Happy Birthday Kyle!!

Today Kyle is 32! Happy Birthday!

We get to celebrate by going out tonight. Its our friend's turn to host the sleepover, so Kyle and I are going to check out a comedy club/restaurant called Funny Bones. We have been wanting to go for a long time but the timing hasn't worked out. After the very sad week that we have had, it will be nice to get out and celebrate another year of being alive and having some laughs.

It is still really hard to realize that our little Gizmo is gone. I still go to put her outside and wonder where she is and every time the girls drop food on the floor, I still expect to hear her running to snatch it up! It will take us a long time to get used to it. Gizmo is the only dog I have ever had and there will never be another like her. She was a big part of our family and we will miss her very much.

On to happier things, though. Just look at that little baby! These are pictures of our niece, Emory. Those little cheeks could put anyone in a happier mood! We are very excited to get to meet her at Thanksgiving this year. Its hard to believe that we haven't seen her in person, yet.

So...now to continue my Thankful list. I have a lot of catching up to do!

9. Coffee. I recently became a coffee drinker. I always got my caffeine from soda (Darn it! After living in the North for almost 10 years, I now say soda instead of using Coke as a generic term for all soft drinks! I miss being able to go into a restaurant in the South and say I wanted a coke and have the waiter ask what kind, knowing that I really might be wanting a Sprite or maybe a Dr. Pepper!) But anyway, I digress...back to coffee. How did I ever manage without it? Now I can get through my day without hitting that wall at 2:00 when all I want to do is take a nap! And speaking of living in the land of Yanks, there is a Dunkin Donuts on every corner. There is no escaping the thrill of the caffeine here! Of course, it does take me about three cups each morning....

10. Cold weather. It has finally TRULY gotten cold here. We made our first fire last Sunday night. I love, love, love driving down our road and seeing smoke coming out of my neighbors chimneys and smelling the heat in the air when its sooooo cold outside. Which brings me to the next thing on my list...

11. SNOW! It snowed last Saturday morning!! Not enough to lay on the ground, but it snowed for about an hour and it was the kind with the big, fluffy flakes. Everything always seems more magical when it snows. I can't wait until the ground and roads and trees are all covered in it. It always feels like everything is fresh and clean, just like a page out of Narnia. Its always fun for the girls to be out of school and get to bundle up and build a snowman and drink hot chocolate. LOVE IT!

12. Having your own space. Up until last weekend, Kellen and Jenna shared a room and Riley was by herself. Last week, we switched things up a bit and Kellen now has her own room and we moved Riley in with Jenna. It has made all the difference. Kellen now has a place to go right after school to unwind and Jenna feels so much older sharing with Riley. Since Riley is still in her crib, Jenna is able to play in there without worrying about Riley getting into her stuff. They have also been keeping their new rooms VERY clean (which I know won't last forever, but I am so happy right now!) and separating all their toys has made it easier for them to put things away. Riley even seems to like the change and I think she feels like a big girl since she is in with Jenna. She couldn't wait to show her physical therapist her new room! If only I had known what a good idea this was, we would have switched them long ago. We only moved them, we haven't yet redecorated. We did buy the new paint and Kellen may get a new dresser, but for now things are good!

13. Recalled toys. Now let me say first off - I think it is despicable that our country has not been testing our toys for poisons such as lead and the date rape drug(!) and allowed these toys to be manufactured and parents have been under a false sense of security for so long and that countless numbers of children have been hurt and killed because of something so preventable. After saying that, though, we have gotten rid of so many things because of the recalls and it has considerably lightened our load here. The girls seem to understand and have been very willing to get rid of the dangerous toys and it has also helped them to know that Santa will not be bringing them lots of toys that are potentially dangerous.

14. Gizmo. I am so thankful that we had that little puppy to brighten our lives for the past 9 1/2 years. She was such a cute little dog and just loved to run free. I imagine that is what she is doing right now.

15. Good friends. I love knowing that I have such good friends out there. Some of you are far away and some are close by. I am grateful to each and every one of you who have made such an impact on my life. Tonight I am thankful that I have my friends Lisa and Michael who we can trust to take care of our girls so that Kyle and I can go out on a date!

16. Kyle. Even though he has already made an appearance on this list, since its his birthday he deserves an extra showing! I love you so much, Kyle, and I am so happy to have you in my life. I hope this year is your best, yet, and that you get everything you deserve in life!

These past few days have been so hard after losing Gizmo, and I am really grateful for the good things in my life. When I started making this list at the first of the month in honor of Thanksgiving, I didn't realize that we would be faced with a loss. In honor of Gizmo, though, and the brightness that she brought to our lives, I am so thankful for the people in my life and just the plain fact that life is good.