Christmas, A New Year & 40 Months LID

Christmas in CT was fabulous! Other than the horrific drive through a raging blizzard, I made it safely and had a wonderful time. My two brothers and their wives were there from Utah, me from Florida and my sister and brother from CT - my parents could not have been happier (unless of course they had a beautiful Chinese granddaughter there as well)!

We took a ride to the North Pole on the Polar Express

Our crazy family and friends at my sister's annual Christmas Eve-Eve party!

A brand new Christmas morning tradition was started - Bloody Mary's while opening gifts!!

I can't say that I am sad to say goodbye to 2009. I was thinking about how I've said that 2009 didn't start out as a good year and that it certainly didn't end as a good year. But really, when I think back to everything bad that happened, there were a lot of good things that I am very thankful for.

• A good friends wife passed away after being in a mostly vegetative state for over two years. As sad as it was, I am thankful that he was able to return to a normal state of life and is now happily dating someone he's known for quite some time.
  
• My sister Katie had a stroke that caused bleeding on her brain one month before her 37th birthday. I'm thankful that her principal sensed that something was wrong and in no uncertain terms, insisted that she immediately call her doctor.
  
• My brother KC had to have surgery to remove a mass that was growing on his neck. I'm thankful that everything was ok and it turned out to be nothing serious.
  
• My sister was told that she needed to have brain surgery and her insurance company would not pay for the out of state doctor that she was referred to. I'm thankful that they finally agreed to pay for everything!
  
• We all flew to Phoenix to be with Katie while she had brain surgery. I am so very thankful that after six hours of surgery we were told that she did fabulous! Although it was one of the worst times for our family, I am thankful that we all got to be with her either in AZ or back in CT.
  
• Another Mother's Day spent NOT as a mom. But, I am thankful for my own mother and feel so blessed to have such a wonderful relationship with her. She has always been there for me whenever I need her and I hope to someday have that same relationship with my girl Maggie.
  
• My mom, sister, aunts and cousins came for a girls "few weeks" in Florida. Katie was still having problems with her vision and was very uncomfortable wearing an eye patch out in public. I was worried as she seemed very withdrawn and I was afraid that she was getting depressed. On her last night here I was extremely thankful that her vision was COMPLETELY restored and that I got to be with her when it happened!
  
• I had to renew my I600-A for the third time! I'm thankful that even though the CC@@ is moving at a snails pace, at least they are still referring babies!
  
• I am thankful that Katie returned to work seven months and four days after she had her stroke!
  
• My best friends daughter turned two - I am so blessed and so thankful to have her in my life!
  
• The results of my aunts Pet Scan showed that the majority of the cancerous tumors that showed up the year before were virtually gone! I am thankful that she is feeling great and looks even better!!
  
• My best friends husband was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer and had to have most of the skin removed from from one side of his face. I am thankful that it did NOT spread to his lymph nodes and I pray that he will remain strong during chemo and radiation. Cancer Sucks.

I guess it wasn't such a bad year after all.

Here's hoping that 2010 is better!