Happy Anniversary

Tomarrow is our 21st wedding anniversary, and over the last 21 years I wouldn't have wanted to spend it with anyone else. Bob is truly a remarkable man. We have our annual date which is "Black Friday" shopping. The last couple of years we have felt nothing really was needed to get up that early, but we continue to wake up at 5 something...and both jump out of bed and begin our shopping day. This year was no exception...we woke up determined to sleep in...but low and behold Bob was down the stairs and me following closely behind him before 6 a.m. Again, we had a fun time...getting the little "Black Friday early bird specials". We crossed off individuals from our list and went home for early wrapping. This year we even met everyone for dinner at On The Border. I love the holidays and time spent with our ever growing family.


I just want to bottle up these special times so I can look back and feel what I do today...the love I have for everyone of my children and their spouses (those that are married). Our family has really grown close since our arrival in Texas. First, with Robbie and Stephanie and then when Katy and Tyler were born. I am so glad they all communicate with eachother, especially when times are tough. We really saw what it takes this year...so glad we all came together when we needed to. As 2009 comes to an end, I am really looking forward to the new year and the new adventures we will have as a family, especially since Stephanie and Katy will be graduating from college and high school.

To all those friends and family that have helped us this year with one of the hardest things I know our family has ever had to go through....THANK YOU!!!! You will never be forgotten for the love that you have shown our family.

Now it's time to get ready to say good-bye to 2009 and a big Texas HELLO to 2010.

On The Brighter Side

Just got back from Austin last night. Stephanie, Katy, and I went to see "Wicked" The Musical at Bass Hall in Austin. We had so much fun. We started our journey stopping first at DQ, to have a blizzard. Anyone living in Fort Worth (Northside) knows we have to go the distance for our blizzards. During our 3 hour drive we listened to the sound track of Wicked, Momma Mia, and The Sound of Music, so lucky to have daughters (and sons) who enjoy watching and singing along with musical soundtracks. We drove to The Marriott Courtyard where we checked in to the most beautiful room on the 4th floor. Another, blessing was the discounted price for the room thanks to my mom who works for the Marriott corporation. We stayed up past midnight laughing, taking pictures of the cute elephant (made out of towels), and of eachother. The morning came listening to the alarm clock going off next room....we think it was a vacant room. Got up took showers and went to eat a delicious breakfast downstairs. The show we had tickets for was for the matinee at 2pm, so we checked out of the hotel and found a Dillards....lol Those of you that know me know I like a good sale...this Dillard's just happened to be moving or closing...not sure, but we girls bought new dresses for the special mother daughter event at the sale price of 70% off. We laughed and giggled all the way to the car after dressing in our new clothes in Dillard's bathroom. The sales associate even helped with scissors to cut off our tags...lol We arrived at Bass Hall in Austin right on schedule...parked and walked in. We were so excited for the show to begin...took pictures in the lobby because cameras weren't allowed to be used in the auditorium itself. We loved the musical it was amazing....Stopped at On The Border for dinner and again at DQ for one last Blizzard. Arrived home after 9pm. What a wonderful opportunity to share my love for musicals with my girls. This trip was short but wonderful from all the pictures, to the shared memories and new memories, food, shopping trip, and last but not least Stephanie and I changing clothes off the side of the road.....a trip to never be forgotten....
For the boys at home and Robbie and Jamie.....let's do it again with all of us.....musical or trip...or just being together.

Hospital Day 6

Ok so we are waiting for the doctor to come in and release Bob from the hospital. He entered the Plaza Medical ER on 7/23/2009 by ambulance. Ya see, he decided to pass out on me. Now that was a scary experience. After arriving in the ER and having a CT scan of his head...to make sure no bleeding. He had a scan of his left leg to find 2 blood clotts. Later that night, he had a STAT CT scan of his chest to find 3 more clotts, called PE or Pulmonary Emblysts. I stayed with him the first night....because I was scared and Dr. Kirby (a doctor I work with) suggested it. So for the last 6 days we have been in a VERY small room with double doors that bang, clank, and rattle every time....I mean everytime someone walks through them. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else then here with Bob.

I can tell he really wants to go home...today he has looked at the clock every minute and announced that he wants to go home.

All in all my love for him has grown. It's been hard to see him go through so much, but I have never felt more sure we have been watched over. I know God lives and he answers my prayers and the prayers of others. I have felt comforted and loved. It's amazing how a turn in your lifely road can be a positive experience. I'm glad I work where I do because I have doctor's that care for me and my family. I can't tell you how often I was called, texted, or e-mailed by my great employers just to check on me and especially Bob....daily. My life is great!!!!

Well the doctor came in and released us to go home....I say us...we have been in this room together for 6 whole days...will be glad to be home...permanetly....Finally! It's now 4:37 p.m. and will be home in a couple of hours....rush hour traffic will keep us from getting home any sooner....darn!

The Love of My Life

Life just seems too short some days. It sad that something has to happen in order for me to realize how short our time here is. Do I spend my time on things that will matter the least? Probably....Does it take a crisis to remind me whats important.....YES always!!! Can I just tell you how incredibly lucky I am to be married to Bob?

A couple of months ago, Bob was complaining of some head pain....he never complains...he went to one of our pcp who sent him to his ENT doctor for sinus pain....after sinus surgery the doctor felt his headaches would go away...during the last couple months, several dollars spent for prescriptions and copays, Bob was not getting better. Finally, last weekend was the worst I had EVER seen him. He was sleeping more then normal all day and night. He would complain of his head hurting so bad...I guess sleep was the only temporary escape from the pain . This went on til Tuesday when he came in from leaving for work to tell me he had thrown up on his way. I went in to work and made an appointment for our office nurse practitioner. She sent him for a stat MRI which provided the reason for his headaches, two subdural hematomas. I picked him up to go directly to Plaza Medical in Fort Worth. There we would be expected by a Neurologist, Neurosurgeon,and Internist....all called personally by Dr. Sudha who I work for. That was one of the hardest drives I have ever made. We couldn't really talk it was so emotional....the unknown...what was wrong...so many questions went through my mind as I drove us to the hospital. Since our trip to the ER, Bob had 3 ct scans, 1MRA, 2 IV's, a central line, O2, A-line. and several blood tests....and finally surgery.

Robbie and Jamie were able to fly in first class with American Airlines thanks to the generosity of Stephanie's mother in law, Bridgett, who gave them two of her family passes. You see Bridgett works for American Airlines where she receives flight benefits. She checked them in the night before so they could get on the plane. the surgery was sceduled for 7:30 a.m. on Thursday. Robbie must of prayed extremely hard because surgery was delayed til after 1 p.m. This enabled them to get into town and see Bob before surgery. It was so good to have all my kids home. We missed Jeff during the surgery, but with Philmont time-off he couldn't get off work.
Bob's surgery went well-he had a craniotomy on the left side and burrow holes on the right side. Can I just tell you how blessed I feel. This could of had a different ending had we ignored any longer. How blessed, comforted, supported and loved I have felt through this whole process. We have had such an outpouring of love and support from family and friends, we feel the comfort from all the prayers on our behalf. At this time, Bob is still in the hospital with the hopes of having drains taken out tomarrow and being moved out of neu icu.
Today is July 13, 2009, Today is a new day in a new room. Bob was moved out of ICU and transported by wheel chair to the 7th floor....yeah!!!! Drains were taken out yesterday and the incision revealed...WOW! I'm speechless! He is getting ready to come home. Bob was released on 7/15/2009 to go home...and not a day too soon. lol

Today is 7/24/2009 after a week of being home Bob had some problems with blood clotts and his blood pressure so he was taken by ambulance yesterday back to Plaza Medical in Fort worth. Can I just say how scared I was to have him faint...even for 15 seconds...it was scarey. He has a pulmonary embolism which requires him to stay in bed and have a blood thinner (hepron) to breakdown the clotts.

Girls, Sun, Bugs and hugs

Can I just tell you how great it is to be married to the scoutmaster. Bob has been a scoutmaster for many years. Although, he denies it, he has been off and on for over 15 years. The many young men that he has helped get to Eagle is amazing. I too benefit from his scout knowledge. I was asked in January to go to girls camp. Now this was not the first time I have been invited, but everytime it's so hard to say no, so ofcourse I said yes! I did let them know that they were asking the wrong Tucker. My husband loves the outdoors more than I do. He doesn't mind the bugs and other creepy crawler things in the outdoors. I have to talk myself into going everytime, so glad I do and did this year. All the years I've gone to camp, by far this year was the best! I had the best of everything. The best cabin, girls, sun, and not so many bugs....thank goodness. Let me start at the beginning: The week before going I started thinking about going and started to get things together. I am a planner so I had already finished making the handouts and fun stuff for the girls...we do that at camp. I wasn't the only one packing my stuff. My sweet husband had already gotten my camp supply list and began putting tubs of "camp stuff" on the dinning room table. Let me just tell you how grateful I was at camp for all his "stuff". When I arrived at camp, I unloaded3 tubs, 1 large cooler, food (really snacks and junk food), my bag of clothes, water, a sleeping bag, a box fan and 2 pillows. Throughout my time at camp I would open a tub or my back pack and find cute little reminders of the wonderful man that I married. He would put little notes on packages of insect bite medicine (incidentally I never used), neosporan to go, crackers (smore gold fish), and cookies (milanos...my favorite)...It made my time at camp so much more fun. The little treasures have been a Tucker tradition since he and Robbie (our oldest son) went to scout camp. I had forgotten until I opened containers and found these thoughtful treasures. My time at YW camp was so much fun. The place we went was fun and peaceful....I know I said that....even with approximately 200 girls but it was wonderful. I love the girls that I served, and the other leader that I was fortunate enough to serve with. We laughed so hard my side hurt. This was Katy's last camp year...for next year she will be too old and a high school graduate. Although, we didn't see eachother a lot, we still would sneak in a quick hug in between daily classes. All in all, this was not just one great experience, it was a lot of little ones wrapped in to 31/2 days of fun, sun, and not so many bugs......

Our journey up to this point

Bob and I are a funny couple....we are so very different in some ways...but the same in others....how lucky I am to have him as my husband. When Bob and I met I was divorced with two small children (Robbie and Stephanie). He embraced them and two more 3 and 6 years later (Katy and Tyler). Bob is a fabulous man with so much enthusiasm for life and service, he continues to show me the way. Let me start by saying, my children probably don't know how lucky they are to have such a talented and witty father. He is a quiet man with quick wit and humor, the kids and I are caught off guard constantly. Bob has been with the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) for most of the time we have been in Texas. His example is purely amazing to all the young men he has helped get to Eagle. I don't know how many are Eagle scouts to date....but about 6 years ago it was 23 and has continued to grow today. All I can say is He loves it!!!! Bob is also talented in other ways too....I will share a fun experience I had with him in December of last year. It was Saturday night, and I didn't know what to wear on Sunday. I had bought a beautiful dress, however, I needed to spiff it up a bit. I had bought some material that matched the dress, but ran out of time to make a jacket. I found another dress that matched exactly in my closet. I put both the dresses on and the old one under the new one. I thought I needed to have the older one hemmed and it would work perfect!!! Bob got the sewing machine out and cut and hemmed my old dress in minutes. I wore both dresses (thank goodness it was VERY cold that day)-no one knew I had two dresses on....until now. I asked Bob if he ever thought he would be sewing on his wife's sewing machine someday....never in my wildest dreams......lol