How many more weeks?

I ask myself that question almost daily.  "How many more weeks of school?".  I think it's somewhere around 14. I don't think this semester would have been as bad, but I'm taking a traditional senior thesis course and I have to write a 30 page paper.  Do dreadful!!  I'm taking 2 classes that I need to graduate and 2 classes that I don't in order to keep my financial aid. I didn't think those classes would require so much work, but I was wrong! 
Doug is doing his school thing.  He says he feels very behind and overwhelmed with his classes.  I have no doubt that he will do extremely well in all of his classes as usual.  He is very busy with the Model UN, too.  ODU hosts a high school conference every year and he is very busy with that.  Hopefully, after next month, we will see more of him.
My dad and Don came to visit last week.  They loved spending time with Zach and seeing all of his new "tricks".  Don had not seen Zach since May, so he had changed a lot from the last time he saw him.  I took them to Williamsburg while they were here.  It was very very chilly.  We did walk around for a little while before we decided we just couldn't do it anymore.  Zach was able to pet a horse while we were there.  It was very exciting for him!  When the horses started to walk away he said "bye bye doggy!"  It was so funny!
My cousin Alexis had her little boy last Monday.  His name is Tiernan Patrick.  He weighed 7lb 2oz.  He is so cute!  Hopefully we can make it to Texas sooner rather than later to meet him.  I hate that my cousins and I live far apart from each other with all of these new babies being born.  My cousin Beth and I don't live THAT far apart (she lives near D.C.), but trying to find time in both of our schedules is hard. 
Doug and I had our very first date night last week.  A date with just the two of us.  No friends or family...or Zach.  We went to The Melting Pot in Virginia Beach.  It was very nice, but very expensive.  I'm trying not to feel guilty about the amount of money that we spent, but it's hard.  I have to keep telling myself that we don't do that all of the time, so it's ok.  I still missed the little boy while we were out, but I knew he was with a very highly qualified babysitter (Doug's mom!). 
Have I mentioned that my cousin Lauren is here for her Naval "A" and "C" school?  Well, she is!  She is stationed at Damn Neck Naval Base in Virginia Beach.  I think she will probably be here for at least 6 months or more.  I surprised my dad and Don at lunch while they were here with her visit.  They were not expecting her to show up because I told them they wouldn't get to see her while they were here since she is new and not aloud off of the base.  HAHAHA!  My dad's face was priceless!  He actually did a double take!
Zach is becoming a lot more fun these days.  We "wrestle" on the couch and dance together.  Zach is a great dancer on his own, so I'm happy when he let's me dance with him!  I wish I could capture his stellar dance moves on video so I could share them with everyone, but as soon as I break out the camera he stops!  Little booger!  He is also back in his very lovey dovey stage with me.  I ADORE him all of the time, but even more when he gives me kisses and pats my back while hugging me!  So sweet!!
I should probably go now.  I have a ton of things to get done with very little energy!

Love,
Sarah

Fa La La La

Merry Merry and a Happy New Year!!  I really can't believe that it is 2011 already!  2010 went by far too quickly.

We had a wonderful Christmas that spanned over a whole week and at 3 homes.  Is that because our family is spread out and some have to work, or is it because we are spoiled?  Hmm...Probably both and I love it!!

On Christmas Eve I took my uncle to dinner with my inlaws (and Zach, of course) and then we went to church.  Zach ended up in the nursery because he wanted to voice his thoughts over and over again.  I was really nervous to leave him in there (and I did hear him cry after he realized I left), but he did well!  When I walked in to pick him up he was snuggled up with a nursery worker fast asleep!  I missed most of the service because of Zach, which was probably a good thing.  What I was there for was too much.  I couldn't even look at my uncle without crying.  He seemed fine, but I knew his heart was breaking not have his love with him on Christmas.  Hell, my heart was breaking not having her there.

The next day we had Christmas just the 3 of us and then went over to Doug's parents.  Zach wasn't the only one who was spoiled this year.  We all got such wonderful gifts.  I am so thankful to have such great families.  Not for the gift part, but because they are so thoughtful.  One of the many cool things that we brought home was Zach's radio flyer all terrain wagon.  How cool is that?!  I took him riding in it the other day to the park and he seemed to really enjoy it.  Doug got the receiver he wanted for surround sound  and I got some beautiful jewelry, a pot/pan hanger, a new bathroom fixture and the list could go on and on...seriously.

I thought we would get together with my family the following day, but it snowed.  A lot.  I'm not talking the piddly dusting we seem to get.  We got 12 inches.  Yes, you read that right.  1 FOOT of snow.   I couldn't believe it.  I seriously have not seen that much snow since I was a kid.  We just don't get that around here.  I actually found it kind of amusing.  It was like the Apocalypse came.  The stores were cleared out, the cities were shut down, everyone was saying they were snowed in and couldn't leave.  I mean I get it, that IS a lot of snow, but I remember (work with me here) growing up and going to school in 4 inches of snow without even the thought of a delay.  Everything was just business as usual.  I know 4 inches isn't 12, but around here it might as well be!

So the Degner family Christmas was postponed a few days (my NJ family got snowed in too) and we celebrated on Wednesday.  More awesome gifts and family time.  I got a really cool cake decorating kit (among other goodies that go with it).  Who knows, maybe I'll be a famous cake maker one day!  Jan, my sister in law, got some cake things too.  Maybe we will both be famous!  I'll let you know when our show airs on Food Network.

Doug FINALLY had his cardiac ablation.  Come to find out, he was born with a concealed accessory pathway.  That basically means he had a faulty circuit or one that he didn't need, so they burned it off.  Doug was asleep for it and the doctor said everything went really well and he should not have any more problems.  Doug is pretty excited because now he can start exercising again without worrying about his heart going crazy.

My baby boy has also learned how to walk...alone...unassisted.  It's so cool and so sad at the same time!!  He started doing it around the 21st of December.  I can't believe he's walking!!  Time really really needs to slow down!!

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday!

Love,

Sarah

Zach showing his Moo Moo how he can walk

He goes most places with him

Johnson Family 2010

These are my dolls and "Whack" needs to leave them alone

my future musician 

Can we go outside too?!

Gulliver