Here’s to a happy and fruitful new year to you!

In February 2008, I left the world of television news to work with another group of fantastic people at Auburn.  And with Raycom slashing jobs like no one’s business this past month, it’s a good thing I did.  I love all my old and new co-workers and friends.

Also in February, our little Alyssa turned the big 0-2.    She still amazes us with how well she can hold a conversation and understand so many things.

We also welcomed our son, David, into the world in December.  He’s gone through so much, and he’s still fighting his heart defect.  Thankfully, we’re ending 2008 with positive news and a happy little man.

And Amy, thank you for always being my wonderful wife. We’ll celebrate our 10-year anniversary in June, and I thank God for you every day.

God, thank You for Your blessings this past year.  Please continue to pour out Your grace and mercy on us and our loved ones in 2009.

It’s Christmas Eve night, and we’re gathered in the living room.  The tree is decorated and lit, and we’re watching Christmas cartoons with Alyssa.  Santa has already called and said he’d be here after she’s asleep.  It all seems like Christmas, but in many ways it doesn’t feel like it.

Christmas, first and foremost, is about the birth of Jesus.  It is certainly a joyous time in that we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

However, this year is very different.  In one sense, we are celebrating another great present in our new son, David.  He is so precious to us.  In another sense, it’s a very hard Christmas because we’re waiting to see how well he recovers from heart surgery.

There will be no trips to a grandparent’s house on Christmas Day.  There will be no siblings coming to our house.  There will be no huge dinner with all the family.  There will be small meals and trips to the cardiac ICU, but it’s all okay.

Why?  Because our son is making progress.  Because we’ll still give as much joy to Alyssa as possible.  All four of us will be together.  Maybe not in the typical holiday setting, but we’ll have each other.

In the end, what more could you ask for?

We spoke with the cardiologist Wednesday, and they are proceeding with David’s heart surgery.  They all thought it best to implant a shunt between two arteries around the top of his heart.  While this was the “worst” of the choices surgery-wise, it’s also the most effective and a procedure they do on a regular basis.

We asked if it’s open-heart surgery, and he said it depends on your definition of it.  He said, by his definition, it’s not.  It is close, but it will be a long-term (months or years) fix for his problems.

We haven’t met the surgeon yet, but we should within the next couple of days.  His surgery is set for Monday, and we’ll find out the time later.  It should only take a couple of hours to do.  After that, he’ll recover for a few days.

This will probably be the last update until after the surgery.  Please continue to pray for our boy.  He needs them more than ever.  If all goes well, this will be just another awesome Christmas present.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and we have a lot to be thankful for in our household.

I am thankful, first and foremost, for God and what He has blessed us with.  This year has been full of many changes, and He has been faithful through it all.

Second, I’m so thankful for my wife, Amy.  She is a rock I can lean on, and I love her so very much.  We both have had the biggest change of our lives this year with our son, David.  As I write this, he still isn’t here, but will come into this world by this time next week.

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Wow … Since my alma mater Alabama has been in a slump these last few years, not much has been said by friends and cohorts.  But let my boys put LSWho out of its misery and win the SEC West, and they come out of the woodworks!

You know what?  I don’t talk a lot of trash, but you haven’t had a reason to be bitter in a while, and I haven’t had a reason to rejoice.  So …

ROLL TIDE TOLL!!!!  SEC WEST CHAMPS!