Halloween! I went to Wichita Falls to visit my mom in a rehab center and to see my other family there. We surprised her by bringing Asher into her rehab session dressed like a big puffy dinosaur! He was all that anyone in the room could look at. Grant and I recently went to Pinot and Picasso with our friends Adam and Courtney. You drink wine while being taught how to paint a famous painting. We had a wonderful time together!
School has been chaotic. Trying to catch up from being gone on maternity leave seems like an impossible challenge. Thankfully, my coworkers are wonderful and helpful. Grant and I finally decided on a dining room table! It only took 6 months. :) We were lucky to have all our friends over for a Thanksgiving feast at our house. We were so excited to finally use our china that we had gotten for our wedding.
Thanksgiving came quickly upon us, and Grant, Asher, and I headed to Wichita Falls. I was so glad Grant could go because it is so difficult traveling 6 hours with Asher by myself. A day before we got there my mom went into the emergency room because she had unbearable abdomen pain. The hospital said it was constipation due to her pain medications. Thanksgiving seemed like it really wasn't happening because mom wasn't home, and we weren't cooking our traditional dishes. Thanksgiving day we went to my cousin's Stacey's and we were lucky to have my dad's family join us too. Upon arriving at the hospital that evening, my mom's breathing was very shallow and we knew that something wasn't right. After a 14 month battle with lung cancer, with all of our family gathered around her, she finally let go and joined our Lord Jesus Christ. She is free of pain, treatments, struggles, medication, and most certainly, cancer. It was the hardest thing that I could ever have imagined witnessing. Though I know how wonderful it is for my sweet mom, it is impossible to be happy that she has passed. Her funeral was a few days later, and it was a wonderful celebration of her life! All of our family's hearts are broken, and the holidays are not being approached with the joy that they usually are. This past week I attended a retirement ceremony for my former principle at Teague Middle School, and I was given a card signed by several staff members. I was told of a donation that will be made in mom's name to the American Cancer Society. It was an unexpected, wonderful surprise that meant so very much to me!
Since then, Asher has had his first cold, and Grant and I are two very paranoid parents! It is very hard to see a little infant all congested and snotty. :( I also convinced Grant to hang Christmas lights on our house! We decked our halls and made our house full of Christmas cheer. Last weekend, we joined Sarah and Kason at "Lights in the Heights." This was our 3rd or 4th time to go out with Asher bear. We laughed and had an awesome time with friends and looking at Christmas lights. This weekend, my dad, Eric, Ricky, and Christopher all came to Houston to celebrate an early Christmas. Today we went to the zoo for the Africa exhibit. It was so much fun. The weather was cool and sunny. Pictures are below!
