Dear Grandma,
It's Tuesday morning, nearly the middle of November and almost time to face the holidays. I'm not dreading the holidays, I'm just not looking foward to them like I normally would. I'll still get to see the people that mean the world to me, even if it won't be on the holiday - but the holidays are when you make them, right? But holidays are also going to be a brutal reminder that someone is missing for the first time. At the same time, I didn't have an opportunity to spend my last Christmas with my last grandparent. It burned then, it burns a whole lot more now. I'm sure that on Christmas day when I am sitting on my couch with a lonely cup of coffee waiting for my pager to go off (or running like mad) you'll be there with me. I hope you will, anyway. I can't be angry about something that I've known all along to be part of my job and am lucky to have a family who is used to such a work schedule, lets just say I'll be happy next year when I know I've taken my turn. Mom has to work, too. I'm sure dad and Buddy will spend their Christmas eve watching Titanic or Down Periscope, Liar Liar...you know, one of those movies that they play on TBS at the same time everynight, back to back, for weeks on end. And he'll love it just like it's the first time he's ever seen it. That being said, I'm sure I'll pop in a movie I've seen a hundred times and laugh harder than the first time I've seen it, because I really am that easily entertained. Hopefully the week that follows we'll be able to celebrate Christmas as we always have, not even realizing the date.

My nexy couple months are so busy I feel like I may as well just hit the ground running. It's good to be busy, but it can be so exhausting at the same time. Thank God for 10 hour shifts that allow for a day off or I might never have clean laundry. In the next two weeks (starting yesterday) I am taking eight days of call. I am about as excited for this as I was to get my wisdom teeth out. I'll probably consume the same amount of ice cream I did for that also. It's a good time for it, I suppose, so you may as well just bring on the calls Bergan Mercy Medical Center.

I spent the weekend in Illinios and it was such a great idea. A very mellow weekend, but just exactly what I needed. I got there in the afternoon on Friday..we hung out, had supper (at which Miss Tonya made my very favorite cheesy corn) and just relaxed. Saturday was a day of shopping and pedicures for me and Tonya. It's not very often than Tonya and I are able to spend time together just the two of us, and we had a lot of catching up to do. She's such a great friend. Hannah is growing up so fast but she is such a fun little girl. I wish you could see her say "HI!" give kisses and torment the dog. Even if she does stick my whole entire nose in her mouth for a kiss, I'll take whatever I can get. =) She doesn't say a lot of words in "our language" yet, but she talks nonstop. She also does that little baby sign language - which makes me realize she's bilingual and already smarter than me.

I know that your banana bread production would be at it's peak right now and I sure am missing it. I can taste it just thinking about it - but I think it's more the theory behind it..and what the lack of it really means.

...I've missed you every minute since you've left.

Love, Kristen