Thinking Deep

Recently I told a friend, "start a blog...write about what hurts.." This after a conversation about things that matter. 

But do we really write and share about the "real stuff"? 

Hmmm...I think some do...and people call it by other names. Others polish it up and then call it "real", for fear of being judged. 

Another reason we are walking all boarded up inside...

Just thinking deep on a sunny day. 

Blessings! 

Beautiful

Natalie and Brandon, Junior Prom. So beautiful and handsome. They had a wonderful time! 

This couple is so cute, they actually won the "cutest couple" award at the prom. They are as cute on the inside too. :)

Me and my carbon copy...:)

Natalie's besties in front of my childhood home. It's their tradition to "go to Grandma's for pictures". I love it! I will miss this so much after next year! These girls are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. 

Beautiful day...:) 

Reflections

I was recently contacted by a couple of people who were looking for resources or support for their daughters and stepdaughters. These three girls have been diagnosed with scoliosis. One has just had a spinal fusion, another is most likely facing a future surgery, and the other is being monitored. I was able to do for them what we had desperately searched for and could not find when we were going through this very thing with Natalie. 

There are a lot of support groups for many things out there, but there are none for this type of surgery, at least not at a local level. The same rings true for sibling loss. 

I find that many, if not all of the trials I have faced in my life have left me feeling very alone in the battle.  They aren't the "popular, well-known variety".

Some trials have colors, walks, runs, races, ribbons, awareness weeks or days, and some trials are silent. I wonder why that is? 

Some are conquered and celebrated at the end. Some have heroes. And yet others go on and seem to only turn into bigger trials....I wonder why that is? 

Just reflecting today. 

I do a lot of that these days. 

Happenings

Had a nice weekend, despite the sad news of my parents' dog passing away the night before, on my brother's birthday. We just don't seen to get many breaks around here these days. 

On Friday, my brother's wife and sons celebrated his memory at a Tiger's game, as I mentioned before, and this is what they did to honor him: 

He got a heavenly view of the Tiger's win that day. I had a lot harder time dealing with this day than I had anticipated. I woke up feeling very sad. Spent my day in tears on and off, and had myself a pretty nasty migraine by the end of the day. Grief and I are clearly at odds. 

So the news of Pee Wee's death was very sad as well. He was originally my Grandma's dog, but when she became very ill and eventually passed, my mom and dad took Pee Wee as their own. He was a wonderful little guy and lived a good long life, and we all loved him like our own. I'd like to think he is sitting on Grandma's lap-always his favorite place. 

Steve has been having some back trouble, so we hired some hard-working friends of our daughters to come and work on Saturday. They were incredible! I put in a few hours of my own and got some weeding and mulching done. 

Working outside is my passion and I was denied that ability all last season. I was in my glory, let me tell you! 

Those boys were fast and didn't waste a minute getting their work done out back moving brush and planting trees, but after lunch, they played a little basketball to end a hard work day. 

On Sunday we finished some last minute prom dress details, and made Italian sausage. 

Today it is raining on and off and I dusted (yes, dusted) off my Bible and spent some much-needed time reading. 

More about that later. Letting that all sink in. 

Be blessed! 

Notes

You're not imagining things...it's actually me, writing here, on my blog again! 

I'm not really feeling my writer's groove lately, so here are some notes instead: 

- I am glad to say that our maple syrup season is finally over. We pulled our taps last weekend and washed all of the equipment. I didn't count gallons, though I'm certain Steve did, but it was a successful season, and the pancakes are happy. 

Natalie and I designed the labels together this year. Syrup season is a Long process, but a very fun family project. 

-My weight loss is going well. I have lost 31 pounds so far, but most importantly has been my ability to have the energy to exercise! I am much stronger than I was just a few months ago, and much less tired. It helps that the medication change has finally sunk in. Praising God for this major milestone I thought I'd never see! 

-Serena, the "baby", has completed driver's education. We now have 2 teenage drivers in the family, and 2 soon-to-be completely gray-haired parents, I'm sure. I have yet to ride with her. I still have some anxiety on a good day, so I just don't want to push it! 

-Natalie has received her ACT score recently and was very pleased to get a "30". With her 4.0 GPA, that most certainly means our child will not be living with us forever. :( As a junior, college information is flying left and right, and I'm beginning to get nervous...time has gone too fast. 

-Things are going really well with my "new brother". It's funny how these things happen and how I've seen then happen in my kids' lives as well. One friend leaves, and they are devastated, but then it makes room for someone who really wants to be there. It's quite incredible.  I recently had a visit with his mom, and we joke how "she always did like you best", which is so funny. Our similarities are very sibling-like. We could have grown up in the same house. 

-Spring. What can I say? It's elusive. We get a couple warm days, then it's cold again. I must be blinking too much! I look longingly out at the pool and the garden, and know soon I will be very much outside enjoying it all. 

-My brother will be celebrating his birthday in heaven on Friday. His wife and boys will be celebrating him at a Detroit Tiger's baseball game. My brother was a big fan, and went to the games often. We were not able to join them for various conflicting reasons, but will celebrate him in our hearts every day anyway. I was reminded by Angela to continue to focus on seeing Jeff in heaven one day, which for some reason, I was losing sight of that assurance. Thank you, friend. 

I hope I can stop in again and that my writing will begin to flow soon. Until then, I might just be sharing random notes! 

Be blessed!