Well we are home safe and sound. Dr. R said the tear was bigger than he had expected, but the stitches are in place. We even have pictures. Kind of cool to see what your kid looks like inside. When Z1 had to have an emergency appendectomy we got pictures of that also. Not sure why anyone would want pictures of their appendix, but he has them. Dr. R said he's going to have a talk with A1. No more 90 lb dumb bells for him. A1's only about 5'8", but he's very muscular. This is a picture of their band. He's the shortest one. The tallest one with the glasses is my 13 year old step son. The one on the right is my 16 year old step son. The one with the number 22 on his shirt is the drummer. A1 takes after my side of the family. My dad's only an inch taller than me and I'm only 5'3". Anyway, he's doing OK. The 48 hour nerve block is wearing off already, so he's started on the Darvocets. Thank you for all your prayers. I'm sure I'm going to need the patience of a saint come Sunday when the real pain is supposed to hit... Thank you Lord for DARVOCETS.

Is it really worth it

Well tomorrow is the big day. My baby, oh ok I know he's 18, but he's still my baby, has his shoulder surgery. He's been a power lifter for a couple of years and he plays football. To say the least, the child has two bad shoulders, two bad knees, we've been through 3 concussions and a bruised spine. But this is the first time he's actually had to have surgery to repair something. I'm not sure how I feel about this. The anxiety level is definitely there, but I hope all this pain he's been going through and will be going through will teach him he's not invincible. I put the majority of the responsibility on him, because he's the one that did it to himself, but I also blame the coaches. They push these kids so hard and there are consequences if you don't do as they say. He should have had this surgery over a month ago, but the head coach was adamant that he wait until after the football season. So he waited. Is it really worth the punishment the kids go through to have a winning football team. Yes, there is some good that does come with it. My nephew is one of the ones that has benefited greatly from football. He's got a full ride scholarship to a great University and this Sunday he's leaving for Hawaii for the American Bowl. Like I'll ever get to see Hawaii... But, he's had knee and foot surgery already and he's only a senior in high school. I can only imagine what he'll be like with four years of college football debilitating his body. Is it worth a life time of pain for football? Yes, if you make several million dollars a game, but high school football. I think not. Now before all you men get huffy about your football, don't get me wrong. I love football, but I don't like the coaches and training staffs, because I've seen what matters to these coaches and I don't think its the players. It's winning at all costs. It's kind of like a politician. They are all gung ho about war, but what if their child was over in Iraq? Don't tell me that wouldn't play on their conscious when they were making these decisions about whether to leave or stay. Make more money or bite the bullet and stand up for what is right. Damn! the money. But that doesn't happen very often does it? I didn't start this out to be a vent sessions, but oh well... I had to tell someone how I was feeling besides my husband. Let me know what you think... Am I just being a mom and letting my emotions take over, or do you agree with me. What can we do about it? I don't know... I'm just venting at the moment. Have a great night, I'll try to get some sleep... I'll let you know how everything went tomorrow. See ya!

I need to write something happy or I'm going to start beating my head against the cement wall. Had a wonderful 4 day weekend, not too much drama, and then it happened... I had to go back to work. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job, I'm good at it, but I do the job that at least for now, could use 3 full time associates helping me out. Then you read the headlines on Yahoo "Economists officially declare US in a recession. Obama picks Clinton for Secretary of State. (maybe that's a good thing) and the list goes on. So I'm going to think happy thoughts now... I love my husband. I've never met another person that wants to make me so happy all the time. He actually cares about what I want. I have the most wonderful mom and dad who I'm just now realizing how much stress I've put them under, especially the first 3 years after my divorce. I'm truly sorry mom and dad... I have 2 sons of my own, who have always been the center of my universe and I'd do the whole 20 years over again, just to have those two. I have 2 step sons. They need to start picking up after themselves, but they truly are amazing. I have aunts and uncles and cousins I love and I'm loved by them. I have the most wonderful and funny sister. Her email about Christmas lights was in my last post. I have brother/sister in laws and ex brother/sister in laws who love me and would do anything for me. I have a niece and a nephew that are so much like their parents, who I love dearly. I have a man who truly loves me, I have a career with a very stable company, I have a home (well actually two homes, my oldest son lives in my house in another town, but I still pay the mortgage) That's a blog in itself... I could use some advice about that, I'm not hungry, I'm warm.... So to hell with the world that is outside of my control. I'm going do the best I can, I'm going to cherish every moment with my husband and family and I'm going to thank God every night and morning for the things he has given me. I guess I should have made this my "What I'm Thankful" post. Thanks for taking the time to let me vent and lose some stress along the way. I hope you all have a warm and wonderful evening.

My sister

My sister sent this email. I had to share it with you!

We did it! Todd and I hung our outdoor Christmas lights today! I just had to share our holiday spirit, so I wrote this message to the tune of,"The Twelve Days of Chrismas," just to share our joy! Here goes...During the first phase of decorating the outside of our house we made Twelve trips up the ladder, needed Eleven feet of extension cord, made ten trips to the attic, straightened nine tangled light strands, needed eight brand new fuses, replaced seven burnt out light bulbs, shouted six,"I don't knows!", endured five hours of swearing!!!! spent Four twenty dollar bills, gulped three Frapuccinos, made two trips to WalMart, and discussed one pending divorce! Ta! Da! We made it! Happy %$#@ Holidays! So what's your Christmas story?

I think she should blog...

Oooops!!!

I know, I blew it. That's what happens when my mind starts rambling. My thoughts go faster than my fingers and I Oooops! it... Yes, Ace's real name is John. So I guess I can forget having a real cool name for my husband. I really like Harley Stud and Briefcase. Ace's name came from the fact that my husband loves KISS! And especially Ace. So the gigs up. Oh well...

The Holidays

I love the holidays. When I think of Thanksgiving and Christmas I actually feel a warm glow inside. I'm not trying to be poet. I'm explaining a feeling. It's because I know I'm going home for the holidays. Don't get me wrong, I love Ace and the life we are growing together, but there is no place like home. Dad and Mom's or "DAM" for short. When I'm at my mom and dad's I can leave my troubles behind for awhile. I don't have to be a mom. I don't have to be an associate. I just get to be me. My family means everything to me. I remember in my previous job, I was offered an opportunity to move to Florida and manage one of our offices. 2 weeks before I was to leave, I decided I couldn't leave my family and I wasn't going. My boss wasn't happy, but he got over it. I live about 2 hours from DAM's. The trip there seems to go so fast and the drive home seems to go on forever. But back to my holiday memoirs... When I was young, every Christmas Eve, we would go to church for a candle light service, then drive over to Gma and Gpa' S. house and the whole family would be there to watch the "G's" open their presents. Now you have to imagine this... My mom and SMB's dad are brother and sister. There are 8 siblings all together and they're there with their families. Let's just say we always packed ourselves in like sardines. But that was the fun of it. When we left the "G's" house, we'd go home and always get to open one present. It was always pj's but it was still exciting. On Christmas morning my sister and I would be dying to go downstairs, but we had to wait until the "G's" got there. On Christmas day, the "G's" would go visit everyone of their kid's families that lived near enough. We always got first dibs... Then we'd have our Christmas and breakfast. The G's would leave and we'd get ready to go have Christmas was my dad's side of the family. They always drove us kids downstairs after the presents were opened, but we had always gotten some kind of gift that we could use to put a show on. (Like ventriloquist dolls or dress up clothes). So the kids would go downstairs and make up a skit or song or something. then we'd put on a show for the adults. We thought it was a blast. Our parents were so clever. They got us out of their hair for an hour or so and we didn't get it... So my memories of Christmas's are all about family. Our families are getting older and moving further apart. Take this Christmas, we are going to DAM's house the weekend before Christmas for our big family Christmas and then sometime over the weekend, we'll have our separate DAM Christmas. But on Christmas day, John, I and the boys will be staying home... I'm not real sure if I'm ready or old enough to make this transition, but it's being forced upon me. I really don't like it because right after Christmas, DAM go to Florida for 3 months. But I'll adjust. John and I have talked about our new family. I have 4 sons now. And when they get married, there will be 8 of them. And if they each have 2 kids, that will be 24 of them coming over for holidays. I'll need a bigger house... Family means everything to me. My oldest son, his girlfriend and her son come over almost every Sunday for dinner and just be together. I enjoy cooking and I especially enjoy having my family around. I hope you are all with your family for Thanksgiving, but if you aren't, be happy just being with your own family. Cherish the time. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Thanks for your support

Well I figured out how to post a picture. Yeah! So I'm starting off with some Smokey Mountain pictures. Thanks SMB for the help. I was reading some of comments on my second blog. I can't believe most of you don't crave homemade chicken and noodles. There is no other taste in the world that can come close to the homemade chicken and noodles. Don't even compare them to the noodles that are in the stores. It's so simple: For every egg you use, you use about a cup of flour and a dash of salt. In a normal meal, I fix between 4 or 5 eggs worth of noodles. Mix it all together. Keep adding flour so it won't be sticky. Roll out to about an 1/8th of inch thickness. Cut in strips then cut them noodle size and let them dry. You'll never go back to store bought noodles again.... I made a dozen eggs worth for Thanksgiving and I am counted upon at Christmas time to have at least one bag in every Christmas basket we give, so I figure I'll use about 4 dozen eggs for all of those... But it's worth it. Give it a try. TRY IT YOU MIGHT LIKE IT!!!! I guess I better get back to work (don't tell anyone that I wrote this during business hours). HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! BE SAFE IF YOU ARE DRIVING (SMB). I look forward to reading all your blogs! And thanks once again for your support! I'll get better! PROMISE!