkah.  What made it so funny is that he only wanted to, because he wanted to spin the dreidel.  Oh David.  David is getting real drums, and lessons this year.  He's excited.  We are too! 

I love that all 3 boys have their own place that they shine!  My ears may hate me fore it later, haha, but the end result will be haappy boys fulfilling their dreams. 

I had a rollercoaster kind of year.  Obviously there was a lot of pain, a lot of depression and just a lot of moments where I just felt like I wasn't myself.  I wasn't able to be who God intended me to be, because I was falling into the black whole.  Luckily,  I have a great team of doctors, and some great friends and family who are always praying for me.  Healing came for me!  My doctor referred me to an orthopedic surgeon who dug a little deeper and found out that surgery was our one and only option.  The physical therapy that they were doing was bad for me.  I had my right hip replaced October 28th, and I am doing really well with the recovery.  Another issue I have is fibromyalgia.  I was referred to a rheumatologist, and I was set aback when he prayed with me and had Bible verses to share with me.  God was most definitely involved in lining him up!  Unfortunately, we haven't found anything medicinal or therapeutic to help yet, but we are still trying.  We meet monthly and I thoroughly enjoy our visits.  One final doctor that I will mention, is my ENT doc.  I went to him for the masses that are in my jaw.  Most people immediately think TMJ.  No, after the doctor first thinking I was imagining things and was a hypochondriac, and lip biopsies to rule out Sjogrens disease and Lymphoma, scans showed that I have an extra set of parotid glands.  Unfortunately, there is 1 doctor in WA that has ever done surgery to remove them before.  Tricare won't cover them.  So I am stuck with the pain.  The reality is, if I have the surgery, I can get partial facial paralysis.  So instead of doing the surgery, they said I have to wait until they grow and start causing problem, such as partial facial paralysis.  They have grown a little bit since then.  I think I may make an appointment for a check-up with him...A lot going on, but one thing I know, God will see me through it!

2011 was great, and ended really well too!  We had a nice Christmas and a fun New Years Eve.  We went to the movies for NYE and saw Happy Feet 2 and Jack and Jill.  They were both really good!  We came home and had pizza with the kids and I made some homemade brownies for dessert.  We had the company of the Crews family and everybody but David made it until midnight.  I got my kiss from my hubby, love from Cheyton and Ethan, and gave David a kiss on the cheek!  A great end to 2011!