Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of my readers, friends, and family!

I'm sitting here in our breakfast nook watching the sun come up over the foothills of the Smokies from the kitchen window. The birds are flying around the feeders (but I can't hear them because the windows are closed.) The house is still "asleep" except for the four dogs in the house. And two of them (Gus & Leon) are playing and having a wrestling match right next to me. *sigh* (I just put them outside because they were getting too rowdy!)

December was a full and extremely busy month in our household with holiday preparations, parties, work, family, and all. I did take some time to rest TWICE with two cabin retreats in the mountains. We had a gift certificate that we needed to use up by the end of the year but could not use it over Christmas break so Marissa and I spent her birthday weekend in Pigeon Forge in early December. We were able to have some mother-daughter time, rested, played Scrabble, and shopped. The weekend went by too fast but we have decided that we are going to do this again.

We had all of our children home for Christmas, including Jason and our new daughter, Jessica, from Texas. After Christmas, we all left for a family cabin retreat in the Smokies for four days. I was hoping to have some time to write and blog but we had limited Internet service. We spent most of our time in our pajamas, slept, ate, played games, talked, relaxed in the hot tub, made s'mores by the fire, etc. I found rest at last!

I was hoping to hear an owl while we were in the woods. (I forgot to listen for one when Marissa and I had our retreat earlier.) Jason and Chris heard one but by the time they got me outside, it was gone. Our cabin had a tin roof and it rained several times. . . what a neat, soothing, and relaxing sound that was! At one point there was a torrential downpour and the rain was so loud! I sat in a swing on the porch several times wrapped in a blanket and just listened to the sounds of the woods. I've been bilateral for 10 months and it seems like it has always been that way. . .I love hearing with two ears and everything seems so natural and normal. I thoroughly enjoyed all the sounds of Christmas, especially the music. I just can't get enough Christmas music and would have it on 24/7 if I could. The Josh Groban Noel Christmas CD has been my favorite this season, especially "The Little Drummer Boy" song. Marissa says that I'm starting to sing in tune, too. I'm talking more on the phone and can understand people talking to me without reading their lips.

I'm also realizing that I do have some residual hearing left. Steve snapped his fingers next to my ear yesterday while I had my CI's off and I "heard" something. It was a sharp, crisp sound. I asked him to do it again and I heard it when he duplicated the sound (it took him several tries.) I also hear "something" if I slam a cupboard door too hard or make another loud sound (like banging pots and pans around.) Interesting. . . I had noticed it several months ago but thought it was a fluke. These sounds are not vibrations but something different. Maybe my brain has shifted and is allowing me to "hear" these sounds without the hearing aids or CI's masking them.

Last Thursday was my last day at work at the credit union and it was bittersweet. It was very difficult to leave a job that I loved. It was hard to say "so long" (but not goodbye) to a wonderful group of coworkers and friends. . .but, my focus for 2008 will be working with Steve and building our business, traveling with him on his trips, advocating for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing for East Tennessee, writing my book, and spending time with a new grandbaby that is on the way! *big smile!* Yes! We will be grandparents for the first time and I will get to hear all those baby sounds I missed the first time around with our four children!

May 2008 be the best one yet for y'all with God's richest blessings!