Hey, I'm back with all these changes!

Truthfully, I have avoided blogging these last few months. Too much life happening and not enough brain power left over to document it faithfully.

But now, with part of a Saturday evening to myself with a great little collection of tunes playing on Pandora and a mug of decaf by my side, I guess I'm ready to jump back in.

Since June when I last posted, Life has felt like it's been on the ride of its life...(?) Okay, doesn't make sense but I'm not deleting it.

I'll start from today and walk backwards.

Today my family said good-bye to my grandmother. We buried her next to Grandpa. Brilliant blue sky and nippy October air accompanied us. My brother, Dan, led us in some scripture and some thoughts of his own about Grandma; then the rest of us shared our own thoughts.
Twelve of us sat together for about 30-40 minutes. Agreeing with each other on the insights they shared; what DNA had been passed on to them from Grandma. Lots of words of thanks and gratefulness for Grandma. Then we put beautiful flowers in a permanent vase above the head stone, said a prayer and walked away. That was it. There just wasn't anything else to do.
And though it was sweet and sincere it was sad as well. No more memories to make with grandma.
Over the last couple of years when Grandma began really aging quickly I gained some insight into my own inevitable aging process.
I'm not going down without a fight.
I'm aware I can't control health problems totally, but I'm not going to just let age happen. I'm really going for the aging gracefully idea.
For the most part my Grandma was very sharp minded and she did age gracefully. It wasn't until about the time she turned 90 that it started to go down hill.
I think that's pretty dern good.

Walk backwards with me to Thursday.
I attended the funeral of a man I wish I would've known better. We were there for our his son; our new son-in-law, who we love. As Paul sat by me I felt grateful to have him there right next to me as we listened and ached over the weeping of many of Alex's family.
Surreal is how it seemed.
A man younger than me. Healthy one day and ill the next and 9 days later we're having his funeral. I was without many words. Like many, feeling helpless.
The pastor quoted a verse from Ecclesiastes that was very profound. It's something King Solomon said, "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other."
For me there is peace in that. Life gives us so many twists and turns. I learned a long time ago that the only thing that is permanent in our lives is change.
With my best mothery, gentle voice I write- the better we can adjust the better off we'll be.
Go with the flow and 'Trust in God not in man'.

(In my tour guide voice) Now we're walking, we're walking to the beginning of October.
Lydia left her boots because there won't be so much rain in L.A. I get to use them.
They loaded up there truck and they moved to Bev-er-ly...hills that is...swimming pools...actually Glendora; which does have hills.
This was a bit strenuous for me. I really had to stretch my sad muscles a bit. It been awhile since I'd been that kind of sad. So it sort of hurt for a while.
It was the change that I wasn't liking. With them living with us for four months I'd become dependent on seeing their beautiful faces every day, and having the conversations and smelling those strong spices and herbs Lydia was accustomed to cooking with. It was all going to be different. What I had become so comfortable with and love so much was changing.
After Josh and Lydia's move, Paul and I dragged ourselves around the house that day keeping busy by cleaning the house.
Jumping to the present and now that they are getting settled down south, Paul and I are just fine on our own. The house seems kind of big, but we know how to fill it up pretty well with dinners for friends and other gatherings.
We are welcoming the change, actually. Once we wrap our heads around this new concept of being 'empty-nesters' (not my favorite description we've been tagged with.) There definately advantages to being just a couple.

Isn't that the best paper bowl hat you've ever seen? I think so.
Lydia designed it for the wedding rehearsal.

September 18th Emmy changed her life forever. Changed ours in the process, too. Now we have a new son.
I have to start backwards, though. This whole wedding event happened pretty quickly.
- June 28th(?) Emily and Alex got engaged.
- September 18th they got married.
Nothing pressing except they wanted to get married.
For now and for always they decided.
I love how practical they both are about it. How they dug right in and started watching teaching series on DVD's about marriage, about staying in love and about real topics they knew they would have to face and get through. They make a wonderful couple.
If you are interested you can watch their wedding here: http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/pwp2/view/MemberPage.aspx?coupleid=7346103869520755&pid=2192719&MsdVisit=1
Sorry for the long link.

Anyway, from July to September was a bit on the busy side. With my Fibro issues I was trying to stay balanced. Paul was my watchdog, which I didn't always like but I would never want him to stop doing it. I dare say I did fairly well after I started taking B12/B6/Folic Acid shots 3x a week.
I guess that's another change but to discuss at a different time...my whole change for the better with my Fibromyalgia issues.
So...walking backwards to before September, 3 weeks before the wedding...Paul's Mom passed away. It was quite a week, that week. Paul and I did the preparation for the memorial service. Paul spoke (did an excellent job) I put the wedding planning on hold. We were away from home for almost a week.
Let's all say the word f-l-e-x-i-b-l-e together now.
We both walked away from that experience with a very peaceful yet exhausted feeling. Paul's Mom was given a sweet tribute. Paul's large family gathered and got reacquainted. The ladies of Immanuel Lutheran Church did a wonderful job of providing more cookies for the reception than we could ever eat.
And I remember going home and being so happy to once again sleep in my own bed.

That's it.
Four and half month history. I hope there are not anymore major changes too soon. But, of course, it's pretty much out of my control for the most part.

I'd like to pick up the pace with my art work, maybe even sell some illustrations.
I'd like to be able to just sit and finish a couple of books I started around Mother's Day.
Maybe even make Christmas gifts.
Lots to think about.