Holidays, Lexington BBQ, and Bike Rides

Whew. I am exhausted. The last week as been possibly the most amazing in recent memory. I'll back track a little and fill you all in incase you somehow missed my daily FB updates.

The Christmas "weekend" I guess you could say started off with a veerrrryyy long drive -alone- all the way from Orlando to Albemarle, NC starting on Thursday and finally arriving on Friday. I cannot begin to tell you how awesome it was to get back to NC - despite the cold weather, which I generally LOATHE. This year though, thanks to a little extra padding (up another 2 lbs this week to an whopping 144 lbs) and lungs that aren't in complete AGONY, I actually *almost* enjoyed the cold. It was so nice to be able to be in the cold and still be able to enjoy myself. Thankfully it wasn't a "wet" cold or I doubt I would be feelin the same love.

That weekend started with a Christmas party with the best group of women I know. We have been talkin about this party for well over two months now and we had hyped that crap up so high that most people wouldn't even be able to come close to fulfilling the expectations.

We aren't most people.

Our Christmas party was an evening of food, dirty Santa (sometimes a little toooo dirty lol) and wine and incredible You Tube videos. Oh and wine. And ridiculous stories. And did I mention wine? Yeah there was wine. For some, too much wine ;)

Late into the week our Christmas party somehow transformed into a "onesie" party or an adult footed pajama party is that helps you envisions this spectacle. Think 7 grown women sittin around in full sized onesies. It was a pretty amazing sight. My husband isn't the biggest fan of the onesie but honestly that's just too bad. That thing is amazing, and I love it. I tried to wear it to church that Sunday but he sorta put the kabash on that one.




Yup. That's happening




Gangster onesies




Things starting to digress...




Foxy ladies








"She Ratchet"

Have I mentioned how much I freakin LOVE these women!? Gah, I have missed them.

The next day was FamJam time. Each year my entire family (Phillips side) gets together for Christmas at Uwharrie Point/Old North State Country Club for our Christmas get together. This year my parents, sisters, and their husbands/babies got out there earlier than usual to get family pictures made. It was the first time we had ALL been together since our latest member - Miss Shelby - had arrived and it was the first time we were all together since my transplant. We haven't seen the pics yet, but big thanks to Joseph Sides and Andrea Harris from Connection Photography for comin all the way out and dealing with our CRA-ZY family. It was such a special thing for us to be able to do and I know there are some awesome pics in there! We can't wait to see them!

Once the rest of the family arrived it was the usual - football, tons of food, catching up and presents. It was so good to see everyone and watch my babies play together. The only ones missing were my cousin Braxton and his wife Katherine. She *was* pregnant and was unable to be that far away from her Dr. Turns out it was the right thing! Mr. Holden Sherwood Wall was born just a few days later -- Christmas Day!! So we welcomed another "Santa Baby" into the fam. He is so precious and I HATE SO MUCH the he decided to make his debut literally like 2 hours after Chris and I headed home!!




Mylee & Mabree




Nap time!




Momma and Shelby




Playin Santa's sleigh...yeah I was Rudolph.




Outside - bravin the cold weather.




Me and Monkee




Dr Mylee




Sweet girls...




Holden Sherwood Wall born Dec 25, 2012 -- so handsome!

The rest of the weekend was spent with friends and more family. Christmas Eve we traveled the hour to Lexington for my **favorite** LEXINGTON BBQ! People, this is serious. I know everyone has their idea of what constitutes BBQ - even more so GOOD BBQ. But let me just tell you. This is the real deal folks. Lexington BBQ is famous and rightly so. It's the best - vinegar based, super moist and I mean man - Just freakin amazing. And don't forget about the hush puppies. Ohhhh the hush puppies. So, so good. You know how hush puppies got their name? Apparently some lady had a yappy dog and she made a batch of these little babies. She would say "hush puppy!" and to reward him she would give him one. Or atleast I heard that somewhere. Not sure it's true but let's pretend it is.




Oh yes.




Pig skin love people...it's. beautiful thing.




Family friends (the "kids") -all grown up- at the Spencer's house Sunday evening.

Christmas morning rolled around and it was so awesome to be able to see BOTH our families on Christmas Day. Something that we haven't done in about 5 years. We opened presents and had breakfast at my parents house, then headed to Charleston, SC to spend the rest of the day with Chris' family. I wish we had had another couple days off to spend more time in Charleston, but atleast ALL of Chris' family was able to meet in Charleston. It's been years since that's happened too! My two oldest nieces, Elizabeth and Abigail, have gotten WAY to big. I mean its seriously stressing me. Elizabeth (EJ) is in HIGH SCHOOL and is as big as me. I remember when she was barely a year old (when Chris and I first started dating). I can't believe how old she is. It's makin Chris and I feel really old. And sweet Abigail is such a cutie and is SEVEN. It's killin me. I was there the day she was born. *sigh*



Cannot remember what was so funny, but does it matter? This picture is hilarious!




Sister in law Ashley and her new FIANCÉ Josh! :)




Our first baby Abby, the boarder collie/pit bull mix. She is not a puppy anymore lol!

Getting back home to Orlando was sad at first, but I am glad to be home. Visited with my sister and her in laws yesterday which is always entertaining (lol) and was able to spend a little time with my girl Mabree which is always a good time :)




Live music at Ella's in Tampa...




To more live music (and some dancing haha) at O'Briens...




To interesting gift card purchases at Pier 1 the next morning haha

Cut to today. Sunday Funday at its finest. Chris and I spent the morning at the Lake Eola farmers market in downtown Orlando, then headed over to Wall Street Cantina to watch our beloved Panthers beat the Saints (albeit still making us slightly bonkers with their inconsistency). After that we stopped by Orange Trail in Oakland a few minutes from our house. We rented bikes and took an hour long bike ride - my first true bike ride in FIFTEEN years (maybe longer honestly). It was awesome. My legs are killin me, but my lungs? AHH-MAZING. I mean it was crazy! One full hour of biking, up hills and a little off roading (not my idea to say the least) and I was barely breathing hard! I think I'm gonna hafta buy a bike. I'm sorta hooked I think. :)




Relieving stress with an odd photo shoot while watchin the Carolina Panthers.




And again...




Bike:30




I think he thinks its cold out...

Well. There ya go. All caught up. I can't believe 2012 is all but over. I'm tellin you, this has been a crazy year. An incredible year, but awesome. This has been the BEST holiday I have had in so long I can't even remember one ever being this good. Friends, family, new babies, havin the ENERGY to enjoy it all, NO IVS, and NO HOSPITAL. I can't barely believe this is my life now. Absolutely a miracle. I am so thankful I have been able to celebrate this new life - this amazing miracle of rebirth and faith and grace - at the same time we are celebrating the GREATEST MIRACLE - the birth of the One who gives us this grace, who provides for us in our faith in Him. Jesus is the reason for the season and lemme tell you, this has NEVER been clearer, or more significant, to me as it has been this year. He has absolutely delivered me and my family from the Hell we were in and I could not be more grateful. God is so good people.

With this amazing sense of thankfulness comes an immense sense of sadness - I guess that's the right word. It's hard to completely reconcile the feelings that come along with transplant sometimes. Most of the time I'm so happy, so overwhelmed and literally shocked by what I am physically capable of, that I don't dwell on EXACTLY what had to transpire to get me to where I am today. But atleast once a day, even if its just for a brief moment, I remember. Sometimes I am just grateful, sometimes I have a twinge of guilt. Sometimes - like at the holidays - I'm overwhelmed with a sadness and guilt I can barely explain. Its not constant thankfully, usually something I think of late at night when Im layin in bed or by myself in my car. When things are quiet and calm and I dont have the benefit of any great distractions. I don't know why God spared my life at, what sometimes feels like, the expense of another. How is it fair that I have spent the last five months feeling so amazing and getting to experience such an amazing new life, while someone else had to die for that to happen? I realize that (hopefully) the young man who died to give me life is celebrating in a way COMPLETELY UNFATHOMABLE to me in Heaven this year. I don't know where his heart was on that front, but I pray that someone who could give this gift to someone would have Jesus in his heart. I don't worry about that for the most part. Nothing can be done now if that wasn't the case. But I do worry for his family. Who had to spend this first Christmas without someone they loved. Who was acutely aware of his absence on Christmas morning when his empty stocking hung by the others filled with all kinds of things and who's seat remained empty at Christmas dinner. I pray that while there was sadness and loss this year, that there was also a sense of peace that could only be given to them by Jesus and the promise we celebrate this season - the coming of our Savior.

I hafta write a letter to the family of my donor soon. I've honestly been putting it off because, well I haven't had the words. What do you say to a donor family to explain the significance of what their loved one has done for you? How are there ever the right words to give them the peace, closure and assurance that what was done with their loved one's body was the right choice? Organ donation isn't for everyone. I know that. I can only hope the family was ok with his decision. And if they weren't, that whatever words I can find to express what his decision has meant to me will help them find a peace with it. I'd hate to think that there were people out there who regretted that decision, who felt some sort of animosity towards organ donation - or to me as the recipient - because of what happened. I have put it off for as long as I can. I wanted to do it sooner, but like I said - no words. Now I regret I didn't do it earlier. I can't help feeling like my letter may have been a source of peace for them at the holidays. Then again, maybe not. Maybe it would have been too much. I just hope that my procrastination on the letter was the right move. And that when I do write it that my words are Heaven sent and are what they need to hear, whatever it is. So throw up a couple prayers for me on that one if you don't mind. I hope to get it written and sent in the next few weeks.

Again, and as always, thanks for indulging me tonight. I know this was a long one, so thanks for hanging in there! I hope you all have had an amazing holiday season so far. The New Year is literally hours away. I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store! Love to you all -- thanks for being a part if Chris and I's life. You all have had such a huge impact in our life and each one of you has helped us in so many ways. We pray for you all everyday and thank God for everything and everyone he has put in our path. You have all made such a difference to us.

xoxoxo and Much love...
Erin

Not related to lung transplant...but had to post

Today 26 people were killed - 18 were children under the age of 10 - in Conneticut this morning in what the news is calling one of the worst school massacres in this nation's history.

Please indulge me for a moment here - for I am pissed.



First of all - it sends me into a BLIND FREAKIN RAGE at the thought of someone doing this to children. The killings of the adult victims are no less tragic by ANY means...but children? Really?

What in the HELL could a child EVER do that could make you so angry that you saw fit to SLAUGHTER them??? I mean these are DEFENSELESS children. And don't get me started on the mental scars left on the ones who survived!

Apparently the gunman was a 20 year old man. 20 years old. WHAT IN THE WORLD happened to you that mad you decide that gunning down a school full of babies was the best way to get your revenge. Un-freaking-believable. Have too many hair pulls when you were 5? Someone call you a sissy and you never got over it? Ahhh I know...it was wedgies right? It always come back to underwear up your butt.

I don't understand the minds of people. The rage, the desire to hurt innocent people. I mean not that its any better, but why not focus on the people who ACTUALLY hurt you? I mean I am not promoting revenge in anyway, but it just seems more rational atleast. John Smith hurt me - I hurt John Smith; not John Smith hurt me, I think I'll go take out little Cindy, Johnny, Jenny and Dan over at the local elementary school.

All I can say is this - there's a special place in Hell for people who hurt children. And its a goooood thing that man was found already dead. I can't imagine him getting too far if he'd lived. I know I'd join the hunt. I'm pretty sure that's one lethal injection I'd gladly sign up to administer.


I know...I get a little dark when I'm pissed...especially when my anger is triggered by someone hurting children.

And I'm not even a huge fan of kids. I love my neices don't get me wrong. I'm pretty good about tolerating most children, but I'm just not one of those mothering types. Wasn't ever really. I've gotten a lot better since I became an aunt, but still...just not a big "kid person."

But let me tell you something. I will lose my shit entirely if EVER anyone so much as looked at my nieces the wrong way. And the things I would do to someone if they ever HURT one of them...well, I won't go there. I might scare you away and that's not my intent.

 GOD HELP THE PERSON THAT EVER MESSES WITH THESE 5 GIRLS.

Secondly - the families. These poor families. To have a child ripped from your life in such a horrific way - especially here at Christmas - is beyond anything I can even concieve. The mothers and fathers, who have spent the last few weeks buying and wrapping gifts for them - some just as exciting to have their child open them as the kids are - are left to do what now? Leave them under the tree? Pass them out amongst your other children (assuming that child lost wasn't their one and only child)? Give them away? And who is gonna be in charge of THAT?! The people who, instead of organizing activities and Christmas eve services for their families and now organizing a funeral for their child? And for those who have other school age children living - how do you convince them to go back to school, knowing that's where, instead of feeling safe, cared for and protected, they will be scared to death. Images of masked gunmen appearing in the door ways, expecting any loud bag - even if its just a locker door slamming loudly -to be the last sound you hear? Images of bloodied children and teachers lyin on the floor of their school...

I don't think you could convince me to go back thats for sure.

These thoughts are just a very VERY few that are haunting me right now.

Today is not a good day people. My mind is not a pretty place to be right now.


I hope this tragedy doesn't detract from what we all know to be the Reason for the Season. His name is Jesus and He is just as appalled by what has happened today - even more so even - than we are. I can imagine that despite my dark and somewhat dangerous mind set right now, He knows my heart. And while He might be a little wary of even that right now, I don't think He blames me for my anger. I'm gonna be workin hard to get passed this in the next few days, and He is gonna hafta help me on that front for sure. I just hope I simmer down sooner than later, cause I WILL NOT let this damper my spirit and my gratefulness that I am ALIVE this Christmas and feeling the best I have in over a decade. No matter what has happened - He has been gracious with me. The least I can do is remember Him, and celebrate His birthday with a joyful heart, rather than one shrouded in anger.

So pray for me people. I'm gonna need all the help I can get on that one.

And please remember the families and victims of this senseless tragedy in your thoughts and prayers. They are gonna need even more than me. And that's sayin something...


Love & Prayers to you all -- Erin xoxo



 

Tis the Season!

Ahhh...Christmas has officially arrived at the Taylor house.

Christmas is my FAVORITE time of year. Well, the season itself, what it represents, and the fact that I get to be with my friends and family - especially the ones I don't get to see often. I could skip the angry and rude shoppers at shopping malls and other retailers ( I will never understand that as long as I live. Seriously people, its the holiday of love and giving and it feels more like MMA tryouts if u venture out to shop any time after Thanksgiving, and through the New Year). Christmas decorations that pop up like two days after Halloween, and "politically correct" -- someone give me a break with this crap PLEASE -- references to the "holidays" in an effort to avoid insulting people just irritate me to no end. I cannot understand how a holiday - whose entire reason for existing is the very essence of Christianity - is being turned into a generic "Hallmark holiday" because the constant religious references OFFEND some people. Are you KIDDING ME? Sorry people, just because you want to take advantage of the pretty lights and the idea of getting lots of presents (for apparently no true reason in your world) doesn't mean that the entire reason for the season isn't Jesus. You need to get on board with that, or seriously just make up another holiday. Say on like the 26th and call it All Snowman's Day and celebrate it however. For those who live in non-snow climates, well I hope that doesn't make you feel "left out", "offended" or "discriminated against", but well, a) it was just a suggestion and b) well, I don't honestly care. Life's tough, get a helmet. Do what you will, but leave my CHRISTmas alone.

Ok, off my soapbox - sorry, that devolved quickly.

Annnnyway, like I was saying, I love Christmas. Decorating my house has always been my favorite part. I have this sick obsession with Christmas tree ornaments. I literally have HUNDREDS. Growing up I remember always having tons of ornaments. Then again, they were acquired over years and years, many of them hand made by my sisters and I and, well, that just adds up quickly. It made sense to have lots.

But I sorta skipped the handmade-by-children part and the slowly-acquire-many-over-the-years concept. In the five years that Chris and I have been putting up a tree together I have purchases literally hundred of ornaments. So many that I have already gone thru and purged some and given them to Kellyn for her and Ronnie's first tree together. Having to decorate your very first tree isn't cheap, especially when you like a tree full of ornaments and you are starting at zero. Not that that stopped me that first Christmas (altho when Chris found out that was almost the END of Christmas that year lol). I was all too happy to donate some to Kelly and Ron, especially since that meant I got to go out and replace them!! ;)

I have a sickness when it comes to ornaments. A true love affair with these beautiful, sparkly, shiny globes, crosses, snowflakes, reindeers, Santas, and every other unique little dangling pieces of lovely. I treasure every single one and love to just look at them. As soon as retailers start putting them out, I'm there, picking out new ones every year. Generally I don't like spending a lot of $$ on ornaments (I mean like individual prices), although I have been known to cave in the past and scoop up a variety of $8-10 (each) pieces of unexplainable dangling happiness. But that is the exception, not the rule. As much as I love quality, I'm also a QUANTITY person. I like my tree so full of ornaments you can barely see the tree itself. Hobby Lobby has been my best friend when it comes to quality ornaments and prices that promote quantity, LOL! They ALWAYS have great prices (most are listed $5 and under) and are ALWAYS 40-50% off. So I mean lets be honest. Getting ornaments at the $1-2 mark -- well lets just say it can get a little cray cray.

At any rate, I love the way my house looks at Christmas. I never want to take the decorations down. If it wouldn't be weird I would leave them up year round. I love the feeling of warmth and fullness my house has when all the decorations are up. A few years ago I learned I was allergic to trees (which when living in NC was a def issue). We had to commit to all fake trees at that point. That was a sad time for Chris and I. We LOOOOVE the smell if Christmas trees. However, I have learned that the advantages of the fake tree has begun to outweigh those of a real one. No more throwing $$ down the drain every year, no never-ending battle against the falling pine needles, the leveling and re-leveling, the army crawl under the tree to water it constantly... sorry but just thinkin about that now makes me totally over it. Not to mention the utter failure of our very last real tree. We attempted to "choose and cut" our tree that year. Unfortunately I was very sick and we couldn't travel up to Boone to do it properly. So we decided to stick around town and visit some of the (very) few tree farms in the Stanly County area (piedmont region) of North Carolina. Needless to say, areas that have high heats in the summer around the 100 degree mark doesn't lend itself to quality Christmas trees. The one we purchased (despite my protests and a loud and slightly embarrassing yellin match between Chris and I over the tree I did NOT want) was half dead the day we bought it and was not the type of pine tree I liked. By the time we got it home and set it up, it was well on its way to resembling one of those Charlie Brown trees. I'm talkin we lost more than half those needles just gettin it set up. My mom was over helping me and was laughin so hard I thought she would pee in her pants. Which just made me more and more angry, which would just keep making her laugh even harder. It was a vicious cycle.

At any rate, by the time it was almost up and finished, the unmentionable happened. The damn thing fell over. Yup, just fell right on over, ornaments and all. I was livid. I had never wanted Christmas to be OVER so badly in my life. Well, here I am tryin to prop the tree up and am cussin Chris for all he's worth (gotta love my holiday spirit, right?). Mom is LESS than useless at this point. She's laughin so hard all I want her to do is get off my couch cause Lord help her if I hafta clean up cause a grown woman wets her pants on my upholstery. Luckily - VERY lucky - that didn't happen. Long story short (or not), that was the last real tree the Taylor house ever saw.

While my initial reaction to no more real trees was slightly disappointed, I realized quickly how utterly fantastic fakes are. No needles to clean up, not watering, no leveling, and best of all most come prelit (never something I was good at - that was always Kellyn's part of tree decorating). And while I missed the smell, I realized there was a number of candles, sprays and now even these little green things you hang in your trees to simulate that Christmas tree smell. So thank you retailers everywhere - I officially want for nothing when It comes to my tree.

So today, I finally got all my Christmas decorations up. And I did it allllll by myself. Got the tree out, put up, lit and decorated. It's been years since I was physically able to do all that, and even when I was feelin ok I still just didn't have the physical capabilities for all that. So while my original plan was to just get all the stuff out and then I'd wait for Chris to get home from work to help me. Well, that idea sorta flew out the window once I started. It felt so good that I was ABLE to do all that I couldn't stop. I'm tellin you people -- the things you don't realize you miss out on when your as sick as I was is crazy. I don't think I even realized exactly how sad my life had become. Not until just recently a is it all REALLY coming into focus. It's so easy to take advantage of the simplest things - like decorating a Christmas tree. I'm tellin you, as long as I'm livin, I'm never takin advantage of the small stuff again.

I have a feelin this might just be the best Christmas EVER! :)




Tree 1 in the front foyer ( yeah u read that right...)




Tree 2 in the living room



Tree 2 (again)




Annnnd Tree 3 (small, but cute - in the dining room)

YUP, I have three trees this year! (It was necessary in order to be able to hang all the ornaments ;) )




One of Chris and I's wedding pics on display.




Dining room table - hangin the stockings on my bar cause its FL and I don't have a fireplace :/




View from kitchen into dining-living room




Front foyer (with tree 1) is where my new nativity scene is (thanks mom - I love!). I've never had a nativity scene of my own before and I just love this one. So perfect :)




View if the living and dining room from the front of the house looking back. Tried to get all three trees in one shot. Not the best in terms of that, but it still looks super pretty ;)

Ahhhhh I just love Christmas. Hope everyone is enjoying their CHRISTMAS season so far. Don't forget the REASON FOR THE SEASON FOLKS!! <>

Much love...



Erin

Poster child of Lung transplant

Well folks, you're officially reading the blog of a 4 month post transplant patient. One who was referred to as "the poster child for lung transplant" (I tried not to be offended by the "child" part lol) by her Mayo docs yesterday. Went to mayo and they are super happy with my progress, which makes me super happy! They let me finally get a FLU SHOT which I was sorta freakin out about. They wouldn't let me get one at first because of the possible complications of introducing a virus into my newly suppressed immune system. But, since I am doing so well, they went ahead and allowed me to get one. So, THANK THE LORD for that! I was freakin about about rollin into flu season with new lungs, no immune system and sick people everywhere. But atleast I'm protected from the flu, and my pneumonia shot is still good (got it last year - lasts 5 years) so hopefully I'll avoid anything super cray cray. Oh, and lung function is the highest it's been, so in the words of my beloved Phil Robertson, I'm "happy, happy, happy."

Speaking of Mr. Robertson - does anyone out there LOVE Duck Dynasty the way I do? These people -- well, lets just say, these are my people. They have beards, they are funny and they kill birds. What's not to love?? And I promise, Ol Si is my Chris in 30 years. It's crazy the similarities between them. I'm serious, it's like looking into the future watch that crazy ol coot. You heard it here first people.

Not the greatest pic in the world, but there it is - my SIGNED poster :) Thanks to the great Boyce Adams - husband to my best friend Katie - for snaggin this for me. Prolly can't make it out, but its signed by Phil and says "Erin, Take a deep breath Rom 1:16 - Phil Robertson" Gotta love it :)


Been back to work for a little over a week and I am really enjoying getting back to "normal" - if that's what you can call it. Not sure if this can be considered normal - it waaaaay exceeds any normal I'm used to! Planning on heading back to school in the Spring, so ill be workin on that the next few weeks. I'm pretty excited, but - well lets be honest. My first attempt at college didn't exactly go as planned, so fingers crossed this one turns out better than the last.


Well, guess that's about it for now. Nothin super exciting happening right now. Sorta seems like this blog as served its purpose. Not sure where I'm gonna go from here with this thing, but I'm either gonna hafta stop writing or I'm gonna hafta start coming up with stuff more interesting than my day to day activities lol.

So, hope everyone is having a great and are gearin up for a great holiday season. I'll be heading up to North Carolina the weekend before Christmas and I CANNOT WAIT! The countdown begins - 22 days!

Have a good one everybody...



Much love...



Erin