Just Simply Jen

This has definitely been a nice week for me. I saw my first big snow here in Kansas. We had some a week or two ago but it wasn't as much or as interesting as the snow we had Tuesday. It was coming down and being blown all over by the heavy winds and it made for an interesting site. It was really different being out in the snow. I am from the south and everything always seemed to shut down when the littlest bit of snow fell. Not here. Life went on like nothing was happening, you just dress a little warmer and drive a little slower.
Tuesday was a big day for me. I had my first doctors appointment here and that's always a scary thing for me. Even as a little girl I didn't do well with meeting a new doctor. My mom said that when I met the doctor who would be my pediatrician for the next 13 years I threw up on him. I wasn't sick. It was pure nerves. I don't throw up on them anymore but my blood pressure went up a bit because of it. Once again that turned out to be an unnecessary worry. My new doctor is totally sweet and wonderful. She loves to talk and makes you feel like you are visiting with a friend but one that can help make you feel better. We went through my list of medicines so she could understand why I need them before putting them in the system here. The night before I had the appointment I had some intense muscle spasms on my abdomen on the lower left side. She said I had a hernia and freaked me out with her wording a little but basically it's all good. Just taking it easy for a few days then life back to normal. The big part of the appointment was when it came time to address my asking for a referral to the surgical weight loss center here.
Now let me tell you something. I knew I was pushing it as she had never seen me before and when she mentioned that she was pretty much against surgery unless it is necessary I thought I was screwed. I will give her credit. Putting aside her personal feelings on the subject, she listened to my reasons why I want the surgery and took into account that I had been in the program in Hawaii and that my other doctor agreed I was a good candidate. She asked me a million questions to make sure I knew what I was in for the good and the bad. I even managed to impress her because I had talked to the people in the program here so I knew what they needed from me too. In the end she was happy enough with my reasons why and could even sympathize because she herself is morbidly obese. What she feels is a major difference in our situations is that she has not lost any of her ability to function normally on a daily basis and I have noticed a gradual decrease in how well I function. I will admit that is the one thing that has bothered me most. She put in for the referral so it could be as soon February or March I'm guessing. They go through things really fast.
Note:As I was typing I got a phone call and was told the referral didn't go through for whatever reason. They are going to put it in again. Apparently it's an issue they have with their system. I refuse to give up hope that it's going to go any way other than planned.

Aside from all of that, not much has been going on. My son has developed an attitude problem that is determined to drive me up the wall. My husband is working late every night and oddly it isn't bothering me. Don't get me wrong, I miss the time we spend together in the evening but it's just something I am getting used to not having it. It's a good thing though. We have the Battalion Christmas Part tomorrow night. I have met maybe 5 people from the battalion in passing and only two have I spent any amount of time. I get the feeling this is going to be a big party but I'm not sure. Hopefully it will be fun.
Only one week until Christmas. This year is going to be a bit crazy but hopefully good for me. What makes this year so special, aside from my husband getting to be home again, is that we are actually going to my dad's house for the week. I haven't celebrated Christmas with my family since 1997 so it is a big deal. My son will get to have the holiday with his maw maw and paw paw and I get to do all of the fun things with him that we did when I was a kid. I was sitting here the other night thinking and mentioned to my husband that we should go look at Christmas lights around here when I had a lightbulb moment and totally freaked out on him. Poor guy was so confused why I suddenly got so excited and needed the phone but he obliged. What I had remembered is that every year we went looking at Christmas lights and there were two families that just went all out with the light displays. It used to be one of the highlights of the holiday season. My stepmom assured me that they still did it and said she had planned on taking my son and my nephew to see them. No way they are going without us at least following them. I am so excited. I really hope it all goes well. My family is known for being a bit of a downer but the holidays are really a special time for them so hopefully I won't be disappointed.
The only part of the week I'm nervous about is Christmas day. I don't have the best relationship with my mom and to say that my son really doesn't know her wouldn't be stretching the truth. I love her but sometimes she is more than I can handle and she has never made a big point of getting to know my son. This year my dad and stepmom have to work and I got the idea that we would go to my mom's on Christmas day. I don't know what made me want to do this. Whatever the reason, it's done. My mom is excited and I'm actually looking forward to it. Hopefully everyone will have fun. I think what I want from it most of all is a good memory because I don't have a whole lot of those to hold on to. I think it should be fine. I'm hoping it will.

SO anyway, here is the schedule so far.
Saturday, Dec. 20~ We are driving from Kansas to Louisiana. It looks like a 13 hour drive for where we are going. When we get there we have to make sure everything is ready for the next day which includes me putting a last minute present together.
Sunday, Dec. 21~We take the 2 hour drive up to my grandparents where the entire family(minus one grandchild who is serving in Korea) will be together to do our big Christmas celebration. This includes my grandparents, their 3 sons and their wives, 9 grandchildren(6 bio, 3 married in) and 3 great grandchildren. Also we can expect my great aunt and her husband and at least one of her daughters and grandchild to probably drop by to see everyone. Yeah...it's going to be nuts. I expect my paw paw to go hide at some point. We will eat a big meal, exchange gifts, cleanup, and probably play a game at some point. I am so looking forward to it. At some point we will drive back to my dad's house and probably all crash.
Monday, Dec. 22~ I have been informed by my sister that my child will be kidnapped by his grandmother(my stepmom) for the day and we are going to be told to go away and come back late. So far all I see us doing is going to Olive Garden with my sis and her hubby and maybe doing some shopping for my son. His grandmother on hubby's side is sending a gift card so I might just shop for him then. At some point I might dump my hubby and go to starbucks with just my sister. It's something we like to do and haven't done since July. We also might go see my cousin for a little while this day too.
Tues, Dec. 23~ So far there are no real plans for this day. I hope to get to spend some time visiting with my sister and stepmom. The only thing on the agenda is dinner with my cousin and her son to celebrate his 8th birthday. It's exciting. My dad is working but hopefully will get to meet us there.Santa cookies will also probably be made this day.
Wed. Dec. 24~This day will be spent prepping for dinner that night as my stepmom is insisting on cooking a big dinner. It is also my parents anniversary and I am hoping we will be able to scheme up a little something to surprise them with.A cake at least. They never make a big deal out of it but we want to do a little something. After dinner we will open all of our gifts, which will take forever it sounds like. They have gone insane shopping for my son and my sister's son. After we get the kids calm enough and in bed then we will hang out until we can play Santa. I'm expecting very little sleep this night.
Thurs. Dec. 25~We get to wake up at 4:30 in the morning so my dad can watch my son open his "Santa" gifts and spend time with all of us before he has to go into work. I'm not sure what time we are going to my mom's. I'm guessing late morning. We will head over there and I will help my mom. I have been wrangled into making a no bake sugar free cheese cake. I see us spending most of the day there.
Friday and Saturday Are our last days there and I have no idea what we are doing. Hopefully relaxing and visiting as my dad is finally off. We are scheduled to drive back Sunday as of right now.
Is it a wonder I'm so tired just thinking about it all?