My weekend has officially begun

If I'm being totally honest, a Monday off is always much better than a Friday off work, but a day off is still a day off!  The university in town has a break tomorrow, so we do as well.  So many years it feels like we just limp along to this break, but school is going so well this year, and we are so grateful.

It's definitely looking like fall outside.  I'm not loving the earlier sunsets, but that is part of the season.  AND, it gets worse (much worse) before it better!  But I love everything else about fall, and we are headed in that direction.

I'm already feeling a bit melancholy about the holidays this year.  Grandma hasn't been a part of our holidays in years (her choices), but the memories feel front and center this year.  I know I'm supposed to not "cry because it's over, but smile because it happened," but losing my last grandparent has hit me hard.

Andrew is heading to his mom's house this weekend, and I've got plenty to accomplish here at the house.  I'm so grateful for the downtime I'll have this weekend.  And I'm excited that our weekend has an extra day!

Another amazing weekend

Our weekend consisted of a trip to Illinois with our friends to meet up with Julie, who moved into the middle of the country 16 years ago.  We will probably make this trip twice year, with a July trip to see her and a December trip where she comes to Ohio.  I'm so grateful we are able to keep these connections.  We went over Friday after work, which gave us all day yesterday, although we spent the bulk of the day watching football.  The weekend weather has been beyond gorgeous.  The timing was a bit rough in that I am absolutely exhausted from the last month, but spending time with these dear friends is never a bad thing.  This will definitely go down as one of our favorite weekends!

October

I am so happy that October has arrived.  I'm also happy to report that situation involving the student at our school has a mostly happy resolution.  A bunch of us are pitching in to make things work out, and it is truly an honor and a privilege to be part of the village for this family.  I am looking forward to a wonderful month.

Today seemed an appropriate ending for this month

I awoke this morning with a migraine.  One dose of medication didn't do the trick, and even the second one was rough.  I suspect it was related to the lack of protein from yesterday.  Regardless, it was a rough morning.  I went in about 90 minutes late, and to be honest, I still didn't feel great even when I went in.  And then our afternoon hit.  I got a phone call from a parent at the school.  She was crying, I was crying, my coworkers were crying.  I will not break confidentiality, but this family does not deserve anything that is happening to them and we are all heartbroken.  Our day also started with our Early Care worker needing to be out, and since I'm normally the one who handles it and I couldn't, it was all a crazy day.  It was emotional, it was heavy, and it felt inline with how my month had gone.  But tomorrow is October, we have a really fun weekend planned, and I'm optimistic it will be spectacular!

Another trip to my hometown for another funeral

I made another trip to my hometown this evening for yet another funeral.  This man was my high school math teacher, but he and Georgia also became good friends with my mom and were there for her so many times after my dad died.  My mom has taken this very hard, which I completely understand.  I was prepared to be emotional about his passing and seeing Georgia.  I was not prepared for so many of my high school teachers and administrators to also be present (although I certainly should have been...it's a small town!!) and it was just a bit overwhelming, especially being back in the same funeral home 17 days after my grandmother's funeral.

Today was also verdict day in the trial of a murder in my hometown.  It's made national news, and it has been so, so awful.  The jury was out for two hours and 15 minutes before returning with guilty verdicts on all nine counts.  I was listening live, and at first I wanted to cheer, but no amount of guilty verdicts or jail time served is going to bring Ashley back.  Nothing will give Todd & Jill their daughter back, and most importantly, nothing will give Ava & Alyssa their mother back, and they've lost their father as well.  My heart is broken for the family, but grateful that justice has been served.

It is safe to say this September has not been my most favorite.  I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, but also so, so grateful.  I've really learned a lot about myself over the last month, and more than anything, I've reaffirmed how amazing my husband is and what a great team we make together.  The stress of this month, while a lot, has also allowed me to see so very many blessings that are a part of my life every day!

An end, a beginning, and other changes

Today we officially finished emptying my grandma's assisted living space.  We had to be out by this coming Wednesday, so it's nice to have that finished.  It's also awful, of course, because she is gone.  But I keep reminding myself, she's really been mostly gone for the last two years, and I'm so grateful that she is no longer existing as she was.  And I can only imagine how glorious that reunion in Heaven was when she was greeted by Grandpa and my dad, not to mention her parents and brother and sister.  Although the thought brings tears to my eyes, they aren't necessarily sad tears.

And in a beginning, Thomas and Lyndi invited us to their house for dinner, and Catherine and Zeke joined as well.  It was a lovely evening getting to visit with everyone, and I was honored that we were their first dinner guests.  It was a long day as I'd made the trip to my hometown and back, and then made the hour + trip to their house.  It was so great to all be together though.

We've also made a big change for our holiday plans.  I explained to my mother that with Thomas and Lyndi's move and a new dog, it will be very difficult for them to have to make a trip to my hometown for Christmas Day.  Mom was willing to go to a different day, but I explained it wouldn't be necessary this year as long as Mom would be willing to make the trip down to our house.  This also eliminates the stress of getting mom's house presentable for the meal.  Not in decent shape, mind you, just so it doesn't stink and shit can be hidden in rooms.  Also, she doesn't decorate so it will be nice to have a tree and everything.  My sister wasn't going to tell me no, but she did say she probably wouldn't come.  I offered to do the gift exchange at another time so she would just be missing the meal, and she said she's send the gifts down.  It breaks my heart to think of my sister being alone on Christmas, but she specifically told me she wouldn't be coming down because she didn't want to spend that much time in a car that day.  I've offered to drive up and get my mom AND take her back, but the two hours in the car to spend Christmas Day here is too much.  I could also point out that since September 1, I've made nine round trips back and forth to my home town, including two that would have been completely unnecessary except that my sister didn't want to deal with things.  Totally understandable as she was dealing with a lot, but I'm not sure why it's so expected for me and not acceptable for her.  Anyway, I'm excited about the thought of having family here together that day.  My mother-in-law is also considering being here from Thanksgiving though Christmas, but that isn't a done deal yet.  We'll see how that plays out.  

I'm completely exhausted.  September is the busiest month for Andrew, and adding Grandma's death and all that goes with it has been a lot to deal with.  We are soooo close to my favorite months of the year though, and I'm so grateful.  There are so many blessings!

Saturday morning

I'm very grateful for this Saturday morning.  The temps were in the 40's overnight, and it was chilly...my kind of weather!  Andrew had to stat at the game last night and then work the JV game this morning, but I've enjoyed some quiet time.  I slept in and slept some more!  I got up and took our sweet pup on a walk around the block.  It was so peaceful, and we watched the deer in our neighbor's yard.  I got home and I've been relaxing and enjoying the quiet.  Janey just hopped into Andrew's recliner with Marble, our cat from the woods who adopted us last year.  They are buddies and it is so incredibly sweet to see them together.  And Maudie, my grandma's cat who came to live with us 6-1/2 years ago, is now eleven and always curls up next to me when I'm sitting with my computer.

This month has really kicked our butts physically, and it's been really hard emotionally as well.  But, it won't always be this way.  And even when things are hard, there are still beautifully peaceful moments of joy like I'm experiencing at this very moment!