My first time being tagged!!!!

Ok, so my bestest friend in the whole wide world just tagged me! Now I'm supposed to list some of my favorite Christmas traditions that I already have and some that I intend to start! Here we go....

1. Every year we put up our tree and decorate the house the weekend after Thanksgiving!

2. As soon as it's December, I start watching all of my favorite Christmas movies and listening to lots of festive tunes!

3. I buy a new ornament every year that has something to do with a special event that happened that year, and put the date on the back.

4. Sometime close to Christmas, we take a nice drive with hot chocolate, and look at all the Christmas lights!!

5. The weekend before Christmas we have our holiday party with my mom's side. We play the Chinese gift exchange! There's always some goofy presents in there, mixed with some really great ones!

6. In the past, we've always had a Christmas party with my parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, and nephew and nieces, on Christmas eve. It's always been my favorite party of the season, but I was always watching the clock because I had to leave early for my husband's family party. Don't get me wrong, I love his family as well, but I was always there thinking about how much fun MY family was having without me! But this year, they changed it to Christmas day so that we can stay the whole time!!!!! WOO HOO HOO!!!

7. On Christmas eve we go to his side of the family where we eat lots of amazing food, exchange presents, and read something from the bible. I always enjoy that part of the evening. It seems that most people lose the real meaning of Christmas, and it's nice to be reminded!

8. We love to end our night with the midnight mass at our church...which is really at 11:00pm these days..haha. I love this mass so much! The church is always dark and decorated with lots of Christmas trees and lights, and I just LOVE singing all the wonderful songs!!

9. Christmas morning we'll get up around 7:00 or 7:30, whenever mister Porter wakes us up with his sweet little babbles, and for the first time..we'll get to open presents with our great new addition!!!! I'm so excited to experience Porter's first Christmas with him, and I know that each year will only get better!

10. Around noon that day, we'll go to Andy's dad's for a great meal with just him and his girlfriend. It's a nice quiet afternoon!

11. And the star on top of our tree...haha.. ( I made that up)..is celebrating Christmas at my mom's house!! As I mentioned on #6 , this is my favorite! I love my family sooooo much and I just can't wait for this day! We drink lots of wine, and tend to get quite typsie....although, don't mention that to my mom or she'll quit drinking..haha...and then we eat until we just can't possibly eat anymore....but somehow we still do..haha! Then we all gathering around in the living room and open present upon present, until the room is covered in paper!!!! We always go over board! Everyone hangs out until the kids are all passed out, or too cranky to deal with anymore!!!! Christmas is the best time of the year for sure!!!!!

12. I was done, but have a little bit of OCD and can't end with an odd number, so let me just wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A little catching up...

I haven't been posting lately, I know. I just felt like there was no one out there reading these, so why post more? Then Miss Mika found me, and I decided I needed to keep posting in order to get more bloggers to read anything! Silly me!

It's just been crazy busy here lately. Christmas shopping, wrapping, and everything else that comes along with this wonderful season!!!! It's hard to believe that in just a week, we'll be celebrating Christmas with the people that matter most to us! This is truly the best time of the year.

Tomorrow is Porter's 4 month check up. I look forward to seeing how much he weighs and how much longer he's gotten! I'm pretty sure he's tall for his age, due to the fact that most people comment on how much older he looks, and that he can't stay in his clothes very long! His feet stretch out his 3-6 month sleepers, so he'll be getting some bigger ones for Christmas for sure!

Saturday me and my husband will be finishing up our Christmas shopping. I got everyone else all finished, and everything wrapped, but I had to wait until Andy was free so we could shop for Porter! So Saturday we're leaving mister man with his Mama, and we're off to fight the crowds!!! We really aren't too sure what we'll be getting for him....there isn't much that he can play with right now, but we'll just plan ahead and get him things that he will soon be able to play with and enjoy! I know that I want to get him a wagon. One of those heavy duty plastic ones, that have seats and cup holders. Maybe even a canopy top. He'll be able to use that as soon as he can sit up! I also know we'll get him some clothes...I just LOVE to dress him up like a big boy. I've never been into the cutesy babyish clothes. Besides sleepers, I love to put Porter in things like his daddy wears..haha!

Then Sunday I'll be wrapping everything that I bought the day before, so I will be finished after that! We also have our family Christmas party to go to at 3:00 that day. It's my mom's side of the family, and we very much enjoy getting together with everyone!!!!

I'm glad I decided to post again. Sorry I left for so long! I hope to keep up more frequently from now on!!! Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Shopping....

It's that time of year again....Christmas! I just love Christmas. It's BY FAR my favorite holiday! Usually by this time I have most of my shopping done. But with a baby this year, shopping trips have been few...and far between! I could use some major help! Does anyone have some good gift ideas? I could use some ideas with everyone on my list. I have a few people done..or I know what I'm getting them...but here's who I don't have a CLUE about! My dad, mom, 2 of my sisters, 4 of my nephews (ages 8,5,3, & 2), and my niece (1). Anyone have some good gift ideas? I also have some random gifts for gift exchanges and such that I could use a good idea for as well. It would help me out a great deal!!!! Thank you!

Some serious talk....

OK, now to talk about the biggest reason I decided to start blogging. I was recently diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I first noticed some unusual pains in my shoulders and arms around my 24th birthday, 2 years ago this January. The pains were enough to keep me awake at night and to limit my ability to use them at times. I went to my family Doctor in May of 2007. She ran blood work to test me for RA and other diseases. They all came back negative. Then I went to a Rheumatoligist several times. He clearly blew me off due to my young age. He told me that it was stress related and that I just needed to do some upper body exercises. I thought that he must know best, so I went on with the pains and tried to deal with them. After I had my son this past August, the pains spread from just being in my shoulders and arms, to also being in my hands, fingers, hips, knees, ankles, toes, and even in my neck and jaw once! Instead of the pains just lasting a day or two here and there, they were coming and staying for months at a time! It was becoming unbearable! I couldn't even lift my baby out of his bassinet, or change his diaper and feed him!! I made an appointment with a different family doctor, and he too ran blood tests. This time they came back positive and I was diagnosed with RA. I have many appointments ahead of me. I go this Thursday to take a bone density test, and to get chest and hand xrays done. Then the day before Thanksgiving, I go back to my Dr. to start on my steroids and other pain medicines. Then on January 5th, I go to St. Louis to meet with my Rheumatoligist.



Now that I have been diagnosed with RA, I have heard about a lot of other people having it as well. If you, or anyone you know has RA, I would really appreciate a comment. Just tell me your story, or the story of the person you know . Maybe you can tell me what medicines you/they are taking and how it effects you/them. Or maybe you have some words of encouragement for me. Whatever it is, I would love to hear from anyone!!!! Thank you!

My baby, Porter Wayne.....

Let me tell you a little about the most important thing in my life.....my baby! He was born August 21st, at 4:40pm. He was 9 lbs 0 oz and was 21 inches long! He was born with a lot of red hair, and still has most of it in the back! Haha! He's just the sweetest little guy! I can't believe I was lucky enough to have such a great birthing experience and such a great baby boy! I really can't imagine life before him, and I can't wait to experience everything with him from now on!!! He must be about 14 lbs by now, and growing like a weed!!! I have way too many pictures of him, so I will only post a few..haha!!!

Porter Wayne - 1 day old

Porter with his daddy

He looks like his daddy now!

He's getting so big!

My family....

Let me tell you a little about my family. My mom, Suzanne, and dad, James, have been married for 36 years, and I have NEVER seen them fight! They are very loving, and I know that they are the reason we all have such great relationships with our husbands and kids!!

I have 3 older sisters. Yes, I am the baby. My oldest sister, Sarah, is 35 and is married with 2 kids. Her husband, Cash, is a great guy that works very hard for his family. Their oldest son is Cashus,13, and her youngest is Wyatt, 10. They are great kids and I love them very much! My second sister, Theresa, is 33 and married with 3 kids. Her husband, Joe, is the couch here at Oran. He's a wonderful person as well. Their 3 kids are Jacob -7, Samuel -5, and Elijah -2. They are such funny little guys and I love them bunches! My third sister, Rebecca, is 28 and married with 2 kids and 1 on the way! Her husband, Darin, is another great guy! Her oldest is Nathaniel, 3, and finally we have a girl, Cora-Beth, who just turned 1 in August! Rebecca is just 9 weeks along and due this June! She's going to have her hands full for sure! And last, but certainly not least, there's my sister-in-law, Trina. She's my husband's litter sister, and she's just as much a sister to me as my other 3 sisters are! She's 18 years old, and we've been close ever since her brother and I started dating...when she was only 8!!!

My entire family is very close! My sisters are my best friends, and all the husbands are great friends as well! They have always been like older brothers to me. We all live within a few miles of each other and we're constantly getting together for birthday parties, game nights, or just for no better reason than to eat! I know I can always count on them to be there no matter what! I am very lucky to have such a close family!

Ok...let me give this blog thing a try!

My name is Hannah Marie Gadberry. My bestest friend in the whole wide world has a blog, and I thought it looked like fun. Let me see if I can be as good at it as she is! Let me begin by telling you a little about myself. You will learn more about me as I continue blogging.

I am 25 years old and from a little town called Oran. I've lived here my whole life, and love it very much! I've been married to my high school sweet heart for two years now. We just had our first child this past August! His name is Porter Wayne, and he's the best thing that's ever happened to us!!! He will be 3 months old this Friday! Goodness, how time flies when you have a baby to keep you busy!!! My husband is an electrician and I used to have my own home day care. I quit working shortly before Porter was born, but I plan to start watching kids again next year, but part-time.