2008 is among us!

I can't believe it is 2008 already. I can't complain though, I'm very excited about what the new year brings!

I must admit that this has been the best holiday season yet! I have had a blast. Madison is growing more everyday. Out of nowhere it seems she has started using both hands to hold and control items. She is trying her best to hold her own bottle. She even managed to open all her presents this Christmas. Taylor was 3 months older during her first Christmas and slept through most of it. When she was awake she could have cared less about her presents. Madison was so into it!

Brianna joined us on Christmas day and we have had so much fun. This time of year is usually hard on us. Brianna and Taylor get sick of each other and I get fed up with the fighting. This year has been SO very different. They are learning to separate when they get sick of each other. I have more planned activities than usual. This is great because it gives them something to look forward to. I think we might just be getting the hang of this blended family thing!

As some of you know already; Kelly and I put our Christmas money together and got a new Digital SLR camera. (Thanks Pops!!!) I love it. I have always wanted to get into photography and now I have the right equipment to do it. I just can't wait until I can afford to add some extra lenses because there are so many thing I want to do with it! I think I took almost 500 pictures Christmas day alone!

Dad was married on 12/29/2007. I could not be happier for him and Pam. Dad sunk into a depression after mom died and Pam has helped him come out of it. I have not seen dad this happy in so long I almost forgot what he could be like! I love Pam and her family is wonderful also. Its hard to believe at 30 I now have a step brother (Gil) and sister (Emily). They are great and so are their families. Gil and Kathy Gale have 2 sons and Emily and Micheal have 2 daughters. That makes 7 grand-kids!! This is so hard for me to believe, because we have always been such a small family. I enjoy the time we have spent together. We are all within a few years of each other and get along wonderfully!

In the midst of everything I managed to graduate from nursing school. On December 13, 2007 I became an Alumni of BCHS and have a BSN in nursing. Hopefully after January 17, 2008 I will forever be known as Melissa Van Doren Vaughn RN, BSN. And God forbid I go back for my master's ( I will eventually!!) Then I will get to add a MSN also (and no it's not for Microsoft!) After I pass boards I will owe my soul to the hospital. I work in the ICU and will continue there throughout the next few years. I love my job and all the nurses work with. They are wonderful and so eager to teach me as a new "nurse."

Well I know that is not all I have to share, but it is getting late and I need to get some sleep before the girls wake up in the morning. I hope everyone had a safe and Happy New Year! I will be back to catch everyone up and share tid-bits from the Vaughn family!!