HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Year's Eve was very different for us this year.  We are usually in Nashville at Adam's brother and sister-in-law's house with them.  We didn't know what to do! 
I ended up getting a tattoo in honor of Haylee...a blue and purple butterfly with an orange leukemia ribbon for its body.  Kim and Durena went with me (ya'll are the absolute BEST!).  They were good helping me keep my mind off of the pain!  Haha!
We went to Cracker Barrel for dinner (yum, biscuits and gravy) then shopped a bit afterwards.  We came home, the kids went to bed around 9:30pm and we stayed up and watched the New Year's Eve shows (which were awful this year) and watched the ball drop.  Very uneventful and I like it that way :)

New Year's Day, again, was just another Sunday to us.  We went book shopping and had dinner at Nonna and PawPaw's house.  We made sure we ate our greens! 

Haylee has been doing AWESOME!  She's pretty much been back to normal (attitude, being mean to Mason, playing with her friends).  She had her line caps changed on Thursday and her line dressing changed on Saturday with no problems!  We're getting used to the lifestyle change we have had to make. 

The end of 2011 was a very trying and emotional time for our family due to Haylee's diagnosis.  We have found a way to deal with everything that has been handed to us lately, whether we wanted them or not.  We pay more attention to the little things in life, we love a little stronger, and we stay as routine as possible to give Haylee and Mason the most normal lives we can give them at this point.  Both of their lives, along with ours, have been completely turned upside down.  We have learned to take everything one step at a time.  Adam and I take time to be with just each other and we spend lots of time as a family.  I've said this before...the road ahead is a very long one.  We have many more treatments and hospitalizations coming.  The love and support we have received and are still receiving from everyone is so amazing to us.  Thank you to everyone, near and far, for everything.  We are truly blessed to have someone like you in our lives. 

Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!
This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!
I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!
- William Arthur Ward

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
 - Einstein