What is a Sister?...

Angie sent me the below message in an email, and its point is to not only cherish your biological sisters, but also those women (God, calling my friends women makes me feel old. Let's call them Señoritas or Señoras instead.) who over time, become like a sister to you. I've been blessed not only to have Angie and Rachel as sisters (who, despite our arguments or differences of opinion, I love more than anything and would do almost anything for), but also to have so many friends who have become like a sister to me over the years. I remember being in the room with my friend Kathy before her daughter (to whom I am Auntie Rocket, by the way) was born, and the nurse asked if we were sisters. My response? "Not by blood." And that's how I feel about all of my friends, to those I work with to those I hang out with when I'm at home. I truly believe that each person you know, each friend you have, fulfills a specific purpose or need in your life. I like to say that my late bro-in-law Mark was my "brother from another mother" and I honestly believe that certain people can become a part of your extended family (like my "astro twin" Kristen).

Wow, I'm not really ever this sappy so I think I'll wrap it up with a shout-out to any señorita or señora who I call a friend: I love you guys and thanks for always being there for me...I appreciate it and you more than I can ever express. And to Angie and Rachel, I love you guys so much and hope that as time goes on we grow even closer together. I'm always here for you and know that you are for me. Sniff, sniff. :)

P.S. "A best friend is a sister destiny forgot to give you."

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter. "Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. "They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them. "Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. "You'll need other women. Women always do."

What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!' But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life.

THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes. Life happens. Distance separates. Children grow up. Jobs come and go. Love waxes and wanes. Men don't do what they're supposed to do. Hearts break. Parents die. Colleagues forget favors. Careers end.

BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and
walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Mothers-in-law, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I.

When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we need each other still.

A Public Service Message from Milo:

I'm well aware of those of you who like to make comments about me to Mom and Dad like: "Man, your dog is crazy!" to "Can't you give him some tranquilizers?" (note: Mom did this before the OSU game and doubled my dose, and man was I stoned. So stoned I fell over. Twice.) and "Quit humping me!" which is only said by Brian. I've taken it all in stride but now feel that I must defend myself. So here are some things to keep in mind next time you come over and want to complain about me:

1. I live here. You don't.
2. If you don't want hair on your clothes stay off the furniture. ("FUR"niture)
3. Mom and Dad like me more than they like most people.
4. To you I'm just an animal. To them, I'm an adopted son who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Additionally, keep in mind that I am better than a kid because I:

1. Eat less
2. Don't ask for money
3. Am easier to train
4. Usually come when called
5. Never drive a car
6. Don't hang out with druggie friends
7. Don't smoke or drink
8. Don't worry about the clothes I'm wearing
9. Don't need to send me to college
10. If I get someone pregnant, then I can sell my kids

So are we all on the same page now?

Some pics from New Year's Day...

Here are some pics from New Year's Day. None of us thought to bring our camera so Ivan took pics for us. Thanks Ivan!


Family dinner. I would like to note right here that I was EXTREMELY tired from the night before and had just showered before going to my Mom's. Hence me not looking my best. :)









Us in front of the tree. You can't see how big Angie's belly is unless you look REALLY close.












Ta-da! My Mom put up all the lights all by herself this year, even climbing onto the porch roof to put up the star. We were so proud of her!

Another New Year...

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that all of you had a safe but kick-ass New Year's Eve. Craig and I went to Angie and Max's for dinner and then went to Jason and Angel's (our next-door neighbors) to party like rock stars (well, not really. I thought that sounded better than saying "We drank a lot all night."). It was a really cool, mellow night. Put it this way: any time I leave a party after trying to learn to play drums and with a cut on my thumb (don't ask. It'll just make me sound stupid.) you know it was good times. Seriously, Craig and I sometimes feel like we hit the neighbor jackpot...they're such cool people to hang with and really good people and friends.

As we all know, a new year means a new set of resolutions to make and break by the end of January. Hopefully I can make mine last a bit longer, and maybe if I put them up here for all to see it'll keep me more motivated. So in no real particular order here they are:

1. To be happy and healthy. Really, it's that simple and that's all I want. Although I wouldn't refuse any extra cash that comes my way.
2. To get my finances under control. This year was really tough for Craig and I, and for a while we were essentially living on just my salary. So now it's time to pay the piper.
3. To advance in my career. This isn't even a resolution anymore; it's a flame of hope that I nurture in my heart.
4. To make peace with all the changes that's happened in my life. It's easy to dwell on what I've lost and how life can be unfair, but I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Nothing I've endured has killed me and has only made me stronger. I've learned so much in the past 2 years that I freakin' feel like Yoda. But I just have to believe that good things will come (one for sure: baby Max in late April/early May!).

So hopefully we'll see how these pan out this time next year. One thing I did want to clarify: some people have expressed concern to me about if I'm seriously ill because I keep mentioning having health issues. Here's the lowdown: my thyroid is underactive (essentially dead) so I have to take medication to have a functioning metabolism. While most people think of metabolism as being weight-related, your thyroid also helps metabolize things like cholesterol. So it's important to make sure that my thyroid works so I can try to stabilize my weight, cholesterol, sleep patterns, and body temperature. Second, I have something called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Basically it's a bunch of miniscule cysts on my ovaries that totally throw my hormones out of whack and cause other symptoms too. And finally, I'm pre-diabetic. Diabetes does run in my family and while my sugar levels are high, they're not high enough to qualify as being diabetic. So now I have an oral form of insulin 2x a day which has REALLY helped. Being pre-diabetic also explains why I've gained 30 pounds in the last 2 years and why I feel so lethargic and blah all the time (and I thought I was just being lazy). My doc wants me to lose 30 pounds by May, and just being on the insulin alone has helped me lose 10 already since the middle of November. Yes, all 3 are interconnected but once I start losing more weight the pre-diabetes should clear up. If you REALLY want to know more just go to webmd.com and look for info there. My fingers hurt.

So that's the scoop for now and why my one goal is to just be happy and healthy. I hope you all have a great night have a kick-ass beginning to a new year!