Here is the Stinker...

look how handsome he is. It was not easy to get this guy to pose and eventually he just gave up and started chewing on his bone. He's almost like a celebrity...he gets tired of the papparazzi always in his face and taking his picture.

I tried to have a talk with him last night on how bad dogs are supposed to behave when we have holiday dinners. I do not think he was listening at all. At one point, I am sure I heard snoring. Grrrrr...

The grocery shopping was done last night. All that is left to get is the giant turkey tomorrow night.

My stress was relieved a little this morning when I got an early morning phone call from Kathy. She has offered to bring over to me the green bean casserole and sweet potatoes. And she is not even eating dinner at our house. Thank you Kathy!!!!!

Love,

Teresa

I have a mixture

of emotions today. I knew all weekend that I would be sad today. But I worked so much that I didn't have a lot of time to think about it. But sure enough...I woke up crying this morning:( It doesn't matter whether I am thinking about it or not...just weird how the body and soul knows ...

So Teresa worked all freaking weekend and not preparing for Thanksgiving. Nothing was really accomplished toward putting Thanksgiving together. So the panic is starting to set in. We did get carpets cleaned and bad dog groomed. Oh my he is handsome. I didn't even think it was my dog when I picked him up. And he smelled soooo good. He is now ready to smell everyone's bottom and french kiss them when they show up on Thursday. Good luck!!!

I think you all should be thankful that you do not live with Teresa and have to deal with the stress in my house that they are all about to deal with. It's their own fault....they mess my house up. And do not do what I tell them to do. And if they knew me at all...they would just give me alcohol and it would all be better.

The kiddos did get to spend the weekend with grandma and grandpa. The helped my mom get her Christmas stuff in so that she can put her stuff up the day after Thanksgiving. And they played a lot of games. It sounds like they had a really good time.

O.K. so I guess that means I should get to work here so that I can eventually go home and do what needs to be done.

Have a beautiful day :P

Teresa

P.S. Lunch with Miss Kathy today...

New Moon...

the movie. It was pretty awesome. I really, really enjoyed it. Or maybe I just enjoyed the company. No, it was good and I had a blast with my mother. We went out to eat Chinese food first and then headed over to the theaters. We didn't have to wait in any lines outside...they put us in a nice theater with about 30 people. We didn't sit through previews or anything. Pretty cool.

It was a late night but well worth it. It's been a long time since I have spent time with just me and mom. And we are always very comfortable talking about our Shirley. There are not a lot of people I can do that with, but she is one of them. Very comforting.

And now the stress of my weekend!!!!! Any volunteers want to come and clean my house???? (why do I have a feeling everyone just logged off their computers???)

My boys are going out to my parents tomorrow to help mom get her Christmas decorations into the house. Mom never gets to put her stuff up right after Thanksgiving because everyone is busy doing their own thing. But this year we have planned ahead and are sending Nik and Jake out to get it out for her. Yay!!!!

I am hoping for a wonderful weekend for everyone else. Not sure it will happen for me...

Love,

Teresa:)

Pray for poor Teresa....waaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!

I have been...

in bed for a couple of days. I definitely am not cut out to be a drug addict. The drugs my doctor gave me for pain a couple of days ago knocked me on my butt. It took me a day to recover from that. But I am back...

Yesterday was Kaitlyn Marie's first birthday. My niece who was given Shirley's middle name. That was very emotional for me last year and meant so much. We will be celebrating her birthday this weekend.

Tonight I am going to see The New Moon movie with mom. She has 2 passes and I get to go. I made sure to watch the first one the other night and I really enjoyed it. So I am definitely looking forward to a night out with mom tonight.

And of course...it is one week from today that we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. I am happy because my number for the amount of people that are coming keeps going up. I love hosting Thanksgiving...it will be nice.

Have an awesome day!!!

Teresa

It's Monday....

and the week before Thanksgiving....let the stress begin!!! It just hit me last night that this will be the week that I officially start my panicing...my poor family. There is a lot to do. I think right now my count is at 25 for dinner. I would actually love to have more. You just cannot have enough family for dinner on Thanksgiving.

The weekend was busy of course. Had a great dinner and night out for Steve's mom. That's what the picture is of. We also got our picture taken with an Elvis impersonator. You never know what you will see down on the Plaza on a Saturday night. It was really a great evening.

I am trying my best to have positive thoughts and not be sad for Thanksgiving. It's taking everything I have. I did read an article on grief during the holidays. It said not to ignore that the person is gone but to acknowledge it. I agree. It is so much harder to not talk about Shirley being gone than to actually talk about it. I do cry but it feels better than keeping those emotions in. So I am really trying to find a way to acknowledge Shirley at my Thanksgiving dinner without making everyone cry. Not sure how yet.

O.K....so the weather has also taken a turn. It's wonderful. Cold and wet. Looking for some snowflakes. :) Bad Doggie is looking for snow too....

Love,

Teresa

It was 21 years ago today...

that Steve and I got married. And everyone who knows Steve, knows how lucky I am. I remember last year that the first text message I got in the morning was from Shirley wishing me a happy anniversary. I also remember thinking that was the last time she would ever say that to me.

I'm not sure I would have ever made it through losing Shirley if it wasn't for Steve. The 9 days and nights I spent at hospice with Shirley would not have been possible. He would be there every morning and all day with me and then go home and take care of the kids and the bad doggie who was only a baby bad doggie at that time.

You have to take time to thank God for the people that he has given you...Steve is one of those people!!!! Just one. I have a lot. As Tear mentioned in the comments. I know how lucky I am. Sometimes I feel so sad and awful inside that I forget how lucky I am. But today I do know.

I love my husband more today than I ever could have imagined. I know how sad he has been since Shirley has been gone. He knew her as long as he knew me. We were all friends in school together. But he has been so strong and puts everyone else first.

Two weeks from today is Thanksgiving....aaaaahhhhhh STRESS!!!!!!

Love,

Teresa

I am laughing...

at the memory of when Shirley, Mom and I went to Springfield and we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast. By the time we were done with breakfast...Mom and Shirley had laughed so hard that they spit their drink out...we laughed so hard. And we would laugh every time we talked about it. From that point on...we would make sure to get out of the way if you were going to make one of them laugh with drinks in their mouth. The best part is ... I could make Shirley laugh just by looking at her. She thought Teresa was funny.

I'm emotional this week...but I'm fighting it. It's hard.

Love,

Teresa:=)