Saturday, September 19, 2009

Cali Playing


Cali Playing
Originally uploaded by mommanana
Lots more pix posted to the photo gallery.. click on this pic to get there, or click on photo gallery listed on sidebar.. enjoy! More will be posted over the weekend! I was told to list a warning.. found some good pix of Kierra, & some of Randy, Kleenex may be required.

Friday, September 18, 2009

You can't "Catch" it!

Grief is not really contagious! It can make you feel sad, but you can't "catch" it & it doesn't rub off! I say that because that must be the reason people tend to avoid someone who is grieving. The most used reason is "I didn't know what to say". Honestly.. you don't have to say anything. And when it comes to grief.. you can't really make it any worse. Even if we ask for space initially, that doesn't mean forever. That doesn't mean don't call at all & never come see us. Kierra has been gone almost 4 years, Randy & Deb almost 4 weeks. Alot of people in our lives distanced themselves when Kie died. Most haven't come back. That seems to be what alot of people are doing to Greta. Yes, she is upset. Yes, she can be emotional. But she is still Greta. She is still alive & breathing, although there are times she may not feel like doing it! We are still capable of going to a movie, or a walk on the beach. We can still talk on the phone. If we think we can't, we won't answer. Leave a message & you'll usually get a call back. Reach out, don't step away. It only takes a few minutes to say hello, & let someone know you are thinking of them. Some days that may be just what we need when we are feeling so alone.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Out of Obscurity..

I just read back a few posts & didn't realize my life had been so consumed by dying & death.. I knew people I loved were dying, but didn't realize it had pushed everything else into obscurity!

*I missed posting Chad's 23rd birthday.. sorry buddy! He is in Tech school with the Army in Fort Huachuca Arizona. He should graduate March 5, 2010. His projected assignment will then be Honolulu, Hawaii! I guess I will just have to go visit!

*I missed posting that Brian is now a Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. I am so proud of him & happy for him. All those years in the Air Force forged a need to advance, to be acknowledged for his work. He got that, but also got the crappiest shift they have.. 3:30pm-3:30 am. The worst shift for a family man. On days that the kids have school & he works, they don't see him at all. I get to be a MSP.. Married Single Parent.. I get the kids up & off to school, I get the kids home from school, handle homework, dinner, baths, bedtime, etc. It is something he has worked so hard for, but truly sucks! There may be an opportunity for him to change shifts at some point.. but honestly.. another carryover from the military.. those are Brian's guys now, that is his shift.. will he really want to move to a different shift/squad & start all that over? Is it fair for me to ask him to? I have followed him & supported him for over 26 years, why change that now? It is an adjustment.. one that I thought I left behind with active duty.. so it will take a little longer, but we will all get used to it eventually!

*I missed posting about the kid's first day of school! I will upload pix later today. Tristan is in a co-teaching classroom, which has me concerned, but seems to be working at the moment. Alexa is in the class next door with a very organized, structured teacher. I thought at orientation that they may have been better off switched, but we shall see. Kindergarten sure has changed over the years! Hunter is doing well. He was unhappy at repeating the 2nd grade, but I think it will be a good year for him to gain some learning skills & get the support he lacked last year. His meds have leveled out & he is doing well. They just did an EKG & bloodwork.. all is well.

*Cali has settled down remarkably well. I will post a current pic of her too. The kids take turns walking her to the bus stop right around the corner every morning & afternoon..a positive side effect of having no car! It is a cute picture to see these little kids walking this big great dane!

*The lack of a car has also kept me from the horses. I had so wanted to get on a schedule with them too.. Once I have my car back that is my first priority. I think that has been part of the funk I am in. I miss riding, I even miss grooming & working with them. When they boarded in GA I was forced to devote the entire weekend to them, to focusing on nothing else. Now that they are up in Callahan it is harder to commit that block of time & not let other things bump them from my priority list. Life has a nasty habit of getting in the way!

I am sure I will think of other things that got forgotten, but for now that should catch ya'll up.