New Year's Day

On 1 November 2012, my husband went into the hospital in septic shock with a necrotic toe due to diabetic complications. He was in the first hospital for six days, the second hospital for about three weeks, and, finally, a nursing home for about two weeks.

We were thankful to have him home for Christmas. He came home on December 20. That was our Christmas present. He was still alive and was finally home. That didn't last long. On Sunday, 30 December 2012, he was readmitted to the hospital, which is where we rang in the New Year together.

I am thankful that three of our children were able to be at the hospital with us to bring in the New Year. It just wasn't the same all around. We've always rung in the New Year together, but never has it been without Dick Clark or in the hospital. It was just too weird!

I am thankful for the hope of another year together with my husband and our children. David and I celebrated our wedding anniversary in the hospital, which was not at all the way we had planned to spend it! I am thankful that we were able to spend it together.

As the world is wont to do, it kept on spinning while we were in there and life went on. A very special moment happened for our oldest daughter and our two youngest made the Dean's List for their first semester at college. One had a 4.0 and the other had a 3.8. We are very proud of them all!

I am thankful that, though there have been some incredibly tense moments, our family is still together and we're still breathing!