Christmas Time

Well I am back (so to speak). Back for another addition to what I had hoped would be a daily blog, but obviously it has turned out to be just a page in webspace! There has been a lot of change that has taken place over the past four months. Change that has been hard to handle and change that has been welcomed with open arms. I must first confess that I am not one who is opposed to change and often times, I need change. But when it comes at you when you least expect it with the outcomes being drastically different, change can cause a great deal of stress. This semester (since I work in the academic world I refer to life in four categories - Spring Semester, Summer Break, Fall Semester and Christmas Break), has been the most challenging for me both as a believer in Christ, a husband, a friend, and as a professional. Serving as the lone athletic trainer for a football team can sometimes be more than a handful. Trying to balance life and work is difficult enough without having the added pressures of unexpected change.

The biggest change to take place has been the passing of Andi's mother. Karen went to be with the Lord on November 6th (coincidently my 33rd birthday). Andi, her sister and brother-in-law, and I were there at the hospice center minutes after she passed. It was a sweet precious time with family one that I will never forget. Andi is doing well considering she lost her mother, her best friend. I have had the great honor to weep and mourn with her during this time and it has honestly been such a blessing. Karen suffered from kidney failure and from bi-polar disorder. I only knew her for two and half years, but during this short amount of time, I never knew anyone as sweet and selfless as her mother. When she started getting sick last April, I knew that our time with her would be precious and that we should make every moment count. My fondest memory of my time with Karen were the two weeks she stayed with Andi and I after her stroke in April. She and I would have lunch everyday together, and I was her personal taxi service when she had to go to dialysis. She always was so grateful to me and bragged about her taxi service to the friends she made at dialysis. This Christmas will be difficult without her around. She made everyone laugh with her childlike innocence. I still hear her saying, "Oh Hi!!! How are you?!" I miss her.

The other major change in our lives occurred September 11th, no not the anniversary of 9-11, but rather the purchasing of our home. We entered the wonderful world of home owners this past semester and that has been more change that I could have ever imagined. Still it has been welcomed and exciting. Andi loves being our homemaker and she has done a fabulous job of making our house a home. We still have some painting to do, so I am sure the honey-do's will be abundant come spring time and summer.

So hear we are Christmas time!!! This is my favorite time of the year. It gets colder, there are chances of snow (maybe not here this year - but nonetheless snow may come for someone), and friends and family spend time together. We will be heading SA (San Antonio) on Friday as soon as Andi is finished with school. There we will spend time with her sister's family, and have the big family Christmas party on the 22nd. On Christmas Eve we will celebrate with her dad and step-mother, then it is back to A-Town for Christmas Day. My parents are coming into town tomorrow and will hold down Fort Gililland for us until our return. Mom will hopefully start some cooking and my Dad and Granddad will just hang out. Christmas day will be exciting as EVERYONE from my Dad's side of the family is coming to our house! Welcome to the home owners association! Abilene is half-way for everyone and what a better place to have it, besides we don't have to go anywhere! It will be fun. As soon as we get back from SA on Christmas Eve, I will get the smoker going and smoke a turkey for the feast! This will be my first smoked turkey so please pray that it comes out good!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!! WHOOP!