My dad has been gone ten years

It seems so hard to believe, but my dad has been gone ten years.  It seems unfathomable to me that an entire decade has passed.  There are so many days when I find myself wishing I could ask him how to do something, how to fix something, or get his opinion on something.  There are so many times when something will happen and he's the first person I want to share it with.  Even ten years later, those things happen.  It's so unreal that it's been ten years.

I know it's been a few weeks since I've written.  Life has been both crazy and dramatic lately.  It's all going to work out though.  I'll recap when I can.  I'm so looking forward to Thanksgiving week, some down time, some family time, some good food, and decorating for Christmas!

RIP Matthew Perry

I was at a Halloween party Saturday evening when I heard about the passing of Matthew Perry.  I was so sad to hear it.  Matthew Perry and Friends have been such a huge part of my adult life.  I remember it was on the evening of my 21st birthday while I was waiting on a friend to get ready to go out.  It wasn't until the following summer in reruns though, when I really started to follow it, and then it became my favorite show, and pretty much still is.  My roommate Steph and I were completely addicted to it during our co-habitation years.  Oh my goodness, the laughs we shared over the years. 

I remember watching the very final episode in 2004.  I cried so hard the first time I saw the last episode.  It truly was like losing my own friends.

I loved watching reruns over the years, and the show has been there for us when we were sick.  I loved when our kids were old enough to enjoy and appreciate the show.  Our family shared lots of laughs together.  The Thanksgiving episodes have become an annual family tradition, and I'm so grateful how the show brought us together and helped us to create awesome memories.  It makes me so sad that Matthew Perry is gone so young.

The rest of the birthday weekend

It was a busy weekend, but overall very lovely.  Yesterday we were able to watch Notre Dame just unload on Pitt.  While I follow Pitt because the kicker is from my hometown, I was still delighted that ND could trounce a team.  Our Saturday evening was spent at a Halloween party at a friend's house.  While we all know I love Halloween, I do appreciate an evening spent with those friends!  It was a very fun evening.  

Today was a very cold and dreary day.  My dear friend Jen had wanted to have lunch today, so we made that happen.  I was able to run a quick errand after.  I came home and I'm grateful that Andrew is making a fire in the fireplace.  It's always a lovely way to end the weekend and start the next week.  I'm so grateful for the peaceful feeling.

Today I turned 50

Today was my 50th birthday.  It's always nice when my birthday falls at the end of the week.  I awoke to a text from Thomas this morning who had texted right after Midnight.  That was so sweet!  The school Uke group serenaded me at lunch, and we had dinner with my coworkers this evening.  I received so many messages and texts throughout the day.  It was a very nice day.

This morning brought the biggest surprise, and honestly, it brought me to tears.  I was at school and was in the music room talking to my co-worker.  When I got back to my office, there was a small box on my desk.  I found a birthday note signed by Thomas.  He and his girlfriend had picked out a lovely bracelet, and the charms were a heart, a puzzle piece, a baseball, and a verse.  It was the first "I'll do it on my own" gift from him, and the fact that it was so incredibly thoughtful made it even more special.

I hadn't been excited about turning 50, but it's been a great day.  And ultimately, I'm grateful that I do get to turn 50.  It sure beats the alternative!

The last day of my 40's

Today is the last day in which I get to tell someone 40-something.  I can't believe it.  I've been alive for nearly half of a century.  It feels completely surreal.

Last evening, the four of us had dinner.  We decided to venture out to the lodge at the state park.  The drive was absolutely gorgeous.  It was a wonderful dinner.  Nothing makes my heart so full as having us all together, especially at a meal.  We had a really nice conversation, and seeing them grow into adults, well there just aren't words.

It's been a beautiful week.  At my job, there is this huge tree that is a gorgeous shade of orange, and right across the street are two trees that are absolutely gorgeous red.  It is such a peaceful view, and I'm so grateful each time I see it.  

Time is passing in life so very quickly.  A week like this makes it easier to slow down and be grateful for so many things!

I wanted to write last week

I had really wanted to write last week, but it just didn't happen.  It was the longest week I'd had in a very long time.  Tuesday evening I worked at church and then had a meeting.  Wednesday I wasn't able to leave work early, and I had yet another meeting at church.  Very long beginning to the week.

And Thursday was the longest, but it was wonderful!  This summer, I had read that Richard Thomas (famous for being in The Waltons) was playing the role of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, and the show was coming to Dayton.  I told Andrew I was buying us two tickets.  I love, absolutely love that story, and I knew with Richard Thomas playing the role it would be spectacular.  It was Midnight before we got home, but I was right.  It was a wonderful show.  Andrew and I used to enjoy theater performances, and now that the kids are grown we really should start enjoying them again.  It was absolutely wonderful.

I'd had early morning every day as I was helping a friend with school transportation, but I was looking forward to sleeping in Friday after our late night Thursday.  As we were leaving the theater though, I received word that our Early Care person couldn't be there, and I was moving VERY early Friday morning to get to work.

A friend had a health scare Friday, but all turned out well, and Andrew and I received our COVID vaccines that evening.  I went to bed at 9:00 that night and slept for nearly 12 hours.  I was exhausted, and Saturday Andrew and I both felt off, so we just sat around all day.

It was perfect fall weather last week.  The leaves were staring to change, and it was chilly enough, but sunny.  It was an incredibly long week, but the scenery was beautiful!  I love the month of October!

It's been a big week for Thomas

I had really wanted to write earlier in the week, but this was a crazy week.  With the kids grown, I don't normally have weeks as busy as this one anymore, but sometimes it happens.

A week ago yesterday, Thomas finished his classes he is taking to receive his CDL.  Yesterday he finished the driving requirements and will take his test this coming week.  Because he is in the process of earning his CDL, he's been hired by the local lumberyard and hardware store in town.  His first day was Monday, and he is thrilled that he's working his first 40-hour week job.  We are so proud of him, and he really likes this job so far.  The evening of his very first day, Andrew took him to purchase his very first "real" car.  It's a nice one too!  He was able to afford a 2020 Chevy Malibu with about 40k miles on it.  He had always wanted (and still wants) a truck, but he realized that the insurance, and especially the gas mileage, would not be things he wanted to pay right now.  We are so proud of how Thomas is adulting these days!