Happy Holidays
Well let me begin by saying that we hope this post finds you all happy, healthy and ready for the rapidly approaching holidays!
As for us, well, we are happy, all FINALLY healthy and frantically scouring stores for those final holiday gifts and decorations. I must say, I have done better than I thought I would, yet I am still more behind than I thought I would be! C’est la vie! I supposed that is only fitting considering the year that we have had!
And oh what a year 2011 has been! A year of challenges and a year of opportunities! I cannot say that I am sad to put this year behind us, but overall it was an amazing year and one full of memories to hold for a lifetime! I am thankful for every twist and turn the year has taken since it has brought us to where we are today!
I may not have accomplished what I had hoped for this year, but my year has been bountiful, my gifts have been great, my prayers have been answered and my heart is more full than I knew possible. What more could I ask for?
The Parental Update...
As sad as it sounds, I do not remember much about 2011 prior to my birthday. It seems that as the years have passed, my birthdays have mattered less and less. I am grateful for my life and thankful to have a day to celebrate it, but I think as we all age, we learn to appreciate every day for what it is worth and that one day, no longer holds as much excitement and wonder as it once did. This year, though, was different!
The tables were turned this year, and for my birthday, I got my parents! They moved from California to Indiana and arrived just in time to be my special gift!
What did that mean for us, you ask? Well, a whole lot of unexpected drama and chaos, as you all well know! Within a few weeks, Dad was in the hospital, went on his first (and hopefully last) helicopter ride, and spent 3o-some days in the hospital. A collapsed lung, open heart surgery, lung surgery and 6 months of Cardiac Rehab later, and he is doing amazing! A miracle we truly didn't believe was possible!
That is obviously the Readers Digest Condensed version, as most of you know! It was really a full time 6 month process that ended with my Dad having a miraculous recovery. Hey may not be 100% yet, but we will take the 75% that he has worked so hard to achieve!
And I cannot fail to mention the unimaginable support from our friends, neighbors and coworkers here in Indiana! We had such an amazing outpouring of support that we wouldn't have been able to cope without. From our family flying in to be with Dad and help with Delainey, to friends offering to watch Delainey, coworkers cooking dinners for us for weeks and amazing friends giving up their time to sit with us in the hospital....our hearts were overwhelmed! We now know what that "midwest hospitality" is! Amazing!
Of course during all of this, Delainey was lucky enough to have Grammy and Papa at her full disposal, 24-7 from March thru October. She definitely made up for lost time and showered them with love and excessive energy, and of course received equal showers of love in return! Grammy was able to come to her second recital in June and Delainey shared many of her favorite Indiana sights and activities with them! She showed them how 4th of July is done, Indiana style, and the hundreds and hundreds of dollars that Papa spent on fireworks will probably be put to shame next year when he is actually able to do more than watch from the deck. He will need to be quick on his feet though, because I am sure one more crazy man in the mix will lead to more close calls than this year. Two explosions and one small hole in the neighbor’s house will probably seem minor next year when Papa puts his twist on the fireworks!
I think the fall was their favorite so far! Mom was in heaven watching the leaves turn and heading to all of the local fall events! We even took Papa apple picking! 21 pounds of apples later and I think it is safe to say he enjoyed himself!
We are finally heading into winter and I cannot wait for the snow! We had our first sprinkle of snow a few weeks back and Mom had to wake me to tell me! What a rookie! Let's see if her enthusiasm lasts the whole winter!
Darling Lil' Delainey...
Our sweet baby girl turned 4 in Feburary! Where did that time go? Just before her 4th birthday she had her first dance recital and was adorable! She is our perfect tiny dancer! She loves to dance and especially loves her teacher Miss Erin!
Just days after reaching the mature age of 4, Delainey underwent her first (and, again, hopefully last) surgery. A few weeks of heck and minus tonsils and adenoids, we had a new and improved and considerably more squeaky voiced Delainey. The surgeon said that her vocal cords were not getting enough air flow prior to surgery and that this new, higher pitched voice is permanent! I am still seriously considering a malpractice suit!
The summer brought Delainey’s second, and much more formal, dance recital. Delainey participated in her two scheduled dance performances and was also given a small part in a selected presentation! She did amazing and was thrilled that Grammy got to come to this one!
She rounded out her summer with a performance as the flower girl for our, now happily married friends, The Strachota's! She did great, and despite a face plant into the concrete 36 hours prior to the wedding, she was adorable... black and blue face and all! The rest of the trip was a complete blur. We didn't stop the entire time, were barely able to see anyone and missed our flight home! Let's just say, it'll be awhile before we repeat that crazy journey! 10 days and hundreds of happy memories made it all worth it, though!
Delainey’s highlights from the California trip are probably not what you think! Although she enjoyed Disneyland, her list of favorites included seeing her friends, “Maa-Maw” and especially meeting her “new” cousin Makenzie and reconnecting with other cousins Madison, Shae and Maylea! Shae is still Delainey’s idol and she cries hysterically each and every time we Skype and have to hang up!
Delainey’s other highlights this year have included her friends...namely Abbie, Tyler, Zachary, Sidney, Jaclyn and Chloe! These friends range in age from 2 & ½ to 11 and all but Abbie are our neighbors! She has been lucky to have such great friends so close by!
Her aspirations for next year are to play lots, start Karate, Soccer and Swimming and to plan parties! She is my child in that respect and has been inviting people to a party that we didn’t know we were throwing! Now, despite being cute, just like Mommy, and having lots of future goals...she is crazy like her Daddy! She loves to be loud and goofy and keeps me on my toes! In fact, as I am typing, she is in her bed, supposedly going to sleep! Of course, this is not actually what is happening! In reality, she is laying in her bed dancing (because we will not allow her to sit up) and is singing at the top of her lungs to her nighttime music CD. No, she is not listening to lullabies or calming Disney songs...her current CD of choice is a Barbie album with current pop songs such as Outkast’s “Hey Ya” and Hillary Duff’s “So Yesterday”. This is a CD that she and Daddy picked out from the library! Oh joy! I thought I had a few more years before this phase would begin!!! With her love of music, I suppose it should be no surprise! She truly is a joy and even in her crazy moments, I wouldn’t change a thing! Her laugh is infectious and those big blue eyes melt us all! She has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger and she holds my heart in her hands. It is amazing to think that she has only been here for 4 & ½ short years! She has brought more love, joy and amazement to us in that short time than we ever thought was possible. Our little peanut!
Daddy-O...
Ryan is, well, Ryan! He has mastered the art of being the homebody! If it doesn’t involve sports, Seinfeld, The Big Bang Theory or his new IPhone...it doesn’t matter. He is the single greatest supporter of Netflix and Get Him to The Greek plays on our TV like a marathon!
His goofball nature has only multiplied since our move out here and his single greatest goal is to become a master griller! A skill which he is far from reaching! He is looking forward to the snow, only for the fact that he can stand in the freezing snow and grill on the deck! I think it takes him back to his cave man roots or something!
All jokes aside, Ryan is really enjoying life here in Indiana as much as the rest of us. He is still working at Whole Foods as the second man in the produce department. He has learned that the grocery industry can be way different than he knew it before and actually enjoys going to work! The local pro football and basketball players are regulars at his store, so he is constantly giving the name of someone that came into the store that day! I just shake my head, smile and pretend to have half a clue about who he is talking about!
Last month he was selected for trip to Chicago to represent his store in a big growth planning session for the company! He has also learned from caring for all of us ill and injured people that, although good at it, caregiving is not his calling!
He has been more than amazing this year and I have been reminded countless times why I love him some much!
Hopefully in the coming year Ryan will be able to get back to doing the things he loves! We have a million golf courses close by and I know he would love to get back to that! We are also hoping to take advantage of our new “babysitters” and maybe take and Mommy and Daddy getaway or two! Anyone up for a trip to Nashville? Or maybe a visit to St. Louis to catch a Cardinals game? Oh, I know VEGAS BABY! A Vegas trip is definitely in order for 2012! Let the planning begin!
Mama-Mia...
I am sad to announce that I have been severely neglecting my crafting addiction this year. My scrapbooks are bare. The number of you that have received handmade cards have dwindled. My ribbons and yarn are piling up in quantities long enough to stretch to California and back. I am thinking about joining a support group for those who have been abandoned by the crafts they love! Again, hopefully this is a situation that will be resolved in early 2012!
Until then, I will continue trying to get myself back into some routine! Truthfully I am just amazed that I had time to breathe this year and I am thankful that our dust bunnies have not overpowered the dogs yet! Oh yes, did you catch that…dogS! As in plural! As in we (and by we I mean ME), finally found the second pooch that WE were looking for! Stella, a Beagle/Dashaund mix joined the family last month! She is adorable and sweet and is the perfect fit for our family! I finally feel like our home is complete (said with a dramatic flare)! She really is a cute lil dog and Sheba and Delainey are loving her! Daddy is too, though he won’t admit it!
Besides spending time with my 3 girls, my year has been filled with the normal household junk, work and school! Yeah, I said it, the “S” word! School! I am nearly done with an accelerated Bachelors in Nursing Program thru Purdue University! GO BOILERMAKERS! Somehow, thru this chaotic year, I have been able to maintain straight “A’s” and should be done in May! I am just thankful for the opportunity and for the ability to grow within the Nursing profession!
I also joined my family in the surgery club and had to have knee surgery August. I hurt it back in May when Dad was in the hospital and it has taken awhile to get things figured out! It is not back to normal yet, but you all know me well enough to know that it is doubtful that I will ever achieve a “normal” status!
As if all of the year’s excitement wasn’t enough, I also took a new position at work. What can I say...I love a good challenge. I took a position as the Clinical Coordinator for the Intensive Care and Progressive Care Units at my current hospital. This has been an exciting opportunity and I have learned a lot more about nursing management than I ever knew before. It is challenging but I am really enjoying it! Our hospital is really growing and I feel privileged to be a part of that growth!
Best Wishes...
I think that that is pretty much the condensed version of our year! As I said before, it has been a year of blessings and a year of change! I am still convinced that our calendar was missing a few pages, though....that would explain the time lapse. I hope that 2012 brings us as many wonderful memories but hopefully a bit less chaos!
We have been loving all of the Christmas cards, pictures and packages and hope that you are all looking forward to the holidays as much as we are! We love and miss you all and are taking reservations for our guest room in 2012!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The Tierney Household.....Ryan, Rebecca, Delainey, Sheba and Stella!
Scroll down for all of the pictures.....
Well let me begin by saying that we hope this post finds you all happy, healthy and ready for the rapidly approaching holidays!
As for us, well, we are happy, all FINALLY healthy and frantically scouring stores for those final holiday gifts and decorations. I must say, I have done better than I thought I would, yet I am still more behind than I thought I would be! C’est la vie! I supposed that is only fitting considering the year that we have had!
And oh what a year 2011 has been! A year of challenges and a year of opportunities! I cannot say that I am sad to put this year behind us, but overall it was an amazing year and one full of memories to hold for a lifetime! I am thankful for every twist and turn the year has taken since it has brought us to where we are today!
I may not have accomplished what I had hoped for this year, but my year has been bountiful, my gifts have been great, my prayers have been answered and my heart is more full than I knew possible. What more could I ask for?
The Parental Update...
As sad as it sounds, I do not remember much about 2011 prior to my birthday. It seems that as the years have passed, my birthdays have mattered less and less. I am grateful for my life and thankful to have a day to celebrate it, but I think as we all age, we learn to appreciate every day for what it is worth and that one day, no longer holds as much excitement and wonder as it once did. This year, though, was different!
The tables were turned this year, and for my birthday, I got my parents! They moved from California to Indiana and arrived just in time to be my special gift!
What did that mean for us, you ask? Well, a whole lot of unexpected drama and chaos, as you all well know! Within a few weeks, Dad was in the hospital, went on his first (and hopefully last) helicopter ride, and spent 3o-some days in the hospital. A collapsed lung, open heart surgery, lung surgery and 6 months of Cardiac Rehab later, and he is doing amazing! A miracle we truly didn't believe was possible!
That is obviously the Readers Digest Condensed version, as most of you know! It was really a full time 6 month process that ended with my Dad having a miraculous recovery. Hey may not be 100% yet, but we will take the 75% that he has worked so hard to achieve!
And I cannot fail to mention the unimaginable support from our friends, neighbors and coworkers here in Indiana! We had such an amazing outpouring of support that we wouldn't have been able to cope without. From our family flying in to be with Dad and help with Delainey, to friends offering to watch Delainey, coworkers cooking dinners for us for weeks and amazing friends giving up their time to sit with us in the hospital....our hearts were overwhelmed! We now know what that "midwest hospitality" is! Amazing!
Of course during all of this, Delainey was lucky enough to have Grammy and Papa at her full disposal, 24-7 from March thru October. She definitely made up for lost time and showered them with love and excessive energy, and of course received equal showers of love in return! Grammy was able to come to her second recital in June and Delainey shared many of her favorite Indiana sights and activities with them! She showed them how 4th of July is done, Indiana style, and the hundreds and hundreds of dollars that Papa spent on fireworks will probably be put to shame next year when he is actually able to do more than watch from the deck. He will need to be quick on his feet though, because I am sure one more crazy man in the mix will lead to more close calls than this year. Two explosions and one small hole in the neighbor’s house will probably seem minor next year when Papa puts his twist on the fireworks!
I think the fall was their favorite so far! Mom was in heaven watching the leaves turn and heading to all of the local fall events! We even took Papa apple picking! 21 pounds of apples later and I think it is safe to say he enjoyed himself!
We are finally heading into winter and I cannot wait for the snow! We had our first sprinkle of snow a few weeks back and Mom had to wake me to tell me! What a rookie! Let's see if her enthusiasm lasts the whole winter!
Darling Lil' Delainey...
Our sweet baby girl turned 4 in Feburary! Where did that time go? Just before her 4th birthday she had her first dance recital and was adorable! She is our perfect tiny dancer! She loves to dance and especially loves her teacher Miss Erin!
Just days after reaching the mature age of 4, Delainey underwent her first (and, again, hopefully last) surgery. A few weeks of heck and minus tonsils and adenoids, we had a new and improved and considerably more squeaky voiced Delainey. The surgeon said that her vocal cords were not getting enough air flow prior to surgery and that this new, higher pitched voice is permanent! I am still seriously considering a malpractice suit!
The summer brought Delainey’s second, and much more formal, dance recital. Delainey participated in her two scheduled dance performances and was also given a small part in a selected presentation! She did amazing and was thrilled that Grammy got to come to this one!
She rounded out her summer with a performance as the flower girl for our, now happily married friends, The Strachota's! She did great, and despite a face plant into the concrete 36 hours prior to the wedding, she was adorable... black and blue face and all! The rest of the trip was a complete blur. We didn't stop the entire time, were barely able to see anyone and missed our flight home! Let's just say, it'll be awhile before we repeat that crazy journey! 10 days and hundreds of happy memories made it all worth it, though!
Delainey’s highlights from the California trip are probably not what you think! Although she enjoyed Disneyland, her list of favorites included seeing her friends, “Maa-Maw” and especially meeting her “new” cousin Makenzie and reconnecting with other cousins Madison, Shae and Maylea! Shae is still Delainey’s idol and she cries hysterically each and every time we Skype and have to hang up!
Delainey’s other highlights this year have included her friends...namely Abbie, Tyler, Zachary, Sidney, Jaclyn and Chloe! These friends range in age from 2 & ½ to 11 and all but Abbie are our neighbors! She has been lucky to have such great friends so close by!
Her aspirations for next year are to play lots, start Karate, Soccer and Swimming and to plan parties! She is my child in that respect and has been inviting people to a party that we didn’t know we were throwing! Now, despite being cute, just like Mommy, and having lots of future goals...she is crazy like her Daddy! She loves to be loud and goofy and keeps me on my toes! In fact, as I am typing, she is in her bed, supposedly going to sleep! Of course, this is not actually what is happening! In reality, she is laying in her bed dancing (because we will not allow her to sit up) and is singing at the top of her lungs to her nighttime music CD. No, she is not listening to lullabies or calming Disney songs...her current CD of choice is a Barbie album with current pop songs such as Outkast’s “Hey Ya” and Hillary Duff’s “So Yesterday”. This is a CD that she and Daddy picked out from the library! Oh joy! I thought I had a few more years before this phase would begin!!! With her love of music, I suppose it should be no surprise! She truly is a joy and even in her crazy moments, I wouldn’t change a thing! Her laugh is infectious and those big blue eyes melt us all! She has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger and she holds my heart in her hands. It is amazing to think that she has only been here for 4 & ½ short years! She has brought more love, joy and amazement to us in that short time than we ever thought was possible. Our little peanut!
Daddy-O...
Ryan is, well, Ryan! He has mastered the art of being the homebody! If it doesn’t involve sports, Seinfeld, The Big Bang Theory or his new IPhone...it doesn’t matter. He is the single greatest supporter of Netflix and Get Him to The Greek plays on our TV like a marathon!
His goofball nature has only multiplied since our move out here and his single greatest goal is to become a master griller! A skill which he is far from reaching! He is looking forward to the snow, only for the fact that he can stand in the freezing snow and grill on the deck! I think it takes him back to his cave man roots or something!
All jokes aside, Ryan is really enjoying life here in Indiana as much as the rest of us. He is still working at Whole Foods as the second man in the produce department. He has learned that the grocery industry can be way different than he knew it before and actually enjoys going to work! The local pro football and basketball players are regulars at his store, so he is constantly giving the name of someone that came into the store that day! I just shake my head, smile and pretend to have half a clue about who he is talking about!
Last month he was selected for trip to Chicago to represent his store in a big growth planning session for the company! He has also learned from caring for all of us ill and injured people that, although good at it, caregiving is not his calling!
He has been more than amazing this year and I have been reminded countless times why I love him some much!
Hopefully in the coming year Ryan will be able to get back to doing the things he loves! We have a million golf courses close by and I know he would love to get back to that! We are also hoping to take advantage of our new “babysitters” and maybe take and Mommy and Daddy getaway or two! Anyone up for a trip to Nashville? Or maybe a visit to St. Louis to catch a Cardinals game? Oh, I know VEGAS BABY! A Vegas trip is definitely in order for 2012! Let the planning begin!
Mama-Mia...
I am sad to announce that I have been severely neglecting my crafting addiction this year. My scrapbooks are bare. The number of you that have received handmade cards have dwindled. My ribbons and yarn are piling up in quantities long enough to stretch to California and back. I am thinking about joining a support group for those who have been abandoned by the crafts they love! Again, hopefully this is a situation that will be resolved in early 2012!
Until then, I will continue trying to get myself back into some routine! Truthfully I am just amazed that I had time to breathe this year and I am thankful that our dust bunnies have not overpowered the dogs yet! Oh yes, did you catch that…dogS! As in plural! As in we (and by we I mean ME), finally found the second pooch that WE were looking for! Stella, a Beagle/Dashaund mix joined the family last month! She is adorable and sweet and is the perfect fit for our family! I finally feel like our home is complete (said with a dramatic flare)! She really is a cute lil dog and Sheba and Delainey are loving her! Daddy is too, though he won’t admit it!
Besides spending time with my 3 girls, my year has been filled with the normal household junk, work and school! Yeah, I said it, the “S” word! School! I am nearly done with an accelerated Bachelors in Nursing Program thru Purdue University! GO BOILERMAKERS! Somehow, thru this chaotic year, I have been able to maintain straight “A’s” and should be done in May! I am just thankful for the opportunity and for the ability to grow within the Nursing profession!
I also joined my family in the surgery club and had to have knee surgery August. I hurt it back in May when Dad was in the hospital and it has taken awhile to get things figured out! It is not back to normal yet, but you all know me well enough to know that it is doubtful that I will ever achieve a “normal” status!
As if all of the year’s excitement wasn’t enough, I also took a new position at work. What can I say...I love a good challenge. I took a position as the Clinical Coordinator for the Intensive Care and Progressive Care Units at my current hospital. This has been an exciting opportunity and I have learned a lot more about nursing management than I ever knew before. It is challenging but I am really enjoying it! Our hospital is really growing and I feel privileged to be a part of that growth!
Best Wishes...
I think that that is pretty much the condensed version of our year! As I said before, it has been a year of blessings and a year of change! I am still convinced that our calendar was missing a few pages, though....that would explain the time lapse. I hope that 2012 brings us as many wonderful memories but hopefully a bit less chaos!
We have been loving all of the Christmas cards, pictures and packages and hope that you are all looking forward to the holidays as much as we are! We love and miss you all and are taking reservations for our guest room in 2012!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The Tierney Household.....Ryan, Rebecca, Delainey, Sheba and Stella!
Scroll down for all of the pictures.....
