Merry Christmas, Happy New Year... Welcome 2010!

I start off today, January 1, 2010, with an apology. I am so sorry I have not updated the blog since Kayli's birthday! I will try to cover everything today, which will make this a very long post! However I will let you know first thing, I do not have much of a medical update today. Kayli had an appointment with the Liver team on the 18th. Things looked good- they told her to relax on her diet a bit if it helped her emotionally, but just means she has to be more strict in following her medication schedule and drinking water. She did another round of labdraws this past Wednesday, which we do not have the results of, but the purpose was to recertify her for a liver transplant and adjust her score and location on the list. Her next appointment is this coming Friday the 8th. She is doing well physically. Emotionally she is ready to go back to school, do anything that gets her out of the house, and tired of being sick.

Tomorrow, 1/2/10- there will be a blood drive in honor of Kayli. Its a replenishment blood drive to help stock the area blood banks. Although Kayli does not need blood at this time, we feel it is important for the blood banks to be stocked because "Blood Saves Lives". Kayli's story and the call for the blood drive made page 2 of the Conroe Courier newspaper this past week. You can view the article by copying and pasting the link above.

Kayli had a wonderful 15th birthday! On the 20th she had planned for herself and a couple of her closest friends to go ice skating at the Ice Rink in the Woodlands. Completely to her surprise, we went above and beyond. With the help of friends Aubrey, Cristine, Carly, & Kalei- we invited several CYT, Band, & School friends to surprise Kayli. We met at Market Street in the Woodlands and had a fun scavenger hunt!! We then traversed over to the Ice Rink for hours of skating fun along with some purple & black birthday cake made by our great friend Heather. It was a joyous occasion and we were so happy that so many of our friends could join us and help make Kayli's day so special!!

Christmas was equally as special. Because I had not worked the entire month of November, we were a bit concerned about providing Christmas for the girls. They had both created wish lists for Santa that we just knew we wouldn't be able to pull off. To our rescue, came SMGSL. The softball league that the girls have both played with for several years, Mark & I serve on the Board of Directors. They insisted that I hand over the girls' wish lists, and indeed they provided a wonderful surprise for the girls on Christmas morning! I am so honored to be part of such a wonderful organization who would do such a thing for the players & their families. The joy on the girls faces as they came down stairs to see that Santa had in fact made it to our house this year was so warming to my heart!
Our home was filled with visitors for Christmas, Grandma(my mom) was here from California. Uncle Daniel & Aunt Sunny(Mark's brother & sister-in-law) arrived on Christmas Eve. Granny Norma & Grandpa George (Mark's mother & step-father) and Uncle Tony(Mark's other brother) and the girls cousin Jenny all paid a visit for dinner on Christmas day. My mom made a feast of FAJITAS, one of my (& Mark's) all time favorite meals that she cooks.

We ended Christmas weekend with an annual visit to Santa's Wonderland in College Station along with our neices Jessica & Jenny. This year was special because we took the hayride and visited Santa's Town instead of just driving through to see the lights! We visited the petting zoo, drank hot cocoa and ate funnel cake, and watched 'A Christmas Story' on the big outdoor movie screen. It was QUITE CHILLY that night!!

Work was a BEAR this week!! Both Mark & I worked late almost every single day in addition to neither of us feeling well. We managed NOT to have the flu in the house, but a ragin' cold has had me not feeling too hot all week in addition to the late hours at work. I have had year end inventory, and Mark is working a branch refresh project for the bank. We both managed to make it home at a decent hour on New Year's Eve. I made a big pot of homemade 2-bean chili for Frito Pie, and stopped on the way home and picked up the "Big Grande" box of mixed fireworks from the stand down the road. Most of the evening was spent around the neighbors fire pit with some very nice peeps, Darrin & Shelly and their kiddos popping fireworks. Kayli wandered the neighborhood with some friends and then at midnight we watched as the neighborhood launched a barrage of aerial fireworks. GOODBYE TO 2009...HELLO 2010!!! My mom left to go back home to California this morning, and the rest of the day has been spent being VERY lazy!! :D

I can only wish and pray that 2010 will bring love, happiness, hope, and health for our family and all of our wonderful friends!! Kayli will return to school on the 19th, and hopefully, life will return to somewhat normal for the time being. Please join us in praying that either Kayli's liver will continue to heal itself, or that a new liver will be available for her soon. Below I share with you our holiday photos, and will also attempt soon to get pictures from Kayli's birthday loaded. If you are on Facebook, her birthday photos can be found there!