Happy Thanksgiving

We are in Austin for Thanksgiving. It's the first time we've spent Thanksgiving with my mom in at least 8 years. We can't even remember the last time we celebrated this day with her. It's nice to be around her and Kyle, Mark, Colin, Joel and of course, the other Cearley 4. Michelle is with her new flame in East Texas, meeting his family. Sounds very serious.

We've spent the day just relaxing. The boys got up real early this morning. Actually it was Max. 4:00 AM. I think he was cold. We chilled out, we cooked, we watched the parades, then Steph's cousin Jaime came over. I know that was special for Steph. The meal rocked. We had so much food. Kyle fried a turkey. My mom made her rockin' stuffing. My belly is so big. Then, the Cowboys proceeded to beat up on the Seahawks. It's always an extra special Thanksgiving when the Cowboys win. Now, we're listening to the Longhorns game on the radio.

This Thanksgiving, more than any in recent memory, I am so incredibly thankful for my family. Specifically, I am thankful for three healthy children. I'm thankful for a healthy wife. I'm thankful that she had successful surgery, that we actually did it right now, and that we know there is nothing bad growing in her body. I'm thankful for the perspective that that right there gives me. I'm thankful for my mom and the relationship we have. I'm thankful for Kyle and that he is in my mom's life. My brother and sister - I don't do a good enough job of expressing to them how much I love them and am thankful for them. My family is my rock and I know a lot of people who can't say that. This thanksgiving,it's everything that is right beside me that I am thankful for.

NEGATIVO

Steph got the results back from her Friday procedure. NEGATIVO. I can't even express in words how thankful I am. I know Steph is real relieved. It is a happy evening around here. Lonely, though. We miss that rambunxious 3 year old.

Christmas time

Put the Christmas tree up yesterday. All the dust made us all sick. Sniffles. A little cough. Gracie went home with Nana today. We'll see her when we go to Austin on Wednesday. Trying to say as much with as few words as possible.

Video time

A couple videos for you. These are about 2-4 weeks old. One features Nick, just doing his thing. Max is in the background laying on the ground. One features Gracie terrorizing her older brother, Max.

Steph's day surgery

Sitting in the hospital here with Steph. She had a LEEP procedure done today. She's still drowsy. Dr. Jan said everything went well. She lost a little bit more blood than normal, but Dr. Jan is not concerned. She just had to give Steph some stitches. We should hear results from the biopsy by Tuesday.

Although Dr. Jan is optimistic about the results, I am still a little worried. Just praying for a negative test and even more, for Steph's continued health. We've got to have a healthy mommy at the Cearley house :)

Reality II - Cowboys 14, Redskins 10

OK, so it wasn't the offensive game I thought it would be, but we won....like we should have last time. God bless Marion Barber. And Tony Romo.

Tonight was good, but if they want to go to the playoffs and win there, they have to stop making so many penalties. Freaking Flozell Adams kills me. He's been doing this nonsense for the past however many years. Stop with the penalties already. And TO? Hang on to the ball.

We're back in the thick of things. Now, we have to keep going. And hope the Giants and Redskins get beat by whoever is playing them from here on out.

Mary Michelle - your Romo jersey is getting boxed up.

Prediction II - Cowboys 31, Redskins 20

That's right. I think it's going to be a beat down tonight. I have a feeling the Cowboys are going to put the stompin on them. Romo's back. Portis isn't playing. They have to win this game. And because of that, they will.

Princess with earrings

Saturday, totally on a whim, Gracie got her ears pierced. Stephanie suggested it, I said, 'sure,' and Gracie went along with it.

That morning, we went to Babies/Toys R Us, and she got a new crown and clip on earrings. She immediately put them both on and wore them for most of the day. For the last couple of weeks, we've been talking to her about the possibility of getting her ears pierced and both Stephanie and I have talked to her specifically about all that would happen. So, the idea of getting her ears pierced was never an issue. The idea of someone getting close to her ears with a little device wasn't an issue either. We knew the immediate pain would be the issue.

Back to Saturday night - we rolled up into Claire's at Firewheel mall, all 3 kids in tow, and watched a teenage girl get her ears pierced before Gracie. Gracie was very excited about it, she'd already picked out her earrings (pink daisies), and couldn't wait to sit up in the chair. We asked the girl who was doing the procedure if we could do them both at the same time because after the initial piercing, there was no way that Gracie would let anyone by her ears. I'm soooo glad we did that.

As soon as they went in, she cried, cried, cried. It only lasted for about 5 minutes. Then, with the promise of candy and the fading pain, she dried up and went on like nothing ever happened. Since then, she's been walking around like she's an even bigger princess than she was before.

A Historical Day

Kids,

This might be the most important day of your short life here so far. Today, we, the United States of America, elected a new president, one who seems to be an honorable man. A man devoted to change things as we know them. We have faced many troubling times and hardships over the last 8 years. We had the largest, most devastating terrorist attack in the United States in 2001. Gracie, there are many deep issues associated with this, but it is one of the reasons we did not stay in New York after you were born. Since then, we have engaged in 2 wars, seen our global reputation and credibility shrink to embarrasingly low proportions and now, our nation is struggling through a financial crisis that most equate to the Great Depression. There are many events happening in your young life that you will learn about in school.

This day was another one of those historical events. Today, we elected a new president, the first African American president in history. The effects of this will probably still be felt throughout your lifetime. You see, race shouldn't matter in this country, in this world, but the sad truth is that it does. Hopefully, all Americans can look past the color of a man's skin, even those who are still mired in ways of the past, ways of inequality. Only time will tell. I pray for all of our sake, that this day will be the beginning of a new America, a revitalized America, an America that we're all proud to be a part of.

Times have been hard. I hope that today's decision will have a positive impact on the world that you will grow up in and raise your own family in. I feel like today, we have elected a president who will make the decisions necessary to give you that world, to make things better, to lead us on the road to change that we so desperately need, not only right now, but when you are typing something to your own kids.

This is a historical day and you should know that both your mom and I are happy with this result. We are confident that this is the right decision and we are hopeful in the future that can be. We want a nation and a world that we can all live in and you guys can have a full life in. As you learn about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy and the impact that they had on this great nation, impact that was felt long after they left, so will you learn about the man who made history today - our new president Barak Obama.

We love you dearly,
Mom and Dad

PS - we were both laying in our bed in our house in Wylie, Texas when the news broke and Obama gave his speech. In fact, your mom was asleep :)

Halloween in The Woodlands

We came to The Woodlands for Halloween. We couldn't pass up the opportunity for Gracie and her cousins to share this event together. Observing her, I would say this is probably the best time she's had ever. She sure does love her cousin Amalia.

Gracie was Dorothy. Nick was turtle. Max was baseball player. Amalia was the sun. Aidan was the moon. Avery was the stars.

We all got bit by mosquitos. And then we all got sick. Just runny nose sick, and not because of the mosquitos.

The adults rocked Guitar Hero. Andrea is good, Steph didn't really find her groove.

PS - the Stormtrooper is some random kid off the street.