Atkinson Family Blog

Happy New Year

Well, my dad got to go home from the hospital on Christmas Day.  That was by far the best gift we all received.  He is doing better every day.  He needs to work on his speech a little, but that's it.  The Dr. said that we got lucky and his stroke was a mini stroke.  He is at home resting getting better!

My mom is a trooper.  She is absolutely amazing.  She is trying to keep up with him taking him to his dr. appts. getting his meds, tending to him, etc.  She is one of the best nurses anyone could hope for.  I know that my dad totally appreciates her.  I appreciate her.  I just hope that she gets to relax a little here and there otherwise she will get to tired to do any of it.  You are my hero mom!

Happy New Year to you all.  I sure hope that 2009 is a better year for the Kimble/Atkinson families.  Our plans tonight consist of watching the Zags play basketball on TV, having the Bells over for some fun, eating, drinking, and being merry!  Proves to be a good night!

Merry Christmas

I can't believe that it's Christmas time.  I know that I'm posting this a little early, but I figured not many people are reading it right now and with the holidays starting tomorrow, everyone will be a little busy.  I recently saw an episode of Little People Big World.  It's a great show that my family really enjoys watching on Monday nights.  On the last episode (Monday night), one of their family friends has had a heart attack and passed away.  I was caught by Lauren (during dinner because this is when we were watching it) crying during the episode because I was reacting to how the family was dealing/coping with the loss.  The main point they made during the entire time, was love the ones you are with because in a moment's notice, you could lose it all.  Don't take things for granted.  This is something that I've tried to live by and often lose sight of until something personal happens and am reminded of this life lesson. 

I always think of Christmas time as a time of joy, a time of celebration, and a time a reflection.

A joy - I'm thankful for my family, (immediate and external), for my health, (it's been a long time coming), and my job, (especially with the economy as it is).  There are lots of things to be joyful for.

A time of celebration - I'm back to being Tana again.  100% of humor, testiness, a head full of hair, and caring Tana.  It's also a great time to celebrate those things that I'm joyful for as well. 

A time of reflection - this comes from the life lesson of don't take things for granted.  There is always someone out there that is worse off than you are.  You should be thankful for those things that you have and not wish that you had/have things that you don't have.  Make any sense?  Live in the moment, the right now of things.  I've (along with my family) have been through a lot these past 2 years.  We've all come out alive and well.  It's taken some time, but we've made it through.  It's a time to be thankful for what we have.

I believe that we are always being tested on what we can handle.  My family is once again being tested.  We will prove that we will conqueror just like we always do.   It's amazing what family can do once you unite and become one big force.  My father has had a stroke.  He is doing great and makes strides every day.  I believe that he will be back to normal someday, it just might take some time.  Just dear old dad.  It's for this, I say that if you know you have wanted to call someone to say hello, do it.  Don't wait.  If you have wanted to tell someone that you love them, do it, don't wait.

I LOVE YOU DAD and can't wait to celebrate Christmas the way that we always do.  At home with just us kids and family, eating, drinking, and being merry.  Opening gifts, telling stories, shooting darts at one another because that is just what we do!  I can't wait until you get home so we can celebrate Christmas as we always do.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Love always,
Tana

Holidays are here

We had a great Thanksgiving.  We went to Eric's parents house and had dinner with his family.  It was great to see his Aunt and Uncle from New York and of course Grandma and Grandpa, Kali & Tom.  It was very relaxing and we ate way too much,  That night we ended up going to my parents house and had dinner with with my sister and her family.  Again, we ate too much, but it was so much fun watching the kids play together.

We are this weekend, going to decorate for the Holidays.  We are hoping to get the Christmas tree up tonight. 

We had a Christmas party at Tyler's daycare last night and they got their picture taken with Santa.  I can't wait to see how it turned out.  They got to make Christmas ornaments and eat cookies.  They had a good time.

On Saturday, we are headed to a play that is put on by the Spokane Children's Theater to watch the Madeline's Christmas.  On Sunday, I think that we will make some more applesauce since I still have a bunch of apples left from when we went to Greenbluff!