Texas

November 3- November 14, 2008

Price, Bea and I FINALLY arrived in Mansfield.  Price got to meet his Granddad for the first time and they hit it off immediately!  We spent two great weeks with Bea and Don.  Bea and I played tennis several times (it was great playing for the first time in over a year).  Two of my oldest and dearest friends, Kristen and Jennifer, came to meet Price.  It was wonderful spending time with them and catching up.  Jennifer and I stayed up late into the night talking.  Price also met his uncle Danny for the first time too.  The only sad part was Don wasn't there to be part of the introductions and get togethers.  Price also started cooing while we were in Mansfield.  It was a bittersweet time because it was new for him and it was hysterical listening to him discover his voice, and I wanted to pick up the phone and share it with Don, but I couldn't- so I did the next best thing and called my mom.

November 14 - December 25, 2008

My mom flew up to Dallas and drove to Houston with Price and me.  We stayed in Houston for about 6 weeks, excluding our Thanksgiving trip to Louisiana (I think I'll put that in it's own post). We had a good drive down, Price slept the entire way except for the last 20 minutes of the drive. He screamed for that whole portion of the trip.  We would have made it without the meltdown if we had enough toll money to get home, but we didn't so we stopped to see my brother, Trey (who met Price for the first time through the car window).  He met us outside his office and gave us money, which we didn't even end up using!

We got home and the next night Mom had Trey, Arianne, Will, and Delores over for dinner.  It was nice to see everyone, but I was so exhausted, I got sent to bed.  I think they just wanted to play with Price, but I was so tired, I was on the verge of tears- so I did as I was told and went to bed and slept for a few hours.  The next night, we went to Mr. Paul's birthday party.  It was nice to see all of the Finnegans.

Our time in Houston was weird, we struggled to find a balance of space/time/sanity.  Price and I went and visited with my dad which was nice (and I have rarely thanked God more than I id driving home from seeing him- a drive which usually takes a little over 2 hours took about 4, but Price was wonderful and slept the whole time).  I got to meet up with an old friend from high school, we went to church, we attended Mom's Christmas program and threw 3 parties in one CRAZY, hectic day.  Christmas and my birthday were difficult because Don wasn't there and he wasn't able to communicate (after months of open communication, all lines were cut of, at the worst time).  And Roger's brother-in-law passed away on Christmas eve.  So, all of our Christmas/traveling plans were changed up at the last minute- but it worked out in the end.

December 25-29

Mom drove back up to Dallas with Price and me on Christmas Day.  Roger picked her up and they continued on to Tulsa for the funeral.  Price and I walked into culture shock at the in-laws.  The normally calm, quiet house which is usually a nice respite from the craziness of my family's home did not exist!  My brother and sister in law and their 3little girls were there- all were sick, Bea was sick. It was a loud, sick house and I had the Christmas blues.  We had to cut our visit short so that I could meet Mom in Tulsa and she could drive back to Ohio with us.

December 29 - 30

Other than going the wrong way on the Indian Nation Turnpike in the middle of nowhere (Oklahoma), I ended up making an illegal u-turn rather than driving 60 miles out of my way to get back on track, Price and I made it to Tulsa safe and sound.  The next day we left Tulsa and headed for home.  I was excited to be heading home because I was ready to be back in my own space and REALLY ready for Don to be home.  We got to stop and visit with another great friend who lives outside of Tulsa.  It was so wonderful to meet her newest addition and catch up in person. 

We made it back to Dayton on December 30.  Mom was to fly out early on the morning of the 31st. Of course, she missed her flight and ended up staying a few extra days. I can't say I minded :)

I have told Don's family and mine how much we appreciated all of their support while he was gone.  I really don't know what I would have done without them.