WOW! I can't believe it has almost been 4 years since I last posted on this site. I started this blog 20 years ago when I was working on my Bachelors. Throughout the years, I would say I am trying to get better at blogging but it never happened. I would periodically sign in and write a post, write down a few words to say what was happening at that moment, post a few pictures and then a year later pick it back up....but it has seriously been almost 4 years and I don't even know why. I did start writing in a personal journal on my cell phone but that has dwindled as well.
I started that in November of 2023 and made posts about things we had done: Thanksgiving, the Lauren Daigle Concert with Gladys, taking Gronk to have him put down, attending the Mistletoe Market at Camp North End in Charlotte, Christmas at Jack's house and the light show on the way home, Christmas as Charity and at home with the boys, Wonka with Julie and Michelle, Walking some trails, bringing in the new year, date nights with JC, National Whitewater Center with Jeremy, Dawn, and Kristen, Grove Pottery painting with the girls, memories and pop up messages that they gave me prompts for, Jonas Ridge Snow Tubing with Michele and the kids, Matthew West concert with Gladys and Kristen, Pinspiration painting with the girls, Uncle Johnny's passing away, Anniversary trip to Brevard, Aaron Lewis concert with JC, Hiking, Girls' Game Night, surgeries for Mom and Sandi, an Alpaca Farm tour, with the girls, Worthy Women's Conference, Abigail's wedding, baseball games, trips with the boys, Big Daddy Weave concert with Randall, more movies, more travels, Everett's funeral, Wytheville trip with Michaela, Sullenberger Aviation Museum with the girls, more movies, more walking, a Lake Trip with my mom and sisters, more hiking, NKOTB concert with Sandi, Family Reunion at Dad's house, putting Kathy into the nursing home and watching her very quickly decline and ultimately her passing, a trip to Hershey for my job, Atlantic Beach trip for our yearly October get away, having to put Jessie down due to a cancerous tumor on her leg, a trip to see Joe and Cindi Laskowski and more hiking/walking.
2 years of updates in one paragraph. It is crazy to go back through all of those posts. It is easier to just post on my phone then signing into my computer and posting here, but I kind of wish all of those posts were on here. After Kathy passed away, I went through an immense sadness that I didn't know how to handle. I talked to the Hospice Grief Counselor several times and she helped me walk through some of it....regret is a crazy thing. You can do everything in your power to make somebody's life better but still feel like you let them down. I helped care for Kathy for 3.5 years after George passed away and it was a wild and crazy few years. This past year was even crazier as I tried to get out of the funk. The counselor said it was okay not do something all the time, that my body was tired after being in a flight or fight mode for so many years, and it was okay to rest. I feel like I took that too heart and did a lot of nothing for quite awhile.
I did a podcast with Carolyn a couple of weeks ago, I was so nervous but I did it. She said it turned out great...I am not sure about that, but I do feel good about talking about it out loud. She asked if I had a place to store my pictures for others to see. I really don't know where I would start with that. They aren't spectacular just memories being made and trying to showcase the glory of the world that the Lord has provided. I am blessed in all situations and I need to do a better job of showing that.
I am off to get ready for work. Lots of thinking about doing stuff in the future...crafts I want to work on, books I would like to write, plans to make for what to do after I finish the 2 NC State Parks.. Until next time!
