Thanksgiving

Thanks so much for the thoughts and prayers over the Thanksgiving holiday. I recieved messages, texts, and comments telling me that you were thinking of us and Abby.  I appreciate it so much!

So, I did it! I made it through my first Thanksgiving without my girl. I've missed her so much, and if I let myself think of it, I was very sad and had tears, but otherwise, it was ok.

At dinner, I lit a single candle as I remembered my baby.

The only table decoration.  A light for Abby.

I tried to think of her all the years she loved it, and not last year when she felt so sick. 

The girls at Seaworld when they were little!

My mom spent the week here, and my sister and her family came for the holiday. It was great to have family around.

My mom and my neice

It's a huge adjustment to a new way of life here. The biggest change is noise. We had to be quiet around Abby. She was legally blind, but very sensitive to sound. The last 6 months, any noise at all bothered her a lot. We were as quiet as we could be. Before that, we just tried not to bother her, and sound did.

Nearly 15 years of quiet is a tough habit to break. Everyone here seemed massively loud to me. I kept shh-ing everyone. My sister said they weren't really loud, I'm just used to quiet. I think it's a bit of both. They are loud (or maybe loud is a normal that I've never had), but we are library quality quiet. I really tried to stop the shhh. Emily doesn't mind the noise, so I need to get used to a new normal.

It's such a small thing, but a huge reminder of how different my life is.

Hannah and Sarah

I thought I had a better picture of Emily and Daddy, but it turns out that this is it. 
 

I tried to get pictures, but between my nieces, sister, and daughters, someone's hair wasn't done at all times. :/. They didn't love my camera, but it was nice to have cousins playing together. 

One thing we all did love was the food. This is why Abby loved it, and why I do.

We are blessed indeed!