The other day I was trying to remember what my daughters have gotten from Santa each year. So in the spirit of the holidays and my love for lists...I thought I'd write it down here to start some more Thursday13 posts. So here are the things Santa has brought my kids for the last thirteen years:
1. 2019 - The girls each got a Fitbit Versa (yay for Black Friday sales)!
2. 2018 - The girls got a PS3 and some games to go with it.
3. 2017 - The girls each got a Samsung Galaxy On5 cell phone from Straight Talk.
4. 2016 - Ashlyn got an iPod Touch and Aubry got Beats On-Ear Headphones
5. 2015 - Ashlyn got a Chocolate Pen kit and Aubry got a Sky Viper HD Video Drone
6. 2014 - Ashlyn got a Horse Stable for her 18" doll and Aubry got a Razor Electric Scooter.
7. 2013 - The girls got a 32" Vizio Smart TV for their room (which they shared at the time).
8. 2012 - They each got a pair of Adjustable Inline Skates.
9. 2011 - They each got a Nintendo DSi.
10. 2010 - They got a Nintendo Wii with a few games and my grandparents got them the Wii Fit Board.
11. 2009 - Ashlyn got a Fur Real Cat and Aubry got an Easy Bake Oven.
12. 2008 - Ashlyn got Ponyville Amusement Park, Aubry got Littlest Petshop Tail Waggin Fitness Club.
13. 2007 - They both got the Barbie Mini Kingdom Castle and two other set to go with it.
I haven't posted since the last holiday...but it's been a rough month.
I started a new medication hoping that it would help with my migraines, but the side effects were not great. I felt like I had mild flu symptoms (neuropathy like when I have a fever, body aches, chills, sore throat) and I was just so tired. For about a week I didn't have any headache at all...which I haven't experienced for as long as I can remember. However, it made my GI issues a lot worse...so I felt like I was just trading one problem for another. Sadly, I'm far more used to the headaches and migraines than I am the GI issues. So...I decided not to continue with that medication. It was worth a shot...now I can scratch that one off the list.
I've also been busy with work. I'm still really enjoying my job as a law enforcement transcriptionist. It is only providing a little extra income right now, but I'm hoping as things slow down around here that I'll be able to devote more time to it...well, if and when things ever slow down. :P
Right after Thanksgiving, we had to rush to find a way to empty the storage unit that my step-daughter had taken upon herself to put all of my mother-in-law's things in. She informed us that she was no longer going to be paying for the storage unit so basically it was our problem now. Luckily between our car, Aubry's car, and my grandma's truck, we were able to get everything except a completely uncovered and unprotected mattress that was filled with who-knows-what out of the storage unit. Note to anyone who puts anything in storage: you can get zippered waterproof mattress protectors and tape around all the zippers or even get some heavy gauge plastic to wrap around a mattress and seal it with tape to protect it from bugs and critters in a storage unit. Honestly, anything fabric should be in plastic (put clothes and bedding in plastic tubs with lids, etc). Otherwise, you might as well just skip putting it in storage and throw it away...because you're likely going to end up with bugs and mice living in it. Ick. NO THANK YOU. But anyway...now we have a whole lot of boxes in our living room, dining room, office, and a few furniture pieces and plastic bins in the garage that I get to figure out what to do with. I'm hoping over Christmas break I can get the basement more squared away and move all the boxes and everything downstairs.
December was pretty busy for the kids at school. Not only did they have finals, they also had a school dance, Ashlyn had a music program, and they both had Commander's Call for AFJROTC which my parents and I went to (Johnny had to work).
We celebrated our Christmas at home early this year because the girls went to XH's parents' house for the first weekend of Christmas break and then they'll be home today. We went to my mom's house and my grandparents' house (my mom lives next door to them) to celebrate on Christmas Eve and then today we'll go to my other grandparents' house. That's all we really have planned this year.
It's just been a rough year. And unfortunately, this holiday season has been a particularly sad one for our household. A couple weeks ago our Australian Shepherd, Bandit, had developed a cough. He'd cough a few times then he'd gag like he was trying to cough something up. Then he actually coughed up a small blood clot, so we took him to the vet on Saturday the 14th. They took a chest x-ray and ran some blood work. His organ function tests looked good but he was anemic and his lungs looked pretty bad in the x-ray. The vet said that it was either cancer or possibly a fungal infection. So he was given some antibiotic and steroid shots and sent home with some antibiotics, steroids, and we decided to treat with anti-fungals in case it was a fungal infection. While his cough got better right away, his breathing became very labored. Finally it got to the point where Johnny texted the vet on Sunday and we took him in, because Bandit was just trying so hard to breathe that he couldn't sleep and he was just worn out. They put him in the oxygen cage and kept him overnight. They gave him some more meds including a diuretic hoping to ease his breathing. They ran more tests the following day, but unfortunately our baby's lungs and anemia had gotten worse despite all the treatment...not better. So we had to make the difficult decision to have Bandit put to sleep two days before Christmas.
Our vet clinic's new building has a separate "comfort room" for just such an occasion. There is a sectional sofa in there so it has a more comfortable setting. There is also a door that leads straight to the parking lot so you don't have to go back through the lobby while you're so distraught. The vet let us take Bandit outside...they even brought us a bowl of water and some fresh cooked chicken to give him. We spent quite awhile outside with him...perhaps too long. Outside of the oxygen cage he had to try so hard to breathe and he was becoming weak. We had one of the vet techs carry Bandit inside and put him back in the oxygen cage while they got everything ready for us. Then we held him and comforted him until he no longer had to struggle so hard to breathe anymore. Finally Bubbies could just sleep peacefully. :(
It's been so hard. Johnny got Bandit as a puppy in 2010. He's been a part of the daily routine ever since. The house just isn't the same without him. All the cute things he would do and the noises he would make. The way he gave hugs and always wanted belly rubs. Just so many things that make the house feel empty.
I think Linken knew it was coming. In the last couple weeks, Linken had been very attached to Bandit. He kept wanting to sit or lay down next to him. I think Linken was trying to "be there" for him when Bandit wasn't feeling good. And while Bandit used to get annoyed with the puppies invading his space for too long, he didn't seem to mind Linken wanting to be close.
Not that it's ever easy, but it's just such a hard time of year to go through this. It's hard to gather and celebrate family and be joyful when such a special part of your family is no longer there. But...I'm so thankful he got to enjoy one more snow fall. He has always loved going out and eating the snow and ice...