It's late and I should be fast asleep but went to bed too early so now I'm up. I laid in bed thinking I should go back to sleep and then decided to get up and write this posting.

I spent the weekend enjoying new traditions and spending time with my boys. Saturday didn't start out very well. Saturday was my day to crash from the drug Decadron. They say on the third or fourth day is when it hits you and side effects can be different. That is true. Some days I'm fine and others I'm not. Well Saturday was about the worse! I felt extremely fatigue and out of it. We were planning to go to San Jose to spend Saturday with Erin's family celebrating Christmas. I knew how important it was to Grandma Ruby to see me, so I decided to go.

We had a few stops to make before - Hockey Xsport in Oakland. Maxwell needed two new hockey sticks and blades. I haven't been there for years when the boys were little and both in hockey together. It brought back lots of memories driving them everywhere to pick up hockey gear. I know at the time it was a pain but I would give anything to have those days back again!

We arrived at Grandma Ruby's house and everyone was there. Uncle Bob, Aunt Barb, Andrea, Michael, Martie, Jeff and Grandma Ruby. Grandma Ruby will be 91 years old in January and is so full of life. I watched her enjoying every moment in time spent with her family that day. We had a wonderful dinner prepared by Aunt Barb and Jeff and during dinner Grandma Ruby surprised all of us. She had written a paper about her life and wanted her family to know everything about her. She read a three or four page story of her life and as she read the story I found myself thinking she is a remarkable person. At 91 years old she wanted her family to know the accomplishments she achieved in her life such as owning her own business in the 1960s called "Martha Lee Designs" in which she employed 30 employees making small doll clothes for the then famous "Barbie" dolls. She went on to received several degrees at San Jose State University before retiring. She and her husband after retirement enjoyed traveling every where including Europe and the far east. She was so proud to share this moment in time with her family and I was happy to be there.

After dinner Mark, Markie and Maxwell left for the Sharks game. Grandma Ruby loves ice hockey and especially the Sharks. She knows everything about the team and the players. Grandma Ruby spends lots of time on her computer looking at the team stats and standings. She emails Markie all the time about current Shark events and he enjoys talking to her about the team. Her favorite player is Johnathan Chechoo #14. Grandma Ruby loves her Sharks!

This was my first time at Grandma Ruby's house for Christmas. I was so lucky to be included in their family tradition of gift giving and enjoying each other's company. Uncle Bob took the role of Santa wearing a special Santa hat that I assumed he wore each year. Each gift was given out in a precise order and was opened by the receiver before the next one was given out. Uncle Bob made sure that the person had plenty of time to open and thank whoever gave the gift to them. It was not a rushed event! Unlike, my childhood memories of Christmas gift giving where the hour spent was so rushed no one could remember who gave what! This was different. We spent time talking and enjoying the moment with each other. I kept looking at Grandma Ruby and thinking how wonderful it was to have her there sharing this moment. I told Martie it was a special time for me and it took my breath away. I'm so happy I made the trip even though I wasn't feeling well. I slowly became tired and fell asleep as they finished opening their gifts. Jeff was so kind to take Erin and I back to the hotel and you guess it I feel fast asleep.

Sunday, I spent the whole day home just relaxing and really doing nothing at all. Today is Monday and Mark and I will leave for San Jose around 2:00PM. We are staying at a hotel and I have my routine heart biopsy on Tuesday at Kaiser Heart Transplant Center at seven in the morning. Its been a month since the last heart biopsy and I'm really nervous. Tippi feels the same. I know it will be fine but its the unknown and the wait for results that always makes me crazy. This is something I will have for the rest of my life. I will have heart biopsy every month for the first year and then I believe it drops to one every three months and then one every six months. This next one will included the congo red test for Amyloidosis in which they will take a few extra pieces of the heart to test for Amyloidosis. My last test was negative and I hope this one will be too!

Today before I leave Mom and I will go grocery shopping for Christmas dinner. Maxwell asked for my homemade lasagna on Christmas Eve with Italian sausage. I have enjoyed preparing all of his favorite meals. The other night it was great smelling hot brownies cooking in the oven. It brought back memories of waking up at midnight smelling brownies cooking in the oven. Maxwell would cook brownies and eat only the middle of the pan. I'd wake up the next morning to find a pan of brownies with the middle gone. I would give anything for those moments again!

I have a special posting this week I'm working on. It means so much to me and I want it to be right. It definitely takes my breath away and I'm sure it will you!

It's almost two in the morning and I better get some sleep. I will post results on Wednesday of heart biopsy and of course my special Christmas posting.

Enjoy those moments in time that take your breath away!!

love,
Debbie