The obligatory New Year's blog

Resolutions.

Does anyone really make a list, let alone even try to keep them?

I can readily talk about 2008 and all it brought instead of a resolution I'd never been sincere about. I can also look forward to all that 2009 is going to bring.

The past year brought the happiest moments of my life along with the worst. Let's get with the bad first...

A lot of pain mixed with a heaping dose of frustration and anger. Two surgeries and one hell of an infection. Although all of this stuff brought me down and can still get to me at times - I've learned a lot from it all too - which brings me to the good.

After all the doubt, all the pain, all the trouble and all of the unexpected - Sadie arrived. She might not have came the way we wanted but she was here. There hasn't been one day that's gone by since she's been born that I haven't looked at her and sent a breezy thank you to God for the love of my life.

When I've been at my worst - I could always peek in on my sleeping angel and know it was all worth it.

I've also learned a lot more about love and how it can grow so much that you're almost bursting from all of it inside you. I love my husband in a way now that I never imagined - and I'm so lucky.

So, here's to you 2008 - for all the good and the bad, the happy and sad.

Grandpa W

I wonder what he would have thought of Sadie...

El Nino - Spanish for "The NINO"

You know it's going to be a long winter when you go from snow storm to blizzard, from sleet to ice and from 60 degrees to a tornado watch all in one week.

It feels like spring and it isn't even January!

My sickly Christmas

Around 3 a.m. Christmas morning, my stomach flu took a turn for the worse. Mom came to my rescue and by 4 a.m., we were sitting in the ER at St. Joe's. Came home around 10 in the morning and slept till 1 p.m. Tried to eat, back to bed.

A few hours later, we tried to open Christmas gifts but it didn't go as planned. Never has Christmas felt less like Christmas in my life. Super Dad - aka Erik - stayed up while I tried to rest and played with Sadie and all her new goodies.


Although it wasn't the way we planned, it was our Christmas and as long as we were together that's all that mattered.

Ice Storm 2008

No usually means...NO

I don't think some people will ever understand the concept that my child is MY CHILD.

And on a similar note, Friday couldn't come sooner.

Chicago winter

Please sir, may I have some more?

I feel like the guy ringing the bell shouldn't give me a dirty look when I don't put my spare change in this year.

Keep on the sunny side...

Alright. Erik has no job. I haven't had one in over a year and we can't put Sadie to work in modeling until her skin flap gets yanked (just a joke - not planning on baby modeling).

BUT - Erik is hopeful at his prospects and I am too. I know, together, that we will make this work.

Dear (insert name of accounting firm here),

Thanks for letting my husband go two weeks before Christmas. I know times are tough, but really?

Love,
Me

At least he got a severance package. Too bad though, he really liked working there.

I feel sick

Why is this happening?

Oh yeah. Greedy people.

Shit

Erik lost his job today. Two weeks before Christmas and on the anniversary of his dad's suicide.

I know this may sound beyond cheesy - but pray for us. I believe in it.

Days like today make me miss my old job...

Sigh.

What an exciting day in the land of newspapers! When you start off in journalism school - these are the kinds of things that you could only hope to cover (that and the occassional serial killer/missing person/mayor who uses village credit card at strip club - oops already did that one).

Even more exciting is knowing one of the members of the Tribune's editorial board personally and professionally - imagine getting an inside view into the insanity - man I'd love to be a fly on the wall.

On a personal note, what kind of twisted, delusional bastard threatens to withhold money from Children's Memorial Hospital unless the CEO forks over 50K? Excuse my language here - but that's nothing but the work of a corrupt, low-life arrogant ass. Mr. Governor - Screw you.

Fantastic!

I swear, one of the best things in life is walking into a baby's room at 7 a.m. to be greeted with the most wonderful "Good Morning" smile you could ever imagine (and baby morning hair almost always guarantees a hearty laugh to start the day).

Factor V Leiden video finished!

First off - I want to thank everyone for being so patient and understanding at the amount of time it took me to complete this project. Most of you know I was out of commission for two months while I recovered from back surgery in September.

Many, MANY ladies contributed to this video with dozens of pictures. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to use them all, as some of their formats wouldn't work with the program I used to make the video. I am by no means good with technology - but I tried my hardest and did the best I could with what I had.

Also - the video isn't chock-full of factual information. It's simply meant as a tool to spread awareness of our goal to inform others of our disorder AND to hope that more prenatal tests include bloodwork for thrombophilia. Since specific medical information on how to treat pregnant women with FVL/thrombophilia is always changing - I opted out of giving specific details of treatment during pregnancy.

Again, thank you everyone and please feel free to post the video to your own web page, myspace, facebook or wherever! I just hope that we can make a tiny difference - or at least be the ripple that starts a wave of change.

God bless!
Michelle Williams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc_lIknSmXs

Perinatologist visit

Had my first appt with the perinatologist today to see if I really need to see a high-risk OB for the next baby.

Turns out I do - and even better - I will have all my "gynecological needs" met there from now on. Nice!

Long story short, they have everything I'll need to get thru the pregnancy safe and have the baby very, VERY closely monitored. I'm very pleased with everything!

So there you go FVL - take that!

Have you seen me?

My sister lost a big white (like the size of a small horse) dog over the weekend in Manhattan. If anyone see's her, please call her by name, Maggie - and message me on here. Thanks - Michelle

The holidays

Always suck. But, guess what?

I suddenly realized they don't have to anymore. No one will drive us crazy next year. Hurrah!

Diary of a mad snow shoveler

December 8: 6:00 PM. It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9: We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape.What a fantastic sight! Can there be a lovelier place in the Whole World? Moving here was the best idea we've ever had. Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life!

December 12: The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor tells me not to worry; we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14: Snow lovely snow! 8" last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish l wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15: 20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out.I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16: Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17: Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20: Electricity's back on, but had another 14" of the damn stuff last night. More shoveling. Took all day. Goddamn snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22: Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white shit fell today, and it's so cold it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to piss. By the time got undressed, pissed, and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter; but he says he's too busy. I think the asshole is lying.

December 23: Only 2" of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she nuts?!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she's lying.

December 24: 6". Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son of a bitch who drives that snowplow, 'I'll drag him through the snow by his balls.I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was busy watching for the goddamn snowplow.

December 25: Merry Christmas. 20 more inches of the fucking slop tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's an idiot. If I have to watch" It's a Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to kill her.

December 26: Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27: Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze.

December 28: Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. THE BITCH is driving me crazy!!!!!

December 29: 10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30: Roof caved in. The snow plow driver is suing me for a million dollars. The wife went home to her mother. 9" predicted.

December 31: Set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8: I feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?