This Good Life

There were two songs this year that will forever mark 2018 for me. Each song represents a season.  And each song gently holds feelings, complications, and some soul yearnings. In April 2018, I got some news that ripped me in half.  Sensitive news that affected every aspect of our lives.  News I wasn't prepared for; news I didn't know what to do with; news that would change the course of our lives and marriage and future.  I was at an utter loss with what to do or think or feel or how to act. So I went on a drive. I didn't know where I was going.  I didn't know anything, I just drove.  Calmly, but without purpose, I drove.  Maybe for therapy.  Maybe because I didn't know what else to do.  Maybe because sitting still in our house would not have been good for me. But on this drive, I was held.  In the midst of hopelessness and anguish, I was not alone. Holy moly, how I needed to feel that... to know I was being loved in the depths of ...

Blu told me that he wanted to do Christmas cards this year. What?!  So fun. Yes. So I told him that we definitely could make that happen on one condition... Blu agreed to the terms.  We kept the terms secret from Xander.  Then we fulfilled said terms. Results below: Yep. The terms agreed upon were that if we did a photoshoot, we would dress up in dinosaur costumes. It. was. so. fun. Xander had a blast!  We all did! In the pictures above, Blu is on the left, Xan is in the middle, I'm on the right.  And Macy is there somewhere, too, dressed as a velociraptor. We got some "normal" pictures, too.  :)  And we had as much fun taking all of these pictures as we will enjoy the pictures for years to come!  Thank you to Krystole Glover for doing a great job AND being will to do crazy with us!

I can't even believe Little Man is 11. When I first met him, he was 6 years old.  And he turned 11 in September... I've known Xander almost half of his entire life!  Cue the tears. I am so so proud of Xan in so many ways.  He is mature, he is smart.  He is curious and he loves to dig into the details of things.  He asks the BEST and most insightful questions of any young person I've ever met...  He's fun and always up for anything.  He's kind, especially to kids younger than himself.  He listens to the "whys" in life and soaks them in; I pray that is a trait that will lend him to making wise decisions in his life, rather than having an attitude simply having to following rules.  He loves waffles.  He loves dancing, particularly Fortnite dances. He was the hit entertainment at Goran and Heather's wedding.  :)  He reeeally hates mosquitoes!  He loves hot chocolate -- but milk-chocolate-hot-chocolate, nothing fancy pants...

The month of September in the year 2018 was such a strange month.  It's theme, hands down, was: transition . I'm not the best with change... In my adult life, I've discovered that I'm a slow processor and I need time to adjust.  And the fact that time FOR REAL flies by doesn't help!!!  I think back to certain events and am still in the mindset of "I can't believe that happened!", much less "here are the consequences of said event -- ready, go!" Anyway, change is imminent and inevitable and I know it.  But that doesn't make it easy for me. So, September '18... The In-Between. It started to get chillier this month.  Some of the leaves began to turn yellow.  The couple of crisp Fall mornings made me yearn for more.  And the funny thing about Autumn is, in all its glory, that it's intentionally a season of transition.  I really am so thankful to live in a place that experiences all four seasons and sways to the the gradual dance be...

When I was 10 years old, Mom and Dad took me to the Bahamas.  Without Zach...sorry, bud.  He was only 3 or 4 at the time so he stayed home (but since then I've definitely heard about his being "left behind").  :)  It was such a great trip -- I remember when we arrived, there was a hurricane headed straight for the islands.  The hotel where we were staying boarded up all their windows and for several hours we were asking to be inside this specific room to wait out the storm safely.  I feel like there wasn't electricity during that time and we played cards in that room at a round booth with candles. But I may be embellishing that part in my head.  By the next morning, the hurricane had shifted its course and it never hit the island so we got to enjoy the rest of our vacation with peace of mind!  I remember getting in the water with dad and dolphins!  We could touch them while we stood with one hand behind our back. It was joyous and memorable....

Some old pictures I just can't help but melt over and share! Baby Aleisha!  ~age 4 Little girl Aleisha  ~age 6 Dad and Mom  ~1979 dressing up as Dracula and.... fuzzy moon alien chicken??!?!   Papa and Nee in the 1940's Handsome and beautiful!!!  Dad and Mom in late 70's/early 80's Uncle RM (Papa's brother)!  So handsome Papa and Aleisha in Papa's backyard  ~1989 All of Mom's side of our fam! Scott's HS graduation  ~1992

At the beginning of November 2017, I asked Blu to go find me a big tree branch.  He's learning to not question (at least externally) my crazy antics. ☺ So, Blu Boy went and found me a tree giant tree branch -- then painted it gold, again per my request.  My sweet fellow.  After we had our golden tree in place, it became our " gratitude tree ".  A tree for a season, hopefully to be resurrected again.  Anyone and everyone who came over and wanted to write down something they are truly grateful for could hang their valued adornment on the tree.  Over a couple of months, the tree slowly filled up and began to constantly represent happiness, joy, priceless people, friendships, comforts, life's significance.  Reminders.  Reminders to live now, to live like we need nothing, to live like what we have could disappear at any moment -- and because of that, to be thankful. Here are the noted blessings of 2017 in no particular order, per the Tree: My famil...

CHRISTMAS!