I'm back! Yay!!

I am so excited to finally sit down and right a post! First time in such a very long time!  I had told myself I really wanted to do this again..so, as a birthday present to myself; I got busy playing around and tweaking it a little.  I am not done..by far. And to be honest, it has been so long since I've posted anything that I couldn't remember how to do some of it.  As an example, I had a horrible time trying to figure out how to change my background. Then I messed something up and changed my template and couldn't get the original one back!  So aggravating!!  For now I am just going to have to accept what I've got until I can figure out how I had it before..lol.
My hubby took us all out for a late lunch of yummy mexican food. That is my favorite, so it was awesome!  I haven't been out for mexican in a long time so it was quite a treat!  He also surprised me a little bad of donuts this morning...which I really didn't need..but the thought was SO sweet!
My sweet little grandbaby Maci is getting so big!  She spent some time with us this weekend.  She is potty training and doing such a good job!  I can't believe how big she is getting and how smart she is :)  She has been busy talking about her new baby seester that is coming this spring.  Baby Eliana is doing well. The last ultrasound showed her to be about 1 lb. and 15 oz.  I can't wait to see her! From the ultrasound pics I think she looks a lot like little Miss Maci!
Sam is doing well.  He had shingles back in December. He still has some residual pain in the area where the blisters were. They said the post-neuralgia can last a good while in some people. He has been exercising and working out and has lost probably 25 pounds or more. He is a lot taller now too.  He is growing up to be such a handsome young man.  He is in 9th grade this year. He is still playing cello..and doing SO well!  I am very proud of him.
I am teaching in Sam's homeschool co-op again this year. I am teaching and directing the strings class. I am blessed with wonderful and kind students.  Sam being one of them! We are busy working on music for our spring concert.  They are doing so well and I am proud of them all. They work hard on the music and it is challenging music at that.  "Rues Farewell," from Hunger Games, "Trumpet Voluntary", "Rondeau", "Allegro" and "Spring" by Vivaldi are the pieces we are working on. I feel very blessed to be able to spend time with these lovely young people every Friday.On the homefront,  Mark is staying busy.  He is still working as custodian at one of the local grade schools; plus he lays brick with friends and on his own when he gets calls for work. He still does the taxidermy some..but not as often as he used to. Mickey, Teddy and Peanut are doing well.  Teddy had a bit of a sick spell right after Christmas, but is doing ok now.  I can tell age is taking a bit of a toll on him. Mickey and Peanut spend their days begging for food and snuggling up with the nearest family member. I am hanging in there as far as my health.  I have good days and bad days. I treasure the good! After the last round of MRI's they finally diagnosed me with Occipital Neuralgia. It is from the bone spurs and bulges that I have in my neck. It causes severe neck pain and pain running up into my head and behind my eyes. At times on bad days it is so severe that I vomit. They have now given me phenergan to take at home to try to stop the vomiting before it starts. Between that and the ruptured discs in my lower back and the fibromyalgia and the fevers I run...it is a constant struggle to try to get everything done. I think my family is sometimes tired of me being ill..as I am also. All I can do is pray and have faith that God is with me and that everything has a reason....That our trials make us stronger!  I know that I am so much luckier than some that are going through so much worse of trials than me, by far.  God is good though..and blessings are plentiful.  Family, grandbabies, friends, all the beautiful things that God has blessed me with..those are what I focus on. I miss the interaction between my blogging friends.  Over the years I have found that those friendships have remained as strong as ever.  I am truly blessed by each of you..and you know who you are!!  Even though facebook has sort of taken over the blogging world..there is something so special about blogging :)  And on a happy ending note...A crocus has popped out in my flower bed!  It brought a huge smile to my face today. I am so very ready for spring and all the beauty that it brings with it! How about you?
  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come.   Song of Solomon 2:12
 With much Love,    Jerelene